SensibleSideButtons for MAC
Free, open-source Mac menu bar app that makes the side buttons on third-party mice go back and forward in almost any app.
SensibleSideButtons Overview
If you use a third-party mouse with your Mac, its side buttons (often called M4 and M5) do almost nothing useful by default. On Windows they move back and forward in nearly any window with a history. SensibleSideButtons brings that to macOS: your side buttons act like the three-finger swipe on a trackpad, so you can go back and forward in Safari, Finder and almost any other app with a history.
Unlike apps that map the buttons to keyboard shortcuts, SensibleSideButtons acts only on the view under your cursor, so there is no menu bar blink, no alert sound, and separate parts of one window can be navigated on their own. It is a tiny menu bar app that you can turn on or off, and you can add it to your login items to start it with your Mac. SensibleSideButtons is made by Alexei Baboulevitch and is free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license. Version 1.0.7 runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs and needs macOS 10.13 or later.
Key Features
SensibleSideButtons makes your mouse's side buttons useful on a Mac.
- Back and forward: side buttons navigate almost any app with a history.
- Like a trackpad swipe: they act as a three-finger swipe.
- Under the cursor: only the view you point at reacts.
- No side effects: no menu bar blink and no alert sound.
- Menu bar app: turn it on or off in a click.
- Any third-party mouse: works with mice that have side buttons.
- Apple Silicon and Intel: runs natively on both.
- Tiny: a 2 MB download.
What’s New in Version 1.0.7
SensibleSideButtons 1.0.7 is rebuilt for modern Macs.
- Rebuilt to run natively on Apple Silicon and Intel
- Small touch-ups
- Minimum macOS raised to 10.13
SensibleSideButtons FAQ
Is SensibleSideButtons free?
Yes. SensibleSideButtons is free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license.
Which macOS version does SensibleSideButtons need?
Version 1.0.7 needs macOS 10.13 or later.
Does it run on Apple Silicon?
Yes. Version 1.0.7 runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
What does SensibleSideButtons do?
It makes the side buttons on a third-party mouse go back and forward in almost any app with a history, like Safari and Finder.
How is it different from mapping buttons to shortcuts?
It acts like a three-finger swipe on the view under your cursor, so there is no menu bar blink, no alert sound and it works in far more apps.
Which mice work with it?
Third-party mice with side buttons, commonly called M4 and M5.
How do I start it automatically?
Add SensibleSideButtons to Open at Login in System Settings → General → Login Items.
Can I turn it off temporarily?
Yes. Turn it on or off from its menu bar icon.
Can I install SensibleSideButtons with Homebrew?
Yes. Run brew install --cask sensiblesidebuttons.
Where does the SensibleSideButtons download on sensible-side-buttons.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official SensibleSideButtons website at https://sensible-side-buttons.archagon.net/. sensible-side-buttons.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.