Why Isn't My Mouse Working?
A dead mouse in the middle of something you're trying to get done is one of the more frustrating small failures — you don't know yet whether it's a $10 fix or a trip to buy a new one. The good news: a mouse that's unresponsive, jittery, or missing button presses is very rarely dead hardware. Work through these five checks in order — most people find it in the first two.
First, confirm exactly what the mouse is and isn't registering.
Run the mouse test →1. Wrong surface for the sensor
Optical and laser mice track by reading the surface underneath them — glass, mirrored, or high-gloss desks give the sensor nothing consistent to lock onto, so the cursor jitters or doesn't move at all. Put a sheet of paper or a mousepad under it before assuming the mouse itself is broken.
2. Check the connection
For wired mice, try a different USB port — some ports lose power under load, and a hub can be the culprit. For wireless, re-pair the Bluetooth connection or unplug and replug the USB dongle, and swap the battery even if the indicator says it's fine. A mouse that's detected by the OS but does nothing is almost always a connection or battery issue, not a dead sensor.
3. Pointer settings changed by accident
A cursor that moves but feels wrong — too slow, too fast, jumping unpredictably — is often a settings change, not hardware. On Windows, check Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse and the "Enhance pointer precision" option under additional mouse settings. On Mac, check System Settings → Mouse for tracking speed. Third-party mouse software (Logitech Options, Razer Synapse) can also silently apply a bad profile — try uninstalling it temporarily.
4. Debris under buttons or the scroll wheel
A button that doesn't register every press, or a scroll wheel that skips, is often dust or crumbs around the switch rather than a worn part. Compressed air around the button edges and under the scroll wheel clears most of it without opening the shell.
5. Stuck DPI setting or a corrupted onboard profile
Gaming mice with onboard memory can end up with a corrupted profile after a firmware hiccup, making the cursor move at the wrong speed or ignore certain buttons. Resetting to factory defaults through the manufacturer's software (or holding the DPI button combo listed in its manual) usually clears it.
Made a change? Confirm every button and the scroll wheel work.
Re-run the mouse test →FAQ
Why is my mouse cursor not moving at all?
Start with the surface it's sitting on — glass, mirrored, or high-gloss desks give an optical sensor nothing to track. If a plain mousepad or sheet of paper doesn't fix it, move on to checking the USB port or Bluetooth pairing before assuming the sensor itself has failed.
How do I know if it's the mouse or my computer?
Plug or pair the mouse to a different computer. If it works there, the problem is a driver, a setting, or a USB port on your original machine — not the mouse itself.
Do I need to buy a new mouse if it stops working?
Usually not. Surface issues, loose connections, flipped settings, and debris under the buttons account for the vast majority of "dead" mice, and none of them require a replacement. A new mouse is really only the answer if the switches themselves have worn out.