Anyone who has suffered the indignity of a splinter, a blister, or even a paper cut knows that small things can sometimes lead to significant annoyance. While these minor injuries aren't life-threatening, they can be distracting—just as I experienced when the back of my right foot rubbed against a new blister inside my not-quite-broken-in hiking boots. Recently, I found myself in a similar frustrating scenario while working on my new Mac Mini. My third mouse button, which I had customized to activate Mission Control on macOS, suddenly stopped functioning.
For years, I have relied on this mouse button to quickly tile every open window on my machine, making it easy to switch between apps. Upon setting up my new Mac Mini, I promptly adjusted the settings to restore this feature. However, just a couple of hours later, my reflexive clicks on the middle mouse button yielded no results. Confused, I wondered if I had imagined making the settings change. I revisited the System Settings to reassign the button, but after rebooting later that day to install an OS update, I discovered that my shortcut for Mission Control had vanished once more. This peculiar problem was not affecting any other settings, and I found it increasingly vexing.
When the issue arose again, I shifted into full research mode. A colleague shared their own frustrations, saying, "This kind of powerful-annoying stuff is just so common. I swear at least once every few months, some shortcut just stops working, and sometimes, after a week or so, it starts working again." This sentiment resonated deeply with me as I recognized that many have faced similar challenges. Despite the frustration, I turned to the internet for solutions, quickly stumbling upon an Apple discussion thread titled MacOS Mouse Shortcuts Are Reset Upon Restart or Shutdown.
In this thread, several users noted that the issue had emerged with the latest version of macOS Sequoia. One user claimed to have pinpointed the source of the bug and provided a fix: Set your Mission Control mouse shortcuts as usual.Navigate to ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Desktop-Settings.extension/Data/Library/Preferences.Copy the com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist file.Go to ~/Library/Preferences.Paste the com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist file.
This user explained that the bug occurs because macOS saves shortcut preferences in the wrong folder. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the specified .plist file in the noted location. However, another user discovered the file in a different directory and shared their experience: "This solution worked for me, but I had to go to ~/Library/Container/Desktop & Dock/Data/Library/Preferences instead." It seemed that the file's location had changed in the latest update, but the bug itself remained unresolved.
Finally, I located the correct .plist file, copied it to the appropriate folder, and rebooted my computer. To my immense relief, everything worked perfectly afterward. The feeling of triumph I experienced was palpable, akin to the joy of overcoming any minor technical hurdle. I resumed my day, reflecting on how such trivial annoyances can remind us of the complexities of technology.
This experience served as a reminder of several crucial lessons. First, despite Apple's ethos of "it just works," even Macs can encounter issues. Their software often resembles a tangled web of code, prone to errors—this particular bug had persisted through several updates despite being documented in Apple's forums.
Second, we often take for granted the seamless operation of these sophisticated systems. I am old enough to remember the struggles of getting older software to run on PCs, longing for the simplicity of addressing small issues like a malfunctioning mouse setting.
Third, the disruption of muscle memory routines can be frustrating. Each time I clicked the middle mouse button expecting a response, the lack of action was a jolt of annoyance. Breaking this instinctive behavior required conscious effort, illustrating how our brains resist change, even when adaptation is possible.
Lastly, I was reminded of the satisfaction that comes from resolving minor technical problems. Much like the time I fixed our refrigerator's sliding doors, I felt a sense of accomplishment when I successfully identified and addressed the issue with my mouse settings. There is a unique joy in understanding how a system operates and troubleshooting problems.
In conclusion, I want to extend my gratitude to the helpful individuals on the internet who shared their knowledge to assist others. If you have overcome minor tech irritations recently, I invite you to share your stories and experiences!
