How to Troubleshoot Mouse Problems on a Mac Computer

By Bennett Gavrish

i Ciaran Griffin/Lifesize/Getty Images

All new Mac desktop computers come with a wired or wireless mouse. You can also purchase these peripherals for use with a Mac laptop. When using an Apple mouse, there are a variety of problems you may encounter, including connection issues, abnormal scrolling behavior and unresponsive gestures. You can fix most of these problems by following a few troubleshooting methods.

Step 1

Restart your Mac computer. In many cases, mouse problems can be resolved with a simple reboot, so try restarting your computer before using other troubleshooting methods.

Step 2

Check for software updates by clicking on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of the screen and choosing "Software Update." On occasion, Apple will release software updates to correct known problems with mouse devices.

Step 3

Check your mouse's cable connection if you are using a wired mouse. Unplug the cable from the computer and plug it in to a different USB port to see if it resolves the issue. Plug the mouse directly into a port on the computer or the side of the keyboard, not through a USB hub or switch.

Step 4

Replace the batteries in your mouse if you are using a wireless mouse. After replacing the batteries, move the power switch to the "On" position. If you see a green light on the underside of the mouse, you know that the batteries are working properly.

Step 5

Reconnect your wireless mouse to your Mac computer using Bluetooth. Launch System Preferences on your computer, go to the "Bluetooth" control panel and click on the plus button to set up the mouse again.

Step 6

Troubleshoot other mouse problems by going to the "Mouse" control panel in System Preferences. Here you can adjust tracking, scrolling and clicking speeds using the bars at the top of the window. Also, use the checkboxes on the left side of the window to enable or disable different mouse gestures.

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