Until now, we’ve focused solely on what happens when you click that middle button (which on some mice is also the scroll wheel). For example, clicking it on a browser tab instantly closes that tab. Clicking a Web link opens that link in a new tab. And middle-clicking a browser folder opens new tabs for all that folder’s links.
Ever wonder what happens when you click and hold the middle mouse button? Glad you asked. This action activates a handy page-scrolling option in applications like Word, Excel, Adobe Reader, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
In other words, when you click and hold the middle mouse button, you can then drag your mouse forward or back to scroll up or down the page, respectively. This feature is intended for folks who don’t have a scroll wheel, but it works just as well with scroll wheels–and I know many people who prefer the speed of middle-click scrolling to the slow, steady pace of wheel scrolling.
Well, that’s it for now on our good friend Middy, unless you have some tips of your own to share. In the meantime, happy middle-clicking!