What to Do If Your Mouse Stops Working

Your mouse is probably not a device you give too much thought—until it becomes a useless brick on your desk. If yours can’t connect to your PC or only works intermittently, it’s a problem. Do you need to get a new one? Not necessarily. While swapping in a cheap wireless mouse is an easy fix, there are a few things to try before you shell out for a new ergonomic or gaming mouse.

1. Check on the Power Source

Like any other peripheral, a mouse needs power. Many mice have onboard indicator lights that will tell you if power is the issue. If your wireless mouse isn’t working, check to see if there is a red or yellow light somewhere.

Is your mouse out of juice? If it’s battery-powered, open up the battery bay of your mouse and swap in some fresh batteries to see if that resolves things. For rechargeable models, plug it in to a power source, and see if the charging indicator light comes on.

This might sound obvious, but you should also make sure your mouse is actually turned on. Wireless mice usually include a power switch on the bottom. Look for that indicator light again when you switch it on.

2. Make Sure You’re Plugged In

Many wireless mice actually require a dongle to work. These 2.4G mice come with an adaptor that plugs into a USB port on your computer and communicates with the device. If you have one of these models, make sure the dongle is plugged in.

These USB receivers are usually small enough to be stored within the battery bay on the mouse itself, so open that up and see if a small connector is hidden within. If you find one, pull it out and plug it into the computer. Make sure your mouse is switched on and it will connect.

If you have a wired mouse, make sure it is plugged into a USB port. If so, ensure the plug is in all the way. If that doesn’t fix the problem, try carefully jiggling the USB plug in the port; if the mouse can only make a temporary connection, you may have a hardware issue.

3. Connect to Bluetooth

It’s possible that your mouse is working fine but has yet to be paired with the computer—or it was paired and has since been unpaired. If your mouse doesn’t connect via a dongle, you will have to do it manually through the Bluetooth menu.

Look for a Bluetooth-pairing button on the mouse. Sometimes this also doubles as the power button. Hold down the button and keep the mouse close to the computer to begin the pairing process. Can’t find the button on the mouse? It can also be on the dongle if the mouse supports both types of connections.

Microsoft’s Swift Pair feature should surface a notification about your device; click Connect to pair. If that does not happen, you can manually connect the mouse:

• Windows 11: Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Add device > Bluetooth then select your mouse.

• Windows 10: Open Settings  > Devices  > Bluetooth & other devices  > Add Bluetooth or other device  > Bluetooth and select your mouse.

• Mac: Open System Settings > Bluetooth. New devices will appear in the list; click Connect next to the right listing to pair your mouse.

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4. Rule Out the USB Port

If your mouse is plugged in and it’s still not working, you may want to rule out the USB port itself. Plug your mouse into a different USB port and see if it works. You can also try plugging a different device into that same port. If you have another computer, plug the mouse into it and see if that solves the problem.

Just because the USB port isn’t working, doesn’t mean you need to visit the repair shop immediately. Check for any debris inside the port you might be able to clean out. You may also need to update your configurations or drivers from the Device Manager. For more on fixing your USB port, see our guide.

5. Update Drivers

Your mouse communicates with your computer through a small piece of software known as a driver. Usually, they hum along in the background, but at times, you may need to uninstall a driver, then re-download it again to get things working right.

Windows users can turn to the Device Manager. Right-click the Start menu and choose Device Manager from the list. Scroll down to Mice and other pointing devices and unfurl the down arrow. Right-click the appropriate device and click Update driver to pull in any updates.

You can also click Uninstall device to remove the driver, then restart your PC and Windows will automatically pull the right driver to hopefully fix the issue.

It’s possible you also need to download a driver directly from your manufacturer’s website. For more on updating your drivers, check out our guide.

6. Try a Mousepad

Does the cursor jump around on the screen as you move the mouse? The problem may be with the surface you’re using. Generally, you want to have your mouse on a flat, smooth, and opaque surface so that the light it emits is not interrupted.

Generally speaking, you should try to avoid any overly reflective, glassy, or uneven surfaces. If this is a problem, you should consider a mousepad.

7. Update and Restart

Before you throw in the towel, check for OS updates that may offer a fix. Windows users can take the following steps:

• Windows 11: Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.

• Windows 10: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates.

• Mac: Open System Settings > Software Updates to scan for updates.

No updates available? Try the tried-and-true “turn it off and on again” method and hit the restart button. In Windows, click the Start menu, press the Power button, then select Restart. On a Mac, click Apple > Restart.