Like every device connected to a computer, the computer mouse also needs some kind of software tool that helps the mechanical elements of the mouse work and make it function the right way.
This statement makes people wonder usually, do computer mice require any kind of drivers to run?
Although the latest operating systems include standard driver information for every peripheral attached to the computer, you may need an additional driver to run your new mouse.
If you want to know how computer mice work and whether all mice require drivers and how those drivers are going to make their way to your PC, this guide is for you.
So, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How Do Computer Mice Work?
If you’re a computer user, learning about the working of a computer mouse is important for you. The process is quite simple. It all starts by plugging the computer mouse into the USB port. You’re going to hear a sound for the connection of the mouse.
You can also see a pointer on the screen that will be able to click on elements and help you navigate around the different interfaces of the computer system. The mouse comes fixed with a number of electronic circuits within its structure.
Each of the button presses results in a signal moving from the mouse to the computer. After being addressed by the CPU, Central Processing Unit, the mouse action will be performed and you’ll see it occur on the monitor screen. This action is processed by the Kernel which contains the driver of the mouse.
Every single function from dragging and dropping to clicking, double-clicking, right-click, scroll, side button clicks and everything else functions the same way, and this process takes less than milliseconds, which is why we see all of these actions taking place right as we execute them.
Modern mice often boast that they come with incredibly quick response times, perfect for gaming and high-speed programs. So, make sure that you’ve got the right choice of a mouse when you’re making a buying decision. It is extremely important for you to do so if you want to have a great computer usage experience.
Do Computer Mice Require Drivers?
Computer mice, like every other device connected to the computer, require a device driver. A device driver is basically a program that controls a particular device connected to the computer. This could be any device.
In the case of the computer mouse, the device driver is called the mouse driver. How it works is that the mouse is connected to the computer through a USB port and then the device driver immediately becomes active.
This device driver responds through a notification sound and then every single action of the mouse is processed through the mouse driver. If there is no mouse driver in the computer system, it won’t be able to communicate with the CPU in the system.
Mouse drivers are constantly updated to host new mouse features that come up, and through these updates, these features become accessible. These device drivers are the heart and soul of peripherals and devices connected to the computer, so they are extremely essential for their functionality.
Where Does the Mouse Driver Exist in the PC?
Want to check the driver of the mouse on your PC, roll it back, update it, or even delete it? Well, you’re going to have to first locate that mouse driver on your PC and then take all these actions.
There are basically two different ways you can check where the mouse drivers are on your system. Let’s take a look at the first way and how you can use it to check the driver out.
What you’re going to have to do is simply take the mouse, click on the System32 folder, and then the Drivers folder. Here, you’re going to find all the drivers including the mouse driver as well.
The other way is simpler and easier. In this way, you can easily just go into the search bar, type Device Manager, and then click on that icon.
This will take you to the interface where you’ll find all of the different device drivers that will be available. Here you can access all of these drivers along with their properties and everything. So, you can check out all there is about your current mouse driver there.
Should I Manually Add Mouse Drivers to My PC?
It is wholly unnecessary for you to add mouse drivers to your PC manually. Nowadays, all operating systems come with built-in device drivers in such a way that as you boot the system up, the device drivers are going to install themselves automatically. Even if you delete one of the drivers, rebooting the device will reinstall it.
So, no, there’s no need for you to manually add mouse drivers to your PC. However, at times, you might need to tinker with corrupted drivers in such a way that the mouse starts working normally in case it wasn’t working the way it was intended to.
For example, you can choose to update the driver manually, roll back the driver if a previous version worked better, and even delete a corrupted driver so that you can reboot the system and get the driver reinstalled in its default state, making sure the mouse works perfectly alright.
Conclusion
Computer mice drivers aren’t anything you need to be worried about. They’re installed on their own through the operating system your computer is using. However, if you’re using a specialized mouse, for example, one of those new devices that come with a trackball or extra buttons, you will be using their own software included in the package.
This software can be viewed as a driver but it is more accurately meant to help you program and customize your mouse functions. The standard functions of the mouse would still work even if you don’t download or install the software.