Any equipment connected to the computer is often not detected by the system or is not working properly. Even Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11 does not always interact with external devices without problems. However, if the mouse does not work, this causes the maximum amount of inconvenience, since it interferes with most of the operations on the computer. We will help you figure out the reasons and how to fix this breakdown.
Why isn’t the mouse working?
There are dozens of reasons why the mouse and keyboard, or just one of the devices, does not work. These include:
- lack of contacts in connectors;
- cable damage (in a USB mouse);
- discharged battery or inactive Bluetooth (in wireless model);
- problem with drivers;
- conflict with other software installed on the system;
- turning off the device in power saving mode (in laptops);
- software malfunction;
- incorrect mouse settings;
- physical breakdown of the device.
These are the main reasons why the mouse does not work. It is with them that we will fight in the following sections.
What if the wired mouse doesn’t work?
We propose to go straight to the point, starting the instruction in the form of a sequence of actions, which should sooner or later lead to the restoration of mouse operation. It should only be noted that it will be much more convenient to perform software fixing methods if you connect a different mouse. The touchpad can be used on a laptop.
- Reconnect the mouse… It is better to disconnect it, turn off the computer, and then reconnect it.
- Run the troubleshooter… To do this, open the “Control Panel” and go to the “Devices and Printers” section. Find a mouse among the list of devices (it will have the same name as the device model), right-click on it and select “Troubleshoot”. The system will tell you what to do next.
- Check contacts… While the mouse input is in the connector on the computer, shake it slightly and move the mouse at the same time. Firstly, this way you can find out if there is a backlash, and secondly, whether the cursor starts to move or maybe Windows starts emitting a signal indicating that a new device is connected or disconnected. It is worth switching the input to another port on the computer, having previously seen that it is clean.
- Examine wire… It shouldn’t be damaged in any way. Also, it should be moved in a potentially problematic place and see if there is a reaction.
- Install original drivers… It is recommended to go to the manufacturer’s website and download them from there. There are the freshest and most up-to-date versions of drivers.
- Deactivate the option to disable the mouse in power saving mode… By default, the system can disable USB devices when the battery level is low. To disable this, you need to press Win + X, go to the “Device Manager” (button o). It remains to open the “Mice …” list, go to the “Power management” section and turn off the “Allow this device to turn off …” option. It is also worth checking the “USB devices” section in the manager.
- Boot your computer in safe mode… This is the fastest way to check if a mouse problem is causing a conflict with various software. After booting a clean operating system, the connection can work. For the reliability of the experiment, it is better to disconnect all other devices from the computer. If the mouse works, you need to take turns connecting the devices and turning on the software until the culprit is found.
- Mechanical breakdown…
How do I fix the problem with my wireless mouse?
In case the wireless mouse does not work, there are several specific reasons for the problem and how to fix them:
- Check charge level… It can be displayed on a diode. Ideally, it is better to replace the batteries or charge the battery.
- Enable Bluetooth on the computer and start pairing mode (on some devices this must be done).
- Install driver… They can always be found on the manufacturer’s website.
- Disable all other devices and programs. By trial it is worth identifying which software is the problem.
- Device breakdown…
What can you do if your mouse isn’t working properly?
If the mouse buttons do not work, the cursor jumps across the screen, works very slowly, freezes, etc., most likely the device itself is operational. Perhaps only partially, but in most cases it’s the software.
Typical problems:
- Mouse jumping across the screen – it is worth cleaning the sliding surface. It should be perfectly flat, and it is better to use a rug. This will prevent sharp jumps of the cursor.
- Additional buttons do not work… Most likely they need to be programmed through special software (supplied by the mouse manufacturer).
- Cursor moves with friezes – the video driver is damaged or the computer is heavily loaded. If the CPU usage is near 100% in Task Manager, the cursor may freeze.
- The right mouse button does not work… Here is a detailed guide on this issue – What to do if the right mouse button is not working?
- Mouse moves too fast or slow on the desktop – you can adjust the speed in the settings. In the Control Panel section titled Mouse, there is a Speed slider. It can be moved up or down.
- The mouse does not work in Gta San Andreas… Specific in this game, it helps to launch in compatibility mode with Windows 7 or Windows 98 / ME (who has what works), as well as closing the VisualTaskTips.exe process through the task manager. If the mouse does not work well in other games or programs, it is worth doing a factory reset or reinstalling it.
According to our experience, knowledge and user feedback, any of the above should help bring the devices back to normal operation. If the mouse still does not work, most likely the problem is in it and it’s just time to buy a new one.