How to Enable Mouse Gestures in Microsoft Edge

This article explains how to use mouse gestures in the Microsoft Edge web browser. Microsoft Edge is the default browser in Windows 11 and 12. You can  switch to their preferred or favorite browser at any time. Edge is built on the same technology as Google Chrome.

Why use Mouse Gestures?

Mouse gestures let you control your browser with quick movements instead of clicking small buttons. This saves time when you are browsing the web.

What happens when done?

Once enabled, you can perform common tasks by holding the right mouse button and moving your mouse in specific patterns:

• Go Back: Draw a line to the left.
• Go Forward: Draw a line to the right.
• Refresh Page: Draw a line up, then down.
• Open New Tab: Draw a line down, then right.
• Close Tab: Draw a line down, then left.

Turn on ‘Mouse Gesture’ on or off in Edge

You can use the built-in settings menu to control this feature. First, open the Microsoft Edge browser. Then, follow these steps:

1. Click the Settings and more (three dots) icon in the top right corner.
2. Select Settings from the menu.
3. On the left sidebar, click Appearance.
4. Scroll down to the Mouse Gesture section.
5. Toggle the switch to On or Off based on your preference.

Turn Mouse Gesture on or off using the Windows Registry Editor

Advanced users can manage this feature using the Registry Editor. Warning: The Registry is a sensitive area of your computer. Always back up your registry before making any changes to prevent system errors.

First, open Windows Registry Editor. Then, navigate to this path:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge

If the path does not exist, you may need to create the folders. Once there, double-click the MouseGestureEnabled (REG_DWORD) value in the right pane:

• Set the value to 1 to enable Mouse Gestures.
• Set the value to 0 to disable Mouse Gestures.

If you do not see the item, right-click in a blank space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it MouseGestureEnabled. You may need to restart Edge for these changes to take effect.

Experimenting with these gestures will help you decide if they make your browsing faster and more comfortable. If you find they get in the way, you can turn them off using the same steps above.