What does this test check?
The mouse test verifies that your pointing device works correctly through the browser. It checks:
- Pointer detection — whether the browser detects a mouse, touch, or pen input device.
- Button states — left, middle, and right mouse button presses are displayed in real time.
- Movement tracking — X and Y coordinates update as you move the mouse across the test area.
- Pressure sensitivity — the pressure value (0.0 to 1.0) reported by devices that support it.
- Scroll events — vertical and horizontal scroll deltas are shown when you use the scroll wheel.
How the mouse test works
- Move your mouse over the test area to see the pointer position update in real time.
- Click any mouse button — the test shows which button was pressed and highlights the button indicator.
- Use the scroll wheel to verify scroll events are detected.
- If you have a pressure-sensitive device (drawing tablet or force-touch trackpad), apply varying pressure to see the value change.
Pointer types explained
- Mouse — a traditional computer mouse. Standard pointer with button and scroll support.
- Touch — a finger on a touchscreen. Supports multi-touch and may report pressure on supported devices.
- Pen — a stylus or drawing tablet pen. Typically supports pressure, tilt, and rotation values.
Troubleshooting pointer issues
If your mouse is not working correctly:
- Ensure the browser window is focused and the cursor is over the test area.
- For Bluetooth mice, check battery level and re-pair if needed.
- Try a different USB port if using a wired mouse.
- On laptops, check if the trackpad is disabled when an external mouse is connected.
- For pressure issues, verify your drawing tablet driver is installed and up to date.
Browser pointer limitations
Browser pointer events have inherent limitations:
- Pressure sensitivity — Not all devices report pressure values. Standard mice typically return 0 or 0.5. Only styluses and force-touch trackpads provide meaningful pressure data.
- Button reporting — The number and mapping of buttons can vary between browsers and devices. Some mice report additional buttons that others do not.
- Pointer type detection — The browser reports the pointer type (mouse, touch, pen) based on its own heuristics, which may not always match the physical device.
- Hardware limitations — This test verifies that the browser receives pointer events. It cannot diagnose physical hardware issues such as malfunctioning buttons or sensor degradation.