Sometimes it’s the lesser-used, more niche browsers that have the best ideas. Take mouse gestures, for example, which let you perform actions like going back a page or closing a tap with a swipe of the mouse (or a swipe on the trackpad). That means you don’t have to keep glancing down at the keyboard to find keyboard shortcuts, or searching around the screen for a toolbar button or menu option. Once you get the hang of it, mouse gestures can really speed up the way you navigate the web.
Opera GX – How to Use Mouse Gestures
Browsers like Opera and Vivaldi are pioneers of this handy feature, but luckily you can also enable it in mainstream alternatives (including Chrome and Safari) using third-party extensions.
Full marks to Opera and Vivaldi: as we’ve written before, these browsers are packed with useful, innovative features, many of which are missing or more limited in browsers from the big names in tech. You’ll find mouse gestures built into both Opera and Vivaldi, so you don’t need to download an extension.
In Opera, click the Easy setup icon in the upper-right corner (it looks like three horizontal scroll bars), then choose Go to full browser settings. Scroll down to find and enable the Enable mouse gestures switch, and follow the Learn more link to familiarize yourself with what each is.
