Wheel Mouse Drivers

Wheel Mice are currently the most widely used type of mouse in the modern Home PC era, simply because they are a minor advancement over standard Mice, which have no wheel, and are less convenient. Wheel Mice derive their name from the scrolling mechanism that is positioned between the left and right mouse buttons. This simple addition allows a user to scroll up and down on various web or computer based documents without having to manually click on the side scrolling bar or hitting the space bar on the page. The wheel can also be used when the cursor is placed over an adjustment button, such as volume control or resolution settings.

A computer interacts with wheel mouse drivers in the same way that it interacts with the mouse itself. If the user is able to scroll with the mouse, then the mouse wheel should function properly from the get go. If your mouse came with an installation CD, then it would be wise to install that software first, and then plug your mouse in. If, however, the user finds that the mouse scrolls, but the wheel isn’t functioning properly, then the drivers are probably outdated for the version of operating system that the user is running. To fix this, the user can go to the mouse manufacturer’s website, where the driver updates will be available.

Common programs that can have issues with outdated wheel mouse drivers include Microsoft Office, web browsers such as FireFox or Google Chrome, and other word based programs. The majority of errors occur when the program software out dates the drivers on the user’s PC for the wheel mouse. Wheel Mice that are labeled as Plug and Play require no additional installation after plugging in the device, because it will update automatically. These wheel mice are often USB plug ins, and require no additional wheel mouse drivers.

Wheel Mouse Driver F.A.Q.

Q:My wheel mouse isn’t functioning properly, what should I do?

A:Visit the mouse Manufacturer’s website and download all of the updates for your device. Be sure to install software from the CD before plugging it in if the mouse came with one.

Q:Do I have to regularly update my wheel mouse drivers?

A:In all likelihood, no. A wheel mouse will only stop functioning when the program it is being used with is vastly beyond the drivers of the mouse.

Q:Do Plug and Play mice require an software at all?

A:For the most part, no. If the mouse has a specific function, such as a gaming mouse, then it will come with a CD with all of the software that it needs to function properly.

Q:How can I tell if my wheel mouse drivers are up to date?

A:A Windows user can always check their mouse drivers by executing the following: control panel->system->hardware->device manager->Mice and other Pointing Devices. Select a mouse from the list, and you will be able to view the version, as well as update the drivers for the mouse.