Apple Magic Mouse Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

Apple’s Magic Mouse is simple and easy to use, but when things go wrong, fixing it isn’t as simple or easy as we’d like. If you’re having trouble with your Magic Mouse, these tips will help get it working again.

Quick Fixes For Your Apple Magic Mouse

Before we start looking at more in-depth fixes, there are a few basic things to check that could get your Magic Mouse up and running again. These will be power and connectivity issues.

Check Power and Battery

First, flip the mouse over and check that the on/off switch is showing green for on, not red for off. Assuming the switch is on, the Magic Mouse might have run out of battery. Your Mac will warn you when the battery gets low, but if it ran out overnight, you may not know.

If it’s an older Magic Mouse, replace the AA batteries. Otherwise, if it’s a newer Magic Mouse 2 with a built-in battery, charge the mouse via its Lightning port for a few minutes, then try turning it back on. If it works, you’re in luck. If not, you’ll want to double-check that the Magic Mouse is still paired with your Mac.

Check for Pairing Issues

If you’re not using a MacBook, you’ll need to plug in another mouse or use one that’s already paired. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences, then click on “Bluetooth.”

First, try turning Bluetooth on and off. Click “Turn Bluetooth Off” then wait a few moments. Now, click “Turn Bluetooth On.” If this doesn’t work, try reconnecting your mouse.

Click the “x” icon on the right side of your Magic Mouse or right-click and select “Remove” to un-pair it, then click “Remove” to confirm. Now turn your Magic Mouse off and back on.

If everything is working correctly, you should see the mouse appear in your Bluetooth preferences. Using your trackpad or another mouse, click “Connect” to pair your Magic Mouse once again.

Right Click Not Working on Your Magic Mouse

A common issue with the Magic Mouse on a Mac is that right-click (or secondary click as Apple calls it) isn’t working. Fortunately, this is often a simple fix.

Open System Preferences, then select “Mouse.” Under Point & Click, make sure that the Secondary Click checkbox is enabled. Now click the dropdown menu here and make sure that “Click on Right Side” is selected, assuming you want traditional right-click behavior.

If this doesn’t work, make sure you’ve tried disconnecting and reconnecting your Magic Mouse as suggested earlier in this article. While right-click actions not working is frustrating, you can get around it on a Mac by using the Ctrl+Click action.

Left Click Not Working on Your Magic Mouse

As frustrating as not being able to right-click may be, it doesn’t keep you from using your computer. If left click or primary click isn’t working, however, this makes it difficult to use your computer at all.

The first thing to check is simple. If left click is acting like right click, you may have accidentally selected left click as your secondary click in your mouse settings.

Go to System Preferences, then Mouse. Here, under Point & Click, make sure that “Secondary Click” is set to “Click on right side.”

Reset the Bluetooth Module

Resetting the macOS Bluetooth Module can fix a variety of Bluetooth problems. On macOS versions prior to Monterey, this is simple. Hold down Shift+Option, then click on the Bluetooth icon in the macOS menu bar. Then select “Reset the Bluetooth Module.”

With the introduction of macOS Monterey, this menu may be missing for some people. In this case, open the Terminal app, then type the following command:

sudo pkill bluetoothd

Enter your password when prompted. You’ll see any connected devices disconnect, then reconnect. Now, hopefully, your Magic Mouse should reconnect as well.

If this doesn’t work, we have an entire guide to troubleshooting Bluetooth on macOS that may help.

Scrolling Issues With Your Magic Mouse

If your Magic Mouse suddenly isn’t scrolling the way you’d like, this is an easy fix.

Open System Preferences, then go to Mouse. Check the Scroll Direction checkbox here. By default, macOS uses “Scroll Direction: Natural” which makes scrolling work almost as it would on an iPhone or iPad.

Try scrolling on a webpage. If the behavior isn’t working how you’d like, either check or uncheck the box until scrolling works the way you prefer.

RELATED: How to Disable Apple’s Backwards “Natural Scrolling” On Your Mac

Do You Need to Replace Your Magic Mouse?

If you’ve tried everything and your Magic Mouse still isn’t working, it might be time to think about when you bought it. As well-constructed as they are, the Magic Mouse will start to wear after somewhere around 100,000 clicks.

Keep in mind, 100,000 is a lot of clicks, so chances are good you’ll replace the mouse for another reason before you hit that number. Even so, if you’ve been using your Magic Mouse for a while, it could be time to replace it.

If you’re not sure that you want to stick with an Apple mouse, be sure to take a look at our favorite mice for productivity and gaming.