Middle Mouse Button -> Hand Tool

I’ve requested this in the past, and documented exactly why it’s effectively impossible to get the Middle Mouse Button (MMB) mapped to the Hand Tool. Even a custom macro that activates Space + RMB Hold on MMB Hold doesn’t work.

Please make it so that the MMB can be and/or is mapped to the Hand tool. This is natively integrated into several design tools, both 2D and 3D. The first thing I do when I switch into Sketch is always click the MMB, and get annoyed that it doesn’t do anything.

IMO this could just be the default use of the MMB in Sketch, since the key does nothing and MacOS doesn’t allow mouse buttons to be mapped to Application-specific keyboard shortcuts. If you want to allow users to toggle this or change it, it could make sense to be added to Settings > Canvas.

Hey @Phy, thanks a lot for the suggestion and we totally agree! Having more control and possibilities around mapping some actions to Mouse buttons would be a huge win!

We had this other request, which is pretty much exact to this one you’re making. In it, I shared this workaround that could work for you as well!

Let us know if that helps!

^ Pretty sure image upload is broken. Tried with drag/drop and import tool. Using Sonoma/Safari latest stable. Image is 74KB png from desktop.

I prefer to wait for Sketch official support.

^ I haven’t seen evidence of this. Change of heart? Seeing as it’s from 3.5 months ago, there’s been adequate time for evidence of this communication strategy to emerge. As a dedicated follower of Sketch updates and blog posts for the better part of a decade, I feel completely out of the loop with regards to “[what you’re] working on.”

The request for MMB support should be very easy to push. I had a complex key mapping implemented, tested, and pushed for an integrated device software from Project Outfox in literally a few minutes.

Hey @Phy thanks for the follow up and the extra comments on the situation.

Our team keeps a close eye on the features and requests a lot of users bring to the forum, and it’s something they evaluate from time to time in order to bring these features into our planning for the coming months.

Some features might be harder to get right than others, and that’s why it might feel like there’s a lack of communication from us but in reality, our team is in constant communication and planning to see where these new ideas might fit into our future roadmap.

We do truly appreciate when our users share, bring and discuss new ideas they feel would make Sketch an even better app, and we encourage you to keep raising and bringing your ideas to the platform!

Thank you once again :pray:

Second this – the Middle Mouse button is especially useful for people coming over from Illustrator.

I’ve tried the Steermouse approach and it’s clunky. Better to have something native, as Phy said.

3 Likes