Mouse Shortcuts Every Developer Should Know

Learn the most useful mouse shortcuts for faster coding, browsing, and navigating. Simple tips to boost your workflow with just a few clicks.

Posted by@Sujal Vanjare

Published on @July 16, 2025

Updated on @September 18, 2025 12:47 PM

Mouse shortcuts can save you a lot of time while coding, browsing, or switching between apps.

Here’s a simple list of helpful tips every developer should use daily.

Action	Shortcut / Behavior
Go back	`Back button` on mouse (side button)
Go forward	`Forward button` on mouse (side button)
Open link in new tab	`Right-click` + "Open in new tab"
Move tab to new window	`Drag` tab out of browser window
Reorder tabs	`Click and drag` tab left/right
Scroll without clicking	`Hover + Scroll`

Action	Shortcut / Behavior
Select entire line	`Click` on line number
Add new cursor (multi-cursor edit)	`Alt + Click`
Select multiple lines	`Click + Drag`
Go to definition	`Ctrl + Click` on function or file
File/folder options	`Right-click` on file or folder
Close file tab	`Middle-click` on tab
Reorder or split tabs	`Drag` file tabs
Navigate large files	`Click + Scroll` in minimap

Action	Shortcut / Behavior
Snap to straight lines	Hold `Shift` while dragging
Duplicate objects	`Alt + Drag`
Zoom or pan canvas	Scroll while hovering or `Middle-click + Drag`
Show layer/options menu	`Right-click` object