What is a mouse-only way to minimize all the windows except the active one?

Question

I've been using Windows since the version 3-something and showing the desktop by Wind is an old trick.

How do you minimize all the windows except the active one using only the mouse?

Answer 1

The keyboard combo Win + Home minimizes all windows except for the active one.

Answer 2

The cool way is called Aero Shake. Use the mouse like you would move a Window, but shake it (move left and to right very fast).

Answer 3

The coolest way to minimize all the windows except the one that's active is to literally shake the window. Yes, as in:

1. click and hold on the frame of the window
2. move repetitively and quickly to the left and right

Tada! (Credit goes to 9Gag for this.)

Answer 4

To piggyback on user1016274's answer a bit, I used AutoHotKey (from AHKScript.org). So this does use third party sofware, but it seems you've been willing to try such solutions. I put this in the script file:

XButton1::
    Send #{Home}
return

Now my 4th mouse button sends Windows+Home. I tested this and confirmed that this does accomplish the goal that your question asked for.

If your mouse doesn't have 4 buttons, you could specify MButton (instead of XButton1) for the "Middle" (third) button. Hopefully in today's day and age you have at least 3 buttons (possibly including pressing down on the scroll wheel) if you're using a peripheral device (rather than a built-in track pad).

If you have a spare button on your mouse, this approach might be a far simpler way (compared to trying to shake your mouse in a certain direction) to initiate your requested action, using just your mouse, as your question asked.