X-Mouse Button Control is a free tool that enables you to put your mouse to better use, taking full advantage of each of its buttons. Used at its most basic, the program can be used to assign a range of different functions to mouse buttons, as well as the scroll wheel – the wheel, for example, could be used to scroll through documents, or adjust system volume levels.

Buttons can be configured to launch programs, open documents, perform specific functions within particular applications and much more. A scripting language can be used to create macros that simulate key presses which can then be assigned to buttons. No matter how many buttons you mouse has, X-Mouse Button Control enables you to create a huge number of options.

Each button can be assigned a primary function, but by creating different ‘layers’, activated by pressing modifier keys, even more options can be configured. The program can be used to assign different functions to the same mouse button depending on which application currently has focus, making this an incredibly versatile tool for the power user. X-Mouse Button Control can seem overwhelming to start with, but stick with it, and you’ll find that it is an immensely powerful utility.