How to claw grip mouse

Updated: 02/20/2023

Most pro gamers use the claw grip when they play. It’s the one where you hold the mouse like a claw. There are other ways to hold the mouse, like the palm and fingertip grips, but claw grip is the best for quick movements and accuracy.

Claw grip isn’t the most comfortable way to hold the mouse, though. It’s not as easy on your hand as the palm grip. But sometimes, claw grip is the way to go in a game. Some gamers even switch their grip during a game.

In this post, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about claw grip. So read on!

Most new gamers start out using the palm grip, and when they want to try something different, they usually switch to claw grip instead of fingertip grip. Fingertip grip is hard to get the hang of compared to palm and claw grip.

How to claw grip a gaming mouse properly 

To do a claw grip on the mouse, just put the lower part of your palm on the back of the mouse. Then grab the sides of the mouse with your ring finger, pinky finger, and thumb. Finally, curl your index and middle fingers and put them on the buttons.

Oh, and just so you know, only a little bit of your palm should be touching the mouse.

Two ways to hold the mouse with the claw grip

1) Normal Claw grip (Also known as a tense claw grip)

With a tense claw grip, you tense your fingers, and your index and middle fingers are pointed on mouse switches with fingertips only.

When you use a claw grip, you need to keep your fingers tense. Your index and middle fingers should only touch the mouse buttons with their tips.

But be careful not to bend your fingers too much. If you do, your fingers will get tired quickly. For the best results, don’t tense your fingers too much, but don’t be too relaxed either. Put your fingers in the middle of the buttons, or a little bit forward.

2) Relaxed claw grip

With the relaxed claw grip, you bend your fingers, but instead of pointing buttons with the tip of your finger, you place your fingertip pads on mouse buttons, and your fingers are relaxed.

Possible Finger positions for claw grip

There are two ways to position your fingers when you use a claw grip on the mouse. The first way is called a 1-2-2 grip. To do this, use your thumb, ring finger, and pinky to grip the sides of the mouse. Then point your index and middle fingers at the buttons. Lots of people use this grip.

The second way is a bit trickier. It’s called a 1-3-1 grip. With this one, you put your index finger on the left button (M1), and your middle and ring fingers on the right button (M2).

If you use a 1-3-1 grip, you can also use your middle finger to scroll the wheel in the middle of the mouse. This way, you can use the wheel and another button in the game at the same time.

Hybrid claw grip

A hybrid style grip is when you mix two different ways of holding the mouse. One popular hybrid grip is the claw palm grip.

To do a claw palm grip, you put your whole palm on the mouse and curl your fingers like you would for a regular claw grip.

When you use a claw hybrid grip, you use your arm for big moves and your wrist for smaller ones.

Is Claw Grip Good For FPS Gaming?

Absolutely! The claw grip is the most popular way to hold a mouse for hit-scan FPS action games. It’s the perfect grip for gamers who need to take quick shots.

When I looked at the data on what grip style pro gamers use for FPS games, the claw grip was the winner by far.

When to use a Claw Grip

If you play fast-paced games where you have to move quickly, hit, and run, and be aggressive, then the claw grip is perfect for you.

Games like this usually don’t require you to track things on the screen. Instead, you’re always rotating your screen to keep track of what’s going on around you, and looking for targets to shoot with quick flicks of your wrist.

How to use the claw grip for flicking?

The key to flicking with the claw grip is to curl your fingers like a claw and point them at the mouse buttons. This gives you better control and a wider range of wrist movement.

When your fingers are bent like this, you have more flexibility to make micro flicks with just your fingers, stretching and contracting them as needed.

With the claw grip, you can easily moce the mouse with your fingers, especially if you’re using a tense grip. This grip lets you disengage your palm from the mouse a bit, which is great for making vertical movements. It’s not as good for vertical movements as the fingertip grip, but it’s better than the palm grip.

Most of the time, you’ll use your fingers and wrist for flicking with the claw grip, but occasionally you might need to use your arm for big movements. In those cases, your palm comes in handy to help with the movement.

Another benefit of the claw grip is that clicks are more responsive when your fingers are pointed towards the buttons.

Pros and Cons of the claw grip

How does claw grip differ from palm and fingertip grip styles?

Claw vs palm grip vs Fingertip grip

How to choose a mouse for claw grip?

When it comes to gaming with the claw grip, the shape, profile, and weight of your mouse are essential.

Shape: 

It’s ideal to choose an ambidextrous mouse that can easily fit the claw grip style. Ergonomic mice with curves on the side and sculpted to fit the hand are better suited for the palm grip rather than the claw grip.

Profile: 

Opt for a medium to high profile mouse as flat mice won’t provide enough support for claw gripping.

Weight: 

For claw grip, a lightweight mouse is the best option. Since you use your wrist and fingers to control the mouse, a heavy mouse can be hard to maneuver and cause strain on your hand.

Mouse sensitivity for Claw grip

Conclusion

The claw grip is like the best of both worlds because it offers stability like the palm grip and precision like the fingertip grip, but at a faster speed. With the claw grip, you can quickly click on any spot you want because your fingertips are always pointing towards the main mouse buttons, which means you are always ready to shoot. There’s never a dull moment with the claw grip.