MiddleDrag
Adds three-finger trackpad gestures for middle-click and middle-drag on macOS, providing the missing middle mouse button.
What is MiddleDrag?
MiddleDrag is a macOS application that adds three-finger trackpad gestures to simulate middle-click and middle-drag functionality, effectively providing the missing middle mouse button on Mac trackpads. It solves the problem of many applications—from browsers to 3D design software—relying on middle-mouse input that isn't natively available on macOS trackpads. The app uses raw touch data interception to generate synthetic mouse events while preserving system gestures.
Mac users who rely on middle-mouse functionality in applications like web browsers, design tools (e.g., Figma, Photoshop), 3D/CAD software (e.g., Blender, Fusion 360), and development environments, and prefer trackpad gestures over external mice.
Developers choose MiddleDrag for its focused, open-source approach to a specific problem, offering a native macOS GUI, seamless system gesture compatibility, and active maintenance—contrasting with more complex, costly, or terminal-dependent alternatives like BetterTouchTool or Middle.
Overview
Three-finger trackpad gestures for middle-click and middle-drag on macOS
Use Cases
Best For
- Opening links in new background tabs in web browsers
- Panning canvases in design tools like Figma or Photoshop
- Orbiting viewports in 3D software like Blender or Fusion 360
- Closing tabs in editors like VS Code or Sublime Text
- Autoscrolling in supported productivity applications
- Using applications with broken or missing trackpad support
Not Ideal For
- Users on macOS versions older than 15.0 (Sequoia)
- Developers needing extensive gesture customization beyond middle-click functionality
- Environments where granting Accessibility permissions is restricted or a security concern
- Cross-platform workflows requiring consistent input methods across different operating systems
Pros & Cons
Pros
Features a menu bar interface and settings GUI, eliminating the need for terminal configuration and providing a user-friendly experience, as highlighted in the README's installation and usage sections.
Intercepts raw touch data using Apple's private MultitouchSupport framework before system processing, allowing three-finger gestures to work alongside Mission Control and Exposé without conflicts, as detailed in the 'How It Works' section.
MIT-licensed and community-maintained, offering the functionality of paid alternatives like Middle without cost, with clear comparisons in the 'Why MiddleDrag?' section.
Dedicated solely to middle-click and middle-drag gestures, avoiding the complexity and bloat of multi-purpose tools like BetterTouchTool, making it ideal for users who need one thing done well.
Cons
Only supports macOS 15.0 and later, as stated in the requirements, making it incompatible with older systems that might still need this functionality, which is a significant limitation for legacy users.
Requires granting Accessibility permissions, which can be a barrier for privacy-conscious users and needs to be re-granted after updates, as mentioned in the troubleshooting section, adding setup friction.
Hard presses may still trigger system gestures like Mission Control, as noted in the troubleshooting, requiring careful usage and potentially disrupting workflows in sensitive applications.
Limited to built-in or Magic Trackpads, not extending to other input devices like external mice, which might be preferred in ergonomic or precision-focused setups, restricting its utility.
Open Source Alternative To
MiddleDrag is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Frequently Asked Questions
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