Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center to manage Microsoft hardware released

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 5, 2012
Hardware, Microsoft, Software
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31

If you are the owner of a Microsoft keyboard or mouse you up until now had to rely on IntelliPoint and IntelliType Pro drivers to add full support for the devices. While it is without doubt possible to simply use generic drivers that ship with Windows to use basic mouse and keyboard functionality, special features may become only available after you install the drivers.

One of the issues that users may have experienced in the past is that you had to download and install two different drivers if you had more than one Microsoft peripheral connected to the PC.

That's going to change with the release of Microsoft's Mouse and Keyboard Center for Windows 7 and Windows 8. It is basically a unified driver for all Microsoft mice and keyboards so that you can control all device functionalities from a single application interface.

microsoft mouse and keyboard center

A 32-bit and 64-bit version of the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center is provided by Microsoft which both provide the same functionality. One can see immediately after startup that the program has been designed with Windows 8 in mind. Not only can it be launched from the Windows 8 start screen, its interface resembles other configuration screens of the Windows 8 operating system as you can see from the screenshot above.

When you start the program after installation you will notice that it will automatically detect the installed hardware. You need to make sure that it is connected to the PC at the time, and if you are using Bluetooth devices, you need to make sure the connection has been set up before you start the program.

Some devices may not be supported by the Mouse and Keyboard Center You can check mice and keyboard compatibility on this troubleshooting page. As far as Mice go, you will notice that mice like the Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000, the IntelliMouse Optical or the IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0 are not supported by the Mouse and Keyboard Center. As far as keyboards go, there are a few that are not supported a swell. Consult the following table for a full list:

Unsupported Mice

  • Comfort Optical Mouse 1000
  • Compact Optical Mouse
  • IntelliMouse Explorer 4.0
  • IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth
  • Laser Mouse 6000
  • Notebook Optical Mouse
  • Optical Mouse
  • Optical Mouse by Starck
  • Standard Wireless Optical Mouse
  • Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth
  • Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000
  • Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000
  • Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse
  • IntelliMouse
  • Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000
  • IntelliMouse Optical
  • Mobile Memory Mouse 8000
  • Wireless Laser Mouse 6000
  • Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer 2.0
  • Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer with Fingerprint Reader
  • Wheel Mouse

Unsupported Keyboards

  • Keyboard Elite for Bluetooth
  • Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader
  • MultiMedia Keyboard
  • Wireless Desktop Elite Keyboard
  • Wireless Keyboard 2000
  • Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth Keyboard
  • Wireless Photo Keyboard
  • Internet Keyboard
  • Wireless MultiMedia Keyboard
  • Wireless Comfort Keyboard 4000
  • Wireless Comfort Keyboard
  • Wireless Laser Keyboard 5000
  • Natural MultiMedia Keyboard
  • Wired Keyboard 500

The latest version of the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center can be downloaded from the official Microsoft Hardware web page. (via Mike)

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Comments

  1. Ben said on February 16, 2016 at 12:24 pm
    Reply

    Does anybody know how to use the software to change the scroll wheel tilt defaults for the 3600? The software doesn’t seem to have that capability, which is a shame as it’s what I installed it for…

    Any help appreciated!

    Cheers,
    Ben

  2. Sam said on February 15, 2014 at 6:40 am
    Reply

    It happens I have a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 and a Microsoft Wireless Desktop Elite Keyboard, both of which show up on your ‘unsupported’ list above (why doesn’t that surprise me…). Both are working fine. The only real glitch is that every time a patch or update is issued for mouse or keyboard by Microsoft, I get the ‘No Device Detected’ message when the install process gets to the part that calls the Mouse and Keyboard Center (I can also get it by calling the Center from the Control Panel app). So, should I uninstall the Mouse and Keyboard Center? How? DevMgr does show, under “Mice and other pointing devices”, a “Microsoft USB Dual Receiver Wireless Mouse (Mouse and Keyboard Center)”; similarly a “Microsoft USB Dual Receiver Wireless Keyboard (Mouse and Keyboard Center” under Keyboards. But removing these sounds like it would actually disable the mouse & keyboard. There’s also a Microsoft Hardware USB Keyboard and a Microsoft Hardware USB Mouse under ‘Human Interface Devices’. Lastly, there’s a Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Detection Driver (USB) under Universal Serial Bus controllers. Sheesh. I have and have only ever had THIS one keyboard and THIS one mouse with this OS installation.

    All of the DevMgr items mentioned above are functional. No adverse indications anywhere. Not really sure what to remove, or if anything should be removed, though I would like to clear up the Mouse & Keyboard Center glitch. From reading and from the ‘not detected’ messages, it sounds like the Mouse & Keyboard Center isn’t working, but looking at device mgr it appears it is to some extent…

    Win7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit; Desktop PC

  3. bo din said on December 24, 2013 at 12:35 pm
    Reply

    The left button on my Basic Optical Mouse 1.0A refused to work and I discovered Mouse and Keyboard Centre had auto-installed (on 23rd Dec 2013). Tried everything with the M&K Centre and still got no joy. Simply uninstalled M&K Centre and everything was OK with old mouse settings dialogue box back.

  4. MS Rules said on July 31, 2013 at 11:07 am
    Reply

    My mute and volume control work just fine on my keyboard after installing “Mouse and Keyboard Center”! I can do so much more now with my mouse and keyboard.

    You Linux and Apple folks are just jealous! MS = #1, and don’t forget it!

  5. Stosh said on December 25, 2012 at 8:41 pm
    Reply

    If you run Mouse and Keyboard Center from the desktop, it does not take up the full screen; it runs in a windows just as it always did.

    Learn to use the OS before you incorrectly criticize it.

  6. Ben Dover said on November 21, 2012 at 12:46 pm
    Reply

    It’s beyond moronic that after getting a Sidewinder X4 keyboard and being forced to use that STUPID piece of software I can no longer swap mousebuttons on my Logitech G3 mouse! I swap hands now and again to avoid RSI problems.

    Program is definately being uninstalled and keyboard maybe returned too.

    Once again Micro$uck$ show their true color….

  7. Mick said on November 12, 2012 at 9:17 pm
    Reply

    Volume control on a Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard DOESNOT WORK WITH MOUSE KEYBOARD CENTER ON WINDOWS 8

  8. John Thayer said on August 31, 2012 at 12:25 pm
    Reply

    You should be able to find it under Control Panel > Programs and Features. I’ve already uninstalled it so that is from memory.

  9. Luo said on August 30, 2012 at 8:29 pm
    Reply

    please how to uninstal it ? i cant make proper macros with alt key, this software is horrible, so many bugs. Its like alpha release. I want my intellitype back :(

    1. John Thayer said on August 30, 2012 at 11:47 pm
      Reply

      Solution is to uninstall the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center update and then reinstall Intellitype and Intellipoint. (It is not possible to install Intellitype once the update has been installed.)

      1. Luo said on August 31, 2012 at 12:13 pm
        Reply

        how is that update called ? i cant find it

  10. Dan said on August 20, 2012 at 5:40 am
    Reply

    Why why why did Microsoft get me to update my Windows to install Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center without giving me the option of continuing to use the functionality of my Microsoft Wireless Comfort Keyboard 4000?? Grrr
    I had several keys programmed and now suddenly my trusty keyboard (which I like) is about as useful as a $20 Walmart keyboard. I’m very frustrated.

  11. JHow said on August 18, 2012 at 3:12 am
    Reply

    Thanks for the article. It was a lot easier to follow than Microsoft’s documentation. I have an unsupported mouse, but it would have been nice if Microsoft had checked for that first.

  12. Oreste said on August 17, 2012 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    I downloaded the new software “Mouse and Keyboard Center 1.1.500 64-bit” for Windows 8 to manage my Touch Mouse and Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000.

    After installing this software the Windows 8 volume level and mute on-screen popup no longer showing.

    I also disabled the volume level and mute on-screen popup provided by the “Mouse and Keyboard Center”.

    The only way to get it working again is to uninstall “Mouse and Keyboard Center”. Then I returned to Intellypoint and IntelliType for Windows 7.

  13. Wasabi Sarian said on August 17, 2012 at 4:01 pm
    Reply

    If you have supported hardware (I have a Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 3000) then this update is pretty cool. The UI for configuring the mouse is pretty intuitive and extremely easy to use.

    I will say that it is a huge miss for Microsoft to not support all their own hardware. It is reminiscent of when they launched Vista with out all the hardware driver support… except this time it is their own hardware!

  14. Marc said on August 15, 2012 at 10:40 am
    Reply

    @Midnight: Well, actually you’re the one with the twisted facts. The first Microsoft Mouse was released in 1983 and the first keyboard in 1994. I’m still using quite old (10+ years) natual keyboard models during my daily work as a software developer and they just continue to work reliably.

  15. John Thayer said on August 11, 2012 at 1:26 am
    Reply

    This is a useless update if you happen to have one supported and one unsupported device. I have a Wireless Optical Mouse 2.0A and a Wireless Comfort Keyboard 1.0A which were sold as a bundle. Keyboard is not supported.

    Update replaces Intellitype and Intellipoint and thus removes any means to customise the unsupported device.

    Solution is to uninstall update and then reinstall Intellitype and Intellipoint. (It is not possible to install Intellitype once the update has been installed.)

    Very sloppy work on the part of Microsoft. Update should check for unsupported hardware and warn or refuse to install.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on August 11, 2012 at 8:58 am
      Reply

      Now that is a bad user experience.

  16. Paul Coddington said on August 8, 2012 at 4:46 am
    Reply

    Windows 8 style: this means the Mouse and Keyboard Centre runs full screen (mostly white space) to achieve the same goals that used to be accomplished in a small tabbed dialog box.

    1. Carlos said on August 27, 2012 at 7:41 pm
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      Couldn’t agree more! Windows 8 is clearly aimed at the tablet/phone environment with screens smaller than 10″. Somewhere along the line Microsoft forgot that desktops now have multiple monitors, often bigger than 20″

  17. Johanny said on August 7, 2012 at 2:26 pm
    Reply

    Re: Wireless Laser Mouse 6000, it’s a bit stupid as it was sold in a bundle with the Wireless Laser Keyboard v2 that is supported!

  18. Senior Mentor said on August 5, 2012 at 6:31 pm
    Reply

    MS Mouse & Keyboard Center was listed as an optional update for Windows 7 yesterday.

    1. ilev said on August 5, 2012 at 6:58 pm
      Reply

      Right, but it doesn’t work on my Win 7 as it didn’t detect my Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000, so it is useless. Looking into ways to uninstall it.

      1. Martin Brinkmann said on August 5, 2012 at 7:16 pm
        Reply

        The laser mouse does not appear to be compatible.

  19. Midnight said on August 5, 2012 at 6:24 pm
    Reply

    Wasn’t aware that Microsoft made mice or keyboards.
    Like all their other hardware, they have them made in China, then branded with their Logo.
    The now defunct Zune was developed by Toshiba and we all know how that ended!

    I’ve always been a Logitech man, myself, since the mid 90’s and have always been completely satisfied with their products!

    1. josh said on January 24, 2015 at 3:00 pm
      Reply

      Logitech is Junk. went threw 6 of there head sets before i thought no more. there keyboards ware out in under a year and im not very pleased with the performance of there G25 and new g26 as it looks Retarded.
      Yeah Logitech is like Intel.. Nothing but fan boys.

      1. BF said on August 11, 2015 at 9:39 pm
        Reply

        Holy Hell! Take a remedial spelling class. Talk about retarded!

    2. LEVELXCR said on January 25, 2013 at 6:07 pm
      Reply

      Midnight, fan boys really make me laugh! I love how straight you “think” your facts are.

      http://www.pctechguide.com/input-devices/ergonomic-keyboards

      Oh wow, when was that released again?

      So you are saying Logitech makes their stuff in the USA? Interesting, when I buy Logitech stuff it doesn’t have that Made in America sticker! Know why kiddie? Logitech doesn’t make everything in the USA either.

      Funniest thing here is the Logitech Fan Boy running mouth on a post about Microsoft products. THATS FUNNY! I bet he pays double for Logitech branded mouse and keyboard and buys the highest DPI cause he think that REALLY high DPI gets er done. BRB still looking for that Logitech factory in America with actual Americans working there. Going to buy plane ticket cause apparently this guy thinks Logitech is based out of the American embacy in China. I don’t know if they will let me in to hunt down the workers.

    3. WD Mahan said on August 30, 2012 at 2:56 am
      Reply

      Of all of the boneheaded……..So if it doesn’t work with legacy mice/keyboards, Why does windows load it when in comes as part of the auto update package.
      How do I get my intellipoint drivers back?

      Microsoft you may now smash your Ice Cream cone into your forehead…

    4. Skippy said on August 6, 2012 at 3:50 am
      Reply

      What rock have you been living under?

      Microsoft has been making mice and keyboards for 30 years. They’re quite popular and successful.

      Logitech is okay, but I’ve always preferred the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard.

      1. Midnight said on August 6, 2012 at 5:19 am
        Reply

        You make me laugh, Skippy!

        Microsoft is a SOFTWARE company and any hardware they promote/sell is manufactured off shore, in a Chinese factory and most of their mice and keyboards are merely average! Same with their Web cams!
        Their products weren’t available back in 1995, which was 17 years ago, when PCs first became available to the consumers, so you’re way off track with your 30 years estimate!!
        Looks like you like winging it!

        Regardless, Nowhere near the quality and durability of Logitech!
        They have a higher defect rate than any other, so that being said, it would be a good idea to first get your facts straight and doing some research.

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