Beginners guide to using a computer mouse? Tips and tricks

A computer mouse is one of the most important parts of a computer now days as most people would find it farley difficult to control a computer with just a simple keyboard. Of course there is a keyboard shortcut to perform all the necessary tasks on a computer, however using a mouse is so much easier. It just a matter of clicking and what you want.

Learn how to hold the computer mouse:

If you lay your entire hand over your mouse it usually ends up in the right spot. Try and have your thumb resting on the desk, and on the other side, have your  pinky on he desk too. See the picture below. Now you can see that your index finger sits on the left mouse button and your middle finger rests on the right mouse button. You can use either your index finger or your middle finger to move the centre scroll wheel.

Please click on the thumbnail image to the right to see a finger diagram.

Learn how to move the computer mouse:
If your mouse is connected to the computer, when you move the mouse with your hand, the arrow will move on the computer screen. It is better to have a clear space for the mouse to move in. If you accidentally bump into objects it may cause you to click on things you did not intend to.

What happens when you  left click and right click on your mouse?

• When you left click on the mouse it usually means you are selecting an item.

• If you double click on a file or folder it will open the item.

• You only need to click once to open a link on the internet. 

What can you right click on?

• The most common thing you can right click on is your blank desktop background. This will bring up a menu of choices to change settings on your computer. In the screenshot below it shows what happens when I have right clicked on the desktop. The first menu appears, then if I hover over something with an arrow next to it, another menu comes up.

• You can right click on an image on the internet and choose to save the picture.

• You can right click on any file and choose to see the properties of that file.

• You can right click on any file to copy it. Then right click in another folder in the blank space and choose paste.

What is a scroll wheel on a mouse?

A scroll wheel is a small wheel located between the left and right mouse buttons. This allows you to smoothly scroll up and down a page instead of clicking at least 100 times.

What does clicking and moving the mouse do?:
The best way to click on something is to hold the mouse arrow on top of the item and then click. Be careful not to move as you could move the file or even delete it instead of opening it. It is all about practice makes perfect, and that's what you have to do, practice.

Clicking sends a command to the computer. To click, gently press and release the left computer mouse button. Be careful not to move the mouse while you are clicking, if you accidentally do simply slide the mouse back to where you want to click and try again. Try to keep you hand relaxed on the mouse as you press and release without lifting your finger completely off the button.

Tips and tricks for using your mouse.

• In Internet Explorer or Firefox you can hold the CTRL key down on your keyboard and move your scroll wheel to adjust the text size you want to view.

• Hold the CTRL key down when clicking your mouse on a link and it will open in a new tab in Internet Explorer 7.

• Also hold the SHIFT key in and use the scroll wheel to move back and forward through the webpage's you have just visited.

• If you are left handed and want to change a mouse to suit you, then you can change the left click button to right click, and so on... To change what your mouse buttons do go to the control panel, open the mouse icon, and here you can change all the settings for the mouse.

What type of mouse do I have?

If you turn your computer mouse over you will be able to tell what type of mouse you have.

• If your mouse has a ball under it then it is an older type mechanical mouse. When the ball is moved it also moves the mouse on your computer screen. This type of mouse is outdated but can still be used. Using a mouse pad is recommended for this type of mouse as it helps it roll along smoothly and also reduces the amount of dust the ball may suck up.

• If your mouse has a laser light under it then it is an optical mouse. This is the newer type mouse and of course it is faster, cleaner, and works on most surfaces without needing a mouse pad.

• There is also a optical-mechanical mouse which is simple a combination of the two technologies.

• The newest technology is the wireless mouse which relies infrared, radio signals or Bluetooth to communicate with the computer.

You computer mouse can also have different plugs on the end of the cord that connects it to your computer, or it may not have any cords at all. The most common connections for a mouse with a cord is the PS 2 port and the USB interface. The RS-232C serial port is an ever older type of connection again. Of course most people prefer the wireless mouse now days as it has no messy cords to plug in.

You do not need a mouse if you have a laptop with a Touchpad.

See in the screen shot below, this laptop has a Touchpad that you run your finger over to move the cursor just like the mouse does. It also has left click and right click button next to it.

See More Computer Basics

About the Author

Mitz wrote this article and others for tips4pc.com  Browse for more articles that are written in an easy to understand way. Also see our very popular Video Tutorials page. Watching a video is a very easy way to learn about computers.

I hope you've found this tutorial clear and easy to understand. If you have more questions, feel free to visit our FORUM and we'll be happy to help.

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