X-Mouse Button Control review (2026): is it any good?
Free Windows tool that remaps mouse buttons per application
X-Mouse Button Control report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for free mouse button remapping on Windows
X-Mouse Button Control is a free Windows tool that remaps mouse buttons and the wheel per app, with up to 10 layers. But it supports mice with up to 5 buttons, it runs on Windows only, and the author calls it a hobby project with no support guarantee.
Who X-Mouse Button Control is for
- Fits if you want extra buttons on a Windows mouse doing different things per app
- Works for people who like a portable program
Who X-Mouse Button Control is not for
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as only Windows is listed
- Not for you if your mouse has more than 5 buttons
- Watch out: the author calls it a hobby project and can't guarantee support
- Too light for you if you want a vendor-backed mouse suite
Why X-Mouse Button Control gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree, with optional donations that buy no features or support.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole program is free, with a portable version.
- CFeaturesPer-app profiles, 10 layers, many button functions and wheel actions. It supports mice up to 5 buttons only, because of how Windows passes them on.
- CEase of useProfiles, layers and functions to set up before it is useful. No store rating is on record.
- DPlatforms and integrationsWindows 10, 11 and Server 2012 R2 to 2022 only. No Mac or Linux version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Highrez's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/x-mouse-button-control#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/x-mouse-button-control.svg" alt="X-Mouse Button Control: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where X-Mouse Button Control stands among desktop utilities
X-Mouse Button Control's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 69 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 46.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 107 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
X-Mouse Button Control has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. X-Mouse Button Control’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186, level with 131
- AFree plan and trialAbove 107 of 186, level with 79
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186, level with 110
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 186, level with 72
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186, level with 110
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep X-Mouse Button Control, or make your own?
Keep it
X-Mouse Button Control is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- Keys and buttons remapped below the level of apps.
- Capture tools hooked into the operating system.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. X-Mouse Button Control’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is X-Mouse Button Control?
X-Mouse Button Control (XMBC) is a free Windows tool for remapping mouse buttons and the scroll or tilt wheel. You create profiles for specific applications or windows, each with up to 10 layers of button settings. The author describes it as a hobby project and takes optional donations.
Worth knowing
- Windows only; the author lists Windows 10 and 11 and Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2022 as supported.
- Supports mice with up to 5 buttons, because it relies on the Windows mouse message queue.
- The author calls it a hobby project, cannot guarantee any level of support and is not affiliated with any mouse maker.
Key features
- Application and window profiles
- Mouse behavior can differ per application or window, and profiles activate automatically as the pointer moves over the defined target.
- Layers
- Each profile can hold up to 10 layers of button configurations, switched with hot-keys or mouse buttons.
- Many button functions
- Includes simulated keystrokes, button chording, timed actions by hold length, launching programs, clipboard and media control.
- Wheel and screen capture actions
- Remaps the scroll and tilt wheel, can capture the screen or active window to the clipboard, and supports virtual desktops in Windows 10 and 11.
- Portable version
- A portable build is offered beside the installer, and the installer picks the 32-bit or 64-bit version automatically.
X-Mouse Button Control pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, X-Mouse Button Control is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free, with no paid edition. The author accepts optional donations and says donations do not buy features or support.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| X-Mouse Button Control | $0 | Free for Windows, in an installer or a portable version. No bundled software. |
Read from highrez.co.uk on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with X-Mouse Button Control before you buy.
X-Mouse Button Control alternatives
- X-Mouse Button Control vs BetterTouchTool
Free trial · from $15 one-time
- X-Mouse Button Control vs SteerMouse
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Common questions
Does X-Mouse Button Control have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. X-Mouse Button Control is listed for Windows.
Does X-Mouse Button Control have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. X-Mouse Button Control is listed for Windows.
Is X-Mouse Button Control open source?
X-Mouse Button Control is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.