Comparison

X-Mouse Button Control alternatives, including for Mac

Updated 2026-11-03 · by the mouzeclick team

The best X-Mouse Button Control alternative depends on your system, because XMBC's own page lists only Windows. On a Mac, look at Mac Mouse Fix ($2.99 + taxes, one time), BetterTouchTool or mouzeclick, which we make and which runs on Windows and Mac. On Linux, use Input Remapper. On Windows, XMBC is still the right free pick for plain button mapping.

XMBC is free and Windows-only: Windows 10 and 11, plus Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2022, checked on 3 November 2026.
XMBC handles up to 5 mouse buttons, because the Windows mouse message queue carries only 5.
Mac Mouse Fix costs $2.99 (+ taxes) once. Its 30-day trial counts only the days you use it.
Input Remapper is the Linux option: GPL-3.0, with X11 and Wayland support.
mouzeclick (we make it) runs on Windows 10/11 and macOS 12+, with per-app buttons, gestures, macros and three wheels.

What is X-Mouse Button Control, and what does it do well?

We make mouzeclick, one of the tools on this page. Every fact about the other products comes from the maker's own page, checked on 3 November 2026, and each one is linked under Sources.

X-Mouse Button Control (XMBC) is a free Windows tool that remaps mouse buttons. Its licence says anyone can install and use it for free. It is a hobby project and is not tied to any mouse maker. For setup help, see our X-Mouse Button Control guide to setup, layers and safety.

What it does well:

Profiles per app and per window. By default, a profile turns on by itself when the pointer moves over the app, window or screen region you chose.
Up to 10 layers per profile. Each layer is a different set of button actions. You switch layers with a hotkey or a mouse button.
A long list of actions. It has a simulated keystrokes editor and button chording, where one button changes what another does. It also has timed button actions, app launching, clipboard and media control, screen or window capture to the clipboard, sticky click-drag buttons and support for Windows 10/11 virtual desktops.
Wide Windows support. Windows 10 and 11, and Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019 and 2022 (GUI versions), on 32-bit and 64-bit. The page says it should also work on older, unsupported Windows such as XP, 7 and 8.
A portable version next to the installer. The installed copy starts when you log on to Windows.

For free button mapping on Windows, that list is hard to beat. The reasons to move are mostly about platform and hardware.

Why do people look for an X-Mouse Button Control alternative?

Most people look elsewhere because they moved to a Mac or Linux, or because their mouse has more buttons than XMBC can see.

No Mac or Linux version. The XMBC page lists only Windows and mentions no macOS or Linux build.
Five buttons at most. XMBC intercepts the Windows mouse message queue, which carries only five buttons. A mouse with a row of extra side buttons cannot pass them all through XMBC.
It needs standard 4th and 5th button messages. The page says that if your side buttons do nothing by default, XMBC may not be for you. You can still remap the main buttons and the wheel. Our guide to mouse side buttons that don't work covers that case.
Support is best effort. The author offers no guaranteed support. The focus is on bugs that break current features, not on new features.
It maps buttons. It doesn't show menus. The features listed on its page include no on-screen wheel or radial menu. If you want a menu at the pointer, see BetterTouchTool, the Actions Ring in Logi Options+, or mouzeclick below.

How do the X-Mouse Button Control alternatives compare?

Checked on 3 November 2026. Prices are shown as each maker's page shows them. "Not published" means the page we checked doesn't say.

Tool	Price as shown	Platforms	Mice it works with	Best for
X-Mouse Button Control	Free	Windows 10 and 11, Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2022	Up to 5 buttons plus wheel; needs standard 4th/5th button messages	Free Windows button mapping with layers
AutoHotkey v2	Free, open source (GNU GPLv2)	Not published on the homepage	Keyboard, mouse and joystick hotkeys	Scripted automation and text expansion
Logi Options+	Not published	Windows 10+, macOS 14+, Googlebook	Supported Logitech devices	Logitech owners
Razer Synapse 4	Not published	Windows 10, Windows 11 (x86-64); Mac Preview for macOS 15+ on Apple silicon	Razer devices; other brands not published	Razer owners
BetterTouchTool	Not published	Mac; Windows not mentioned	Mice, Logitech mice with no extra drivers, trackpads	Every input device in one Mac app
Mac Mouse Fix	$2.99 (+ taxes), one time	Mac; Windows not published	Mice with 5+ buttons for gestures; not the Magic Mouse	Cheap side-button gestures on a Mac
Input Remapper	No price stated	Linux (X11 and Wayland)	Keys, mice, joysticks, wheels and triggers	Linux
mouzeclick (we make it)	$25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys	Windows 10/11, macOS 12+	Any mouse; up to 5 standard buttons plus scroll and tilt	Editors on Windows and Mac

Tool	Trial	Licence	Per-app setups
X-Mouse Button Control	None needed (free)	Free for anyone to install and use	App, window and region profiles, 10 layers each
AutoHotkey v2	None needed (free)	GNU GPLv2	Not published on the homepage
Logi Options+	Not published	Not published	Presets for named apps, or your own
Razer Synapse 4	Not published	Not published	Not published
BetterTouchTool	Not confirmed in our check	Not published	Hotkeys scoped to one app or a group
Mac Mouse Fix	30 days, counted on days used	Open source, one-time purchase	Not published
Input Remapper	Not published	GPL-3.0	Not published
mouzeclick	3 days, no card	One key, one computer at a time	A profile per app

Is there X-Mouse Button Control for Mac?

No. The XMBC page lists only Windows versions and mentions no macOS build, so on a Mac you need a different app. Four tools on this page run on a Mac:

Mac Mouse Fix: one payment of $2.99 (+ taxes), built around side-button gestures.
BetterTouchTool: mouse chords, button + scroll, radial launchers and per-app hotkeys.
Logi Options+: for supported Logitech devices, on macOS 14 or later.
mouzeclick: macOS 12 or newer on Apple Silicon and Intel, with the same key and price as on Windows. The mouse app, wheels and gestures run on the Mac; the workspaces, captions and Retakes are Windows-only.

Razer Synapse has a Mac Preview for macOS 15 Sequoia and above on Apple silicon. Razer does not say which features work in it. Our guide to remapping mouse buttons on a Mac walks through the setup side.

Is Mac Mouse Fix a good X-Mouse Button Control replacement on a Mac?

Yes, if you want trackpad-style gestures from a five-button mouse for very little money. Mac Mouse Fix costs $2.99 (+ taxes) to own, with no subscription. It is free for 30 days, and only the days you actually use it count. It is open source, with the code on GitHub.

Its page describes these side-button gestures:

Hold button 4 and drag up for Mission Control, left or right to change desktop, or down for App Exposé.
Hold button 4 and scroll up to show the desktop, or scroll down for Launchpad.
Hold button 5 and scroll to zoom in apps like Safari and Preview. Drag left or right to go back and forward.
Click button 5 for Smart Zoom on a web page or PDF.

You can also put any keyboard shortcut on a button. Move the pointer into the + field, click the button, then pick an action. Double click and click-and-drag work as triggers too.

Limits:

The gestures need a mouse with at least five buttons.
The Apple Magic Mouse is not supported.
On some mice that run Logitech Options, not every button is recognised.
Paying on Gumroad through PayPal in a currency other than euros adds a 4.5% conversion fee.
Supported macOS versions and any Windows version are not published.

Best for: a Mac user who wants side-button tricks like XMBC's for one small payment.

What does BetterTouchTool add for a mouse on a Mac?

BetterTouchTool goes well beyond button mapping. Its site lists 600+ triggers across every input device and 600+ built-in actions. For the mouse, it covers multi-button chords, button + scroll and modifier + button. It also offers full Logitech control with no extra drivers. Its downloads page lists trackpad, Magic Mouse and normal mouse gestures.

The examples on its home page show the idea:

Button 4 + left click opens a new tab.
Button 4 + drag left or right switches space.
Button 3 + scroll changes the volume.
Right button + a drawn heart, or any custom shape, adds to favourites.

It also has circular app and action launchers that open with a gesture or a long click. Its keyboard features include global and per-app hotkeys that tell left and right modifiers apart, short and long presses, key sequences and a configurable hyper key.

We could not confirm the licence price, licence type, devices per licence or Windows support from the pages we checked. Our BetterTouchTool alternative comparison goes deeper.

Best for: Mac users who want mouse, keyboard and trackpad triggers in one app.

Should Logitech owners just use Logi Options+?

If your mouse is a Logitech, try Logi Options+ first. It customises supported Logitech mice, keyboards, lights, webcams, touchpads, presentation remotes and the MX Creative Console. It downloads for Windows 10 or later, macOS 14 or later and Googlebook.

App-specific settings, with presets for Chrome, Edge, Safari, Zoom, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and Teams.
Gestures on any mouse button: hold it, then move up, down, left or right.
Actions Ring, an on-screen overlay that puts tools at the pointer.
Flow, which controls several computers and moves text, images and files between them.

The catch is the hardware. It is built for supported Logitech devices, and the page names no other brands. Logitech's software page shows no price. Haptics work only with MX Master 4 for now. The full device list sits behind a link on that page. For per-app buttons on other brands, see our Logitech Options+ alternative page.

Best for: Logitech owners on Windows or Mac, especially anyone who uses Flow across two computers.

What about Razer Synapse on Windows and Mac?

Razer Synapse 4 is Razer's software for Razer devices. It handles button remapping, macros and performance settings in one place.

Hypershift sets one button to switch to a second set of functions on top of your normal assignments. It is close in spirit to XMBC's layers.
Advanced macros are strings of button presses that run with one click.

It downloads for Windows 11 (x86-64) and Windows 10. Synapse for Mac is a Preview for macOS 15 Sequoia and above on Apple silicon, and Razer does not say which features work in it. Three more things are not published: whether Synapse works with non-Razer mice, its price, and how per-app switching works.

Best for: Razer mouse owners, on Windows in particular.

X-Mouse Button Control vs AutoHotkey: which should you use?

Use XMBC if you want to pick an action for each button from a list. Use AutoHotkey if you want to write your remaps as code. XMBC gives you a list of actions, per-app profiles and 10 layers. AutoHotkey is a scripting language for desktop automation. You write a script that defines mouse and keyboard hotkeys, remaps keys or buttons, and adds autocorrect-like replacements.

Question	X-Mouse Button Control	AutoHotkey v2
How you set it up	Pick an action per button, in profiles and layers	You write a script
Inputs	Up to 5 mouse buttons and the wheel	Keyboard, mouse and joystick hotkeys
Typing text	Simulated keystrokes editor	Hotstrings that expand abbreviations as you type
Price	Free	Free, open source (GNU GPLv2)
Mac or Linux	No version listed	Not stated on the homepage

AutoHotkey's homepage calls it small, fast, beginner-friendly and ready to run out of the box. It supports procedural, object-oriented and command-based programming. Its examples include hotkeys and hotstrings, a clipboard script, a short GUI and arrays.

That flexibility is the point. If a button should do one thing in one case and another thing otherwise, a script can say so. The cost is that you maintain code. The homepage gives no mouse button key names or system requirements, so read the documentation before you start.

Best for: people who want logic, text expansion or keyboard automation beyond a list of buttons.

Is there X-Mouse Button Control for Linux?

No. XMBC's page lists only Windows. On Linux, the closest match in our research is Input Remapper, "an easy to use tool for Linux" that changes how input devices behave. It supports X11 and Wayland, combinations, programmable macros, joysticks, wheels, triggers, keys and mouse movements. It maps any input to any other input.

Licence: GPL-3.0. No price is stated.
On Debian and Ubuntu, install it with sudo apt install input-remapper. The README also has sections for Fedora, Arch, Void and other distros.
Input Remapper 2.0 and later need at least Ubuntu 22.04.

Two things are not published: which Wayland compositors work, and how its features line up with XMBC's. mouzeclick has no Linux app, so Input Remapper is the only Linux pick on this page.

Best for: anyone leaving Windows for a Linux desktop.

Where mouzeclick fits (we make it)

This is our section, about our app. mouzeclick is the pick if you edit video and want one app on Windows and Mac. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and on macOS 12 or newer (Apple Silicon and Intel). The key and the price are the same on both, and a key runs on one computer at a time.

Any mouse, no driver. Wired, wireless or Bluetooth all work. It uses up to five standard buttons (left, right, middle, Mouse 4 and Mouse 5) plus scroll and tilt. That is the same five-button ceiling as XMBC: buttons beyond those five aren't mapped.
Per-app buttons. Mouse 4 can cut a clip in Premiere, switch tabs in Chrome and paste everywhere else. It changes the moment you switch windows.
Eleven slots per button: tap, hold and move in four directions, a chord with another button, or hold and scroll. Any button can be the gesture button, and a quick tap still clicks.
Hotkeys and macros. Put any action on a key combination, per app, or block a combination an app keeps stealing. Macros chain keys, clicks, waits, typed text and launches.
Three wheels. The Options wheel (F8) holds 48 favourites per app on rings of 12, 16 and 20. The Orbit switch (F9) puts up to 12 open apps on one ring. The Tool wheel (F10 or a held right button) works only in Premiere Pro and After Effects.
309 built-in shortcuts on Windows, for Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve and CapCut.

What to know before you switch:

It costs money: $25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys. The trial is 3 days with no card. Details are in mouzeclick pricing.
It needs an internet connection while it runs. If the connection drops, the shortcuts pause and the mouse acts normally.
On Windows, apps running as administrator ignore it. Pick Restart as administrator in the tray menu to fix that. Ctrl+Alt+F12 stops mouzeclick at once.
Apple has not notarized the Mac app yet. You allow it once, then turn it on under Accessibility and Input Monitoring. The four Mac install steps show where.
The mouse app, wheels and gestures run on Windows and Mac. These parts are Windows-only: the After Effects and Premiere Pro workspaces, captions, Retakes, cloud sync and in-app updates.
It doesn't change DPI, polling rate or lighting. Those stay with your mouse maker's software.

For editing, see Premiere Pro shortcuts on any mouse and the Premiere Pro and After Effects tools, including both Tool wheels.

Where X-Mouse Button Control is still the better pick

XMBC is the better pick for anyone who uses only Windows and only needs buttons remapped. Specifically:

It is free. mouzeclick and Mac Mouse Fix cost money.
10 layers per profile, switched with a hotkey or a button.
Profiles for a window or a screen region, not only for an app.
Windows Server and 32-bit Windows. mouzeclick's published requirements cover only Windows 10 and 11.
A portable version you can run without installing.
A PC that must stay offline. mouzeclick needs an internet connection while it runs, so it is out for a machine you keep offline.

If your day is spreadsheets and browsers on one Windows PC, keep XMBC. Our guide to remapping mouse buttons on Windows 11 covers the basics. Move to something else when you change systems, want a wheel at the pointer, or edit in Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Which X-Mouse Button Control alternative should you pick?

Start from your system and your mouse, then your budget.

Windows, buttons only, no budget: stay on XMBC.
You want logic or text expansion: AutoHotkey.
Mac, a five-button mouse, small budget: Mac Mouse Fix.
Mac, every input device in one app: BetterTouchTool.
Logitech or Razer hardware: try Logi Options+ or Synapse first, since they come from the maker of your mouse.
Linux: Input Remapper.
Windows and Mac with the same app and key, for video editing: mouzeclick.

For more options, see our roundup of mouse button mapping software and the radial menu apps page.

Put your shortcuts on any mouse, on Windows or Mac, free for 3 days. One plan with everything included, $25 a month, or $249 for a year.

See the price

Questions people ask

Does X-Mouse Button Control work on a Mac?

No. The X-Mouse Button Control page lists Windows 10 and 11 and Windows Server versions only, and mentions no macOS build. On a Mac, look at Mac Mouse Fix ($2.99 + taxes once, with a 30-day trial counted on days of use) or BetterTouchTool. Logi Options+ covers Logitech mice. mouzeclick, which we make, runs on macOS 12 or newer with the same key as on Windows.

Is X-Mouse Button Control really free?

Yes. The maker describes XMBC as a free tool for Windows, and its licence says anyone can install and use it for free. No paid tier or trial is published. It is a hobby project with no guaranteed support. The author focuses on bugs that break current features rather than on adding new ones, so plan around what it does today.

Why does X-Mouse Button Control only see five mouse buttons?

It relies on and intercepts the Windows mouse message queue, which supports only five buttons. XMBC can't map buttons beyond those five. The page adds that if your 4th and 5th buttons do nothing by default, XMBC may not suit your mouse. You can still remap the main buttons and the wheel. mouzeclick also uses up to five standard buttons.

What can I use instead of X-Mouse Button Control on Linux?

Input Remapper is the Linux option we found. It works on X11 and Wayland, handles combinations, macros, joysticks, wheels and mouse movement, and maps any input to any other. It is GPL-3.0. On Debian or Ubuntu, install it with sudo apt install input-remapper. Version 2.0 and later need at least Ubuntu 22.04.

Is AutoHotkey better than X-Mouse Button Control?

It is more flexible, but not better for everyone. AutoHotkey is a free, open-source (GNU GPLv2) scripting language, so a button can run logic you write. It also handles keyboard and joystick hotkeys and text expansion. XMBC needs no code: pick a button, pick an action, then set profiles and layers. If you don't want to write scripts, XMBC is quicker to set up.

Does X-Mouse Button Control start with Windows?

Yes. XMBC runs automatically when you log on to Windows. To stop that, use MSConfig, or the Start-up tab in Task Manager on Windows 8 and later. The installer closes a running copy by itself. If you'd rather not install it at all, the download page also offers a portable version.

Does mouzeclick work with a mouse that has more than five buttons?

It works with any mouse your computer sees, but it uses up to five standard buttons: left, right, middle, Mouse 4 and Mouse 5, plus scroll and tilt. Each of those buttons gets eleven slots, including hold-and-move gestures and chords, so five buttons can do a lot. Buttons beyond those five aren't mapped, and DPI and lighting stay with your mouse maker's software.

Does mouzeclick need the internet to run?

Yes. mouzeclick needs an internet connection while it runs, because the licence and profiles live in your account. If the connection drops, the shortcuts pause and the mouse works as a normal mouse until the connection returns. Keep this in mind for a machine you keep offline, or for travel without reliable Wi-Fi.

Can I try mouzeclick before paying?

Yes: 3 days, no card. The key and the Windows and Mac download links arrive by email. The 3 days start the first time you open the app with the key, and there is one trial per person and per computer. Every Premiere Pro and After Effects tool works fully. After the trial it costs $25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys.

Sources

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