Mouse Not Working? Find the Fix

Most mouse problems are a port, a battery, a setting or a remap — not a dead mouse. Pick what is happening, work through the fixes in order, then check every button with the test below.

Updated 8 October 2026

If the cursor will not move, use the keyboard (Tab and Enter) or a touchpad to read the steps. Once it moves, test every button below.

1 · What is happening?

2 · Try these, in order

Most likely: a port, power or driver problem — rarely a dead sensor.

Plug the mouse into a USB port on the computer itself, not a hub, dock or monitor.
Wireless: check the switch underneath and fit a fresh battery, or charge it for ten minutes.
Restart the computer. Stuck USB and Bluetooth drivers are common after sleep.
Try the mouse on a second computer. Dead there too means the mouse has failed.

Point inside the box and press every button once, then scroll both ways. Clicks here do nothing else — right-click, wheel click and the side buttons are blocked from opening menus or going back a page.

1 · Which buttons does your mouse have?

2 · Press, scroll and hold inside the box

0/7checks

Left click
Right click
Wheel click
Scroll up
Scroll down
Back (side)
Forward (side)
Tilt left
Tilt right

Waiting for input…

Event log

Short answer

Plug the mouse into a different USB port directly on the computer and restart. For a wireless mouse, replace the battery and re-pair it, or move the receiver closer. If the cursor moves but clicks or scrolling fail, run the Mouse Test on this page: a button that stays silent on two computers is a failed switch; one that types a key has been remapped in software.

How to use it

Pick the symptom. Choose what the mouse is doing. Each one has a different most-likely cause.
Work through the fixes in order. The quick ones come first: ports, batteries and settings fix most mice in a minute.
Test every button. Once the cursor moves, press each button and scroll both ways in the Mouse Test below.
Try another computer. A fault that follows the mouse is the mouse. A fault that stays with the computer is a driver, a setting or a port.

Mouse not working at all? Start here

When the cursor does not move at all, work from the cheapest cause to the most expensive:

Another port. Plug into a USB port on the computer itself — not a hub, dock, keyboard or monitor port.
Power. Wireless: check the switch underneath and put in a fresh battery or charge it for ten minutes.
Restart. A stuck USB or Bluetooth driver is common after sleep and updates.
Another computer. Dead there too means the mouse has failed. Working there means the first computer is the problem.

If the mouse is dead and you need to get around, use the keyboard (Tab, arrows and Enter), a laptop touchpad, or Mouse Keys in the accessibility settings.

Wireless mouse not working or lagging

Wireless mice fail in a typical order: lag and skipping first, then dropouts, then nothing. That pattern is usually power or signal, not a broken mouse.

Replace the battery even if the light still comes on — weak batteries cause lag first.
Move the receiver closer with a USB extension cable, and away from USB 3 drives and hubs, which are known to interfere with 2.4 GHz signals.
Bluetooth mouse not working? Remove it from the Bluetooth list and pair it again.
If the mouse has a receiver and Bluetooth, check which mode the switch underneath is on.

Mouse click not working

If the cursor moves but a button does nothing, check the software side before blaming the switch. Mouse software can remap a button to a key, a macro or nothing at all, and the operating system can swap left and right. The Mouse Test on this page shows exactly what each press sends: nothing at all on two computers is a failed switch; a keystroke instead of a click is a remap.

Mouse scroll not working or jumping

A wheel that does nothing in one app but works in another is a setting in that app. A wheel that scrolls the wrong way for a tick, or jumps back while you scroll, is dust in the wheel encoder or wear. The Scroll Wheel Test counts every wrong-way tick, and a few strong blasts of air into the wheel gap often fixes it.

Mouse lagging or the cursor skipping

Surface: glass, glossy desks and very uniform surfaces confuse optical sensors. Try a cloth pad.
Sensor window: a hair or dust over the sensor makes the cursor jump. Wipe it with a dry cotton swab.
Polling rate: 4000 and 8000 Hz can stutter on slower computers or through hubs. Drop to 1000 Hz and compare with the Mouse Polling Rate Test.
Power saving: some laptops throttle USB devices on battery. Test while plugged in.

Broken mouse or the computer?

The single most useful test is a second computer. A fault that follows the mouse — the same dead button, the same jumping wheel — is the mouse, and with a result from the tests here it is usually a straightforward warranty claim. A fault that stays with the computer is a port, driver, setting or software, and replacing the mouse will not fix it.

By connection

Wired USB

Try a port on the computer itself, not a hub or the monitor. If the cable is damaged near the mouse, wiggling it while moving will cut out the cursor.

2.4 GHz receiver

Battery first, then receiver position. An extension cable that puts the receiver near the mouse fixes most lag.

Bluetooth

Forget the device and pair again. Bluetooth mice can lag when many other Bluetooth devices are busy.

Gaming mice with software

Profiles, macros and remaps live in the mouse. Reset the onboard profile to defaults before deciding a button is dead.

If something goes wrong

Left and right click are swapped

The primary button setting is flipped. Windows: Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse → Primary mouse button. macOS: System Settings → Mouse → Secondary click.

Open Mouse Test

The mouse stops working after sleep

Windows can switch USB ports off to save power. In Device Manager, open the USB Root Hub entries and untick “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”, or use a port on the back of the PC.

One click acts like two

That is usually a worn switch, not a setting. Run 50 slow clicks in the Double Click Test for proof before a warranty claim.

Open Double Click Test

FAQ

Why is my mouse not working?

Most often a loose or power-saving USB port, a flat battery, a wireless receiver too far away, or a setting such as swapped buttons. Try another port and a fresh battery first, then restart. Dead on a second computer means the mouse itself has failed.

Why is my wireless mouse not working?

Check the power switch underneath and replace the battery — low batteries cause lag before they die. Plug the receiver into a port on the computer itself, not a hub, and keep it away from USB 3 drives, which interfere with 2.4 GHz. For Bluetooth mice, remove the pairing and pair again.

Why is my mouse not working on my laptop?

Try the other USB port first, and check Bluetooth is on for a Bluetooth mouse. Some laptops have a touchpad lock key that can be confused for a mouse problem. If the mouse works on another computer, update or reinstall the laptop’s chipset and USB drivers.

How do I use the computer without a working mouse?

Use the keyboard: Tab, arrows and Enter move through most screens. Windows and macOS both have Mouse Keys in their accessibility settings, which move the pointer with the number pad. A laptop touchpad also works while you test.

Why does my mouse cursor lag or stutter?

On wireless mice it is usually a weak battery or a distant receiver. On any mouse, a glossy or glass surface and a dirty sensor window cause skips. If it only stutters in games, check the polling rate is not set higher than the computer can keep up with.

Can I fix my mouse myself?

Most problems, yes: a new port or battery, re-pairing, resetting the profile, and cleaning the sensor and wheel fix the majority. A double-clicking switch can be replaced, but on most mice that needs soldering — under warranty, claim it instead.

Is my mouse broken or is it the computer?

Plug it into a second computer. If the same button or the same skipping happens there, it is the mouse. If it works there, the cause is on the first computer: a port, a driver, a setting or the mouse software.

Mouse