The best mouse for video editing, ranked by usable buttons

How did we rank the best mice for video editing?

We ranked mice by the buttons an editor can actually map and the per-app software the maker confirms, then by scroll and comfort. DPI is not a ranking factor.

Disclosure: we make mouzeclick. It is software for any mouse, not a mouse, so we sell none of the products below.

• Usable buttons. Five buttons are standard: left, right, middle, Back (Mouse 4) and Forward (Mouse 5). mouzeclick reads those five plus scroll and tilt, and nothing beyond them. A gaming mouse with extra side buttons does not give you extra mouzeclick buttons. Those extras work only through the maker's own software, so we count them as usable only inside that software.
• Scroll and tilt. A fast scroll mode helps on long timelines. None of the pages we checked said whether a wheel tilts, so test that in the shop.
• Comfort. We use only the comfort claims the maker publishes.
• Software and systems. Which app sets the mouse up, which editors it has presets for, and which Windows and macOS versions it needs.

Every product fact comes from the maker's own page, checked on 3 November 2026. The Logitech India, Logitech G and Corsair pages we checked showed no prices for these mice, and we did not check a US Logitech store page. So the price column says Not published rather than guessing. Apple's Magic Mouse page text had no specs; see the Mac section.

For what working editors say about their mice, read our summary of 57 Reddit threads on the best mouse for video editing.

Which mouse is best for video editing? The comparison table

The MX Master 4 leads for Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro editors. The ERGO M575S leads for comfort. For programmable buttons, look at the G502 X line: Logitech G's series filter lists 10+. Checked on 3 November 2026.

Is the Logitech MX Master 4 the best mouse for Premiere Pro?

For most Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro editors, yes, if you are happy to set it up in Logitech's own app.

Logi Options+ lists Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Final Cut Pro among the apps you can give their own settings. Chrome, Edge, Safari, Zoom, Teams and the Office apps are on the same list. It also lets you put gestures on any mouse button: hold it and move up, down, left or right.

• Haptic Sense Panel. It gives customizable haptic feedback on specific actions, shortcuts and notifications. Logitech says haptics in Options+ are only on the MX Master 4 at the moment. On Windows 11 it also has native haptics, starting with the end-of-March 2026 Windows update. You control those in Windows settings and update the firmware from the Options+ device page.
• Actions Ring. An on-screen overlay that brings tools and shortcuts to the cursor, with plugins for third-party apps downloaded through Options+. Logitech claims up to 63% fewer mouse movements, from its own 2025 Ergo Lab study of 37 MX Master users doing 8 desktop actions.
• MagSpeed wheel. The wheel is machined steel and has two modes. Ratchet mode is 87% more precise, in Logitech's comparison with the Master 2S. Hyper-fast mode is 90% faster, at up to 1,000 lines per second.
• Sensor. 8,000 DPI, and it tracks on glass at least 4 mm thick.

The pages we checked don't publish two things: the button count and the price. Customizing the haptics needs Options+, which downloads for Windows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later.

If you also work in After Effects, read our guide to setting up an MX Master for Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Best for: editors who want per-app buttons, haptics and a fast wheel, all from the maker's app.

Is the MX Master 3S still a good mouse for video editing?

Yes. It uses the same Options+ app, and Logitech's MX Master 3S page says it has predefined settings for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. It has the same for Chrome, Safari, Zoom, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Edge, and Logitech says it is customizable in virtually every app with Options+.

What it lacks is haptics, which Logitech says are only on the MX Master 4 for now. The pages we checked don't say whether the 3S supports Actions Ring. They also don't publish its scroll modes, button count or price, so compare the two side by side on a retailer listing or in a shop.

Gestures work the same way on both, because Options+ lets you put a hold-and-move gesture on any button.

To get per-app buttons without Options+, or on a mouse from another brand, see our Logi Options+ alternative comparison.

Best for: editors who want the MX Master shape and preset Premiere Pro settings, without haptics they won't use.

Is a trackball good for video editing? The ERGO M575S

It can be, if your forearm is the problem.

The ERGO M575S is a wireless trackball you move with your thumb. Logitech says ergonomists certified it to keep your hand and forearm relaxed, and that its sculpted shape reduces forearm muscle strain by 25%. Its clicks are 80% quieter than the older ERGO M575.

It is also the only mouse here whose maker spells out the buttons. Its 3 customizable buttons are Back/Forward and the middle click of the scroll wheel, and you can put shortcuts and Smart Actions on them in Options+. Those are three of the five standard buttons mouzeclick reads; the other two are left and right click. Options+ also sets the cursor speed.

Logitech doesn't publish whether the wheel tilts, or the price. Expect a learning curve: dragging a trim with your thumb is a different motion from dragging with your arm.

Not sure what to put on the thumb buttons? Here is what mouse side buttons are best used for.

Best for: editors with forearm or wrist strain who still want Back, Forward and middle click under their fingers.

Which mouse suits smaller hands? Logitech Lift

Logitech pitches the Lift at small to medium hands. Its best sellers listing describes it as "day-long comfort, great for small to medium-sized hands".

The Lift is one of the featured devices on the Logi Options+ page, so you set it up in the same app as the MX mice.

The pages we checked publish no button count, angle or price for it. We rank it below the M575S only because Logitech confirms less about it, not because of anything we measured. If you have smaller hands and the MX Master feels too big, hold a Lift before you decide.

Best for: smaller hands that find the MX Master too large.

Which trackball gives you the most mapped functions? Kensington Expert Mouse TB800 EQ

Of the two trackballs here, the Kensington Expert Mouse TB800 EQ gives you the most mapped functions.

Kensington's Konnect software lets you assign up to 16 sets of customizable functions on it, including buttons, combo keys and rollers. Konnect for trackballs and mice runs on Windows 10 or above and macOS 13 and above.

Kensington doesn't publish the trackball's physical button count, scroll ring details or price on the pages we checked. Those 16 sets are built inside Konnect. mouzeclick reads only the standard buttons, up to five, plus scroll and tilt. Its first-run step of pressing each button once shows you exactly which buttons it sees.

Best for: trackball users who want many functions and combo keys, set up in the maker's app.

What is the best programmable mouse for video editing?

If you want lots of programmable buttons, look at a gaming mouse such as the Logitech G502 X line. Its series listing filters at 10+ programmable buttons. There is one catch: you set up the extra buttons in the maker's software, and mouzeclick does not read them.

• Logitech G calls the G502 X line the legendary G502 design "reinvented with breakthrough gaming technology".
• The G5 Series listing shows five models: G502 X PLUS (wireless), G502 X LIGHTSPEED (wireless), G502 X (wired), G502 LIGHTSPEED (wireless) and G502 (wired).
• On that listing, the only option under the programmable buttons filter is 10+. The listing gives no count for any single model.
• The series filters also include Onboard Memory Profiles and two sensors, HERO 2 (44K DPI) and HERO 25K (25K DPI). The listing doesn't say which model has which.

MMO mice push the idea further. Corsair's gaming mice page lists the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS SE MMO Gaming Mouse in Gun Metal. The listing gives no side-button count, price or specs.

Before you buy for button count, know where the extras work. You get them only in the maker's software. In mouzeclick, the left, right, middle, Back and Forward buttons work, plus scroll and tilt.

Our roundup of mouse button mapping software compares the apps that do the mapping.

Best for: editors who want a physical button for everything and don't mind living in the maker's software.

What is the best budget mouse for video editing?

The cheapest editing mouse is often the one already on your desk, as long as it has Back and Forward buttons.

We couldn't rank budget models by price. None of the Logitech India pages we checked showed a price, and we did not check a US Logitech store page.

• Logitech Signature M650. The best sellers listing says "Upgrade your setup for all-day comfort and productivity". It is also a featured device on the Options+ page, so you set it up in Logitech's app.
• Logitech M720 Triathlon. Listed as a multi-device wireless mouse, which is useful if you switch between a desktop and a laptop.

The Logitech pages we checked publish no button count, tilt wheel or price for either model. Before you buy any budget mouse, look at the product photos or the box for two thumb buttons. Those are Mouse 4 and Mouse 5, and they are the two that make a cheap mouse useful in an editor.

Best for: a second mouse, or a first one on a tight budget. Confirm the side buttons first.

What is the best mouse for video editing on a Mac or MacBook?

On a Mac, pick a mouse with Back and Forward buttons, and check which macOS version its software needs before you buy.

On paper, the MX Master 4 and 3S lead here too, because Options+ has app-specific settings for Final Cut Pro as well as Premiere Pro and Photoshop. But Options+ downloads only for macOS 14 or later.

What about the Magic Mouse?

Apple's mice and keyboards store page lists the Magic Mouse (USB-C). The page text we could read on 3 November 2026 showed no button layout, gestures or price, so we don't rank it.

If you already own one, test what it reports before you plan your shortcuts. BetterTouchTool's downloads page lists Magic Mouse gestures among its triggers, next to trackpad and normal mouse gestures.

Which software runs on which macOS?

• Logi Options+: macOS 14 or later.
• Kensington Konnect: macOS 13 and above.
• mouzeclick: macOS 12 or newer, on Apple Silicon and Intel. Installing mouzeclick on a Mac takes four steps, including Accessibility and Input Monitoring permission. The Mac app has the mouse app, wheels and gestures; the workspaces, captions and Retakes are Windows only.

Final Cut Pro and MacBook keyboards

Apple's Final Cut Pro guide has topics on Multi-Touch trackpad gestures and on customizing keyboard shortcuts in the Command Editor. Set your Final Cut shortcuts there first, then put them on the mouse.

On a MacBook keyboard, mouzeclick's Options wheel and Orbit switch open with Fn + F8 and Fn + F9. You can also turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys".

BetterTouchTool is a Mac option for chords. It does multi-button chords, button + scroll and modifier + button, plus Logitech control with no extra drivers. Its page doesn't mention Windows.

See how to remap mouse buttons on a Mac, and our BetterTouchTool alternative comparison.

How do I choose a mouse for video editing?

Start with the buttons, then comfort, then software. Leave DPI for last.

1. Find Back and Forward. Two thumb buttons plus a clickable wheel give you the five standard buttons. That is enough for cut, ripple delete, undo, play and a wheel.
2. Check the wheel. Look for a fast or free-spin mode for long timelines, and try tilt in the shop, since makers rarely publish it.
3. Fit your arm, not a spec sheet. OSHA's workstation guide sets a few goals: wrists and hands in line with your forearms, elbows close to your body and supported, and enough room for the keyboard and mouse. OSHA also says no single posture fits everyone, so a trackball or a smaller mouse may suit you better.
4. Check the software's macOS or Windows version. A mouse is only as useful as the app that maps it.
5. Decide where the extra buttons live. Buttons beyond the standard five work only in the maker's software. Make sure you are happy using it every day.

If you want dials and keys as well as a mouse, see our roundup of video editing controllers.

Where mouzeclick fits (we make it)

mouzeclick is not a mouse. It turns the mouse you pick into per-app shortcuts.

It works with any mouse your computer sees, whether wired, wireless or Bluetooth, with no driver. It uses up to five standard buttons (left, right, middle, Mouse 4 and Mouse 5) plus scroll and tilt.

• Per app. Mouse 4 can cut a clip in Premiere, switch tabs in Chrome and paste everywhere else.
• Eleven slots per button. Each button can run tap, hold and move in four directions, a chord with another button, or hold and scroll.
• Three wheels. The Options wheel (F8) holds 48 favourites per app. The Orbit switch (F9) shows your open apps. The Tool wheel opens with F10 or a held right button, and works only in Premiere Pro (112 tools) and After Effects (114 tools). Read more about Premiere Pro mouse shortcuts on any mouse and the After Effects Tool wheel.
• 309 built-in shortcuts on Windows, for Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve and CapCut.

The mouse app, the wheels and gestures run on Windows and Mac. The After Effects and Premiere Pro workspaces, captions, Retakes, cloud sync and in-app updates are Windows only. The Premiere Pro and After Effects tools are on the Premiere Pro and After Effects tools page.

The price is $25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys. There is a 3-day trial with no card. See pricing.

Where the maker's software is the better pick:

• For haptics or Actions Ring, use Options+. For onboard memory profiles on a G5 Series mouse, use Logitech G's own software.
• For the extra buttons on a gaming or MMO mouse, or Kensington's 16 function sets, use the maker's app. mouzeclick doesn't read those buttons.
• mouzeclick also never changes DPI, polling rate, battery or lighting.

Questions people ask

Sources

Checked on 2026-11-03. Prices and features change: each link goes to the maker's own page.

1. Logitech: Logi Options+ (India)
2. Logitech: MX Master 3S (India)
3. Logitech: MX Master 4 (India)
4. Logitech: MX Master 4 Special Edition (India)
5. Logitech: ERGO M575S wireless trackball (India)
6. Logitech: best sellers (India)
7. Logitech G: G5 Series gaming mice (India)
8. Logitech G: home (India)
9. Kensington: software hub (Konnect)
10. Corsair: gaming mice
11. BetterTouchTool: home
12. BetterTouchTool: downloads
13. Apple: mice and keyboards store page
14. Apple: Final Cut Pro User Guide contents
15. OSHA: computer workstations eTool

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