How to Fix Magic Mouse Not Scrolling

Is the scrolling feature of your Magic Mouse having issues and not working?

The multi-touch capability which the Magic Mouse is one of the most convenient features available for us Mac users but sometimes it can be a nuisance, especially when the scrolling functionality doesn’t work.

As reported by a number of users who have experienced a similar problem with their Magic Mouse device, the accessory has been prone to scroll issues as well as whole host of other issues when it comes to multi-touch.

In this post, we will be discussing the factors that might be causing this issue as well as the solutions you can try to fix your Magic Mouse not scrolling issue and get it up running in no time.

Let’s get started!

 

1. Check Device Compatability.

Before we proceed any further, it’s crucial that we verify if the Magic Mouse is capable with the machine we’re using it with.

If you’ve just gotten your Magic Mouse and you intend to use it with your iPad, then do take note that your iPad which runs iPadOS does not support scrolling and other gestures with your 1st generation Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad. The issue is not prevalent with the newer generations of Magic Mouse such as the 2nd generation Magic Mouse 2 or Magic Trackpad.

You can check the generation of your Magic Mouse simply by referring to the features it has laid out on this page (provided by Apple).

Moreover, if you are indeed using the Magic Mouse 2nd generation and you are using it with your Mac, then take note that you will need to have a Mac which is running OS X v10.11 or later versions. If not, you will need to upgrade the OS on your Mac to the newer version.

 

 

2. Check the Power Source.

The next thing that we need to make sure is to check if the Magic Mouse does not have a faulty or depleted battery.

It’s possible if you are using the 1st generation Magic Mouse, that you may have used it till now without replacing its battery.

In which case, it’s a good idea, to consider replacing the battery as it’s likely that this could be what’s causing the gestures to not be responsive. You do not have to visit the Apple Store to do this as it is super simple to just buy the batteries and do it yourself. Even if you’re using the 2nd generation Magic Mouse, we still recommend trying a different set of batteries to see if it fixes the unresponsive scrolling issues.

The Magic Mouse uses two AA batteries – lithium, alkaline or rechargeable. The steps to replace the batteries are as follows:

  1. Firstly, remove the battery compartment cover (located on the bottom side of the mouse), then remove the old batteries.

Magic Mouse Not Scrolling Issue

 

  1. Next, insert two AA batteries, making sure the positive and negative ends are pointing in the right direction.
  2. Replace the battery compartment cover.
  3. Finally, make sure to slide the power switch to turn it back on. Try reconnecting the Magic Mouse with your Mac or iPad to see if it fixes the scrolling issues.

 

 

3. Restart Bluetooth Service.

Sometimes, the Bluetooth connection does not work correctly if used for a very long time. This issue usually happens during idle times where it is enabled, but it is not being utilized. But no worries because you can just resolve this right away by refreshing the connection.

To do that, you can disable and enable Bluetooth service by clicking on the Bluetooth icon on the menu bar on your Mac. The same icon will have indicators if your Bluetooth device is connected, low on battery, or unavailable.

You can also disable and enable your Bluetooth on your iPad from the Control Center.

 

Magic Mouse Not Scrolling Issue

 

Try restarting the Bluetooth, then test scrolling using Magic Mouse and see if it fixes the scrolling issues.

 

 

4. Re-Pair the Magic Mouse.

If your Magic Mouse is still not connecting after you’ve reset the Bluetooth, then it’s worth trying to re-pairing the device with your Mac or iPad.

It’s common to find Bluetooth-enabled devices have syncing issues from time-to-time and the Magic Mouse, which is a Bluetooth-powered device is no exception to that.

To re-pair the Magic Mouse on your Mac, you can follow the steps below:

  1. Click on the Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth.
  2. Next, click the button Cancel button that appears next to your Magic Mouse.
  3. At the bottom of the mouse, turn your Magic Mouse off and back on again. If you’re on the 1st generation Magic Mouse, wait until the green light starts blinking.
  4. Finally, go back into your Bluetooth and reconnect to your Magic Mouse.

Magic Mouse Not Scrolling Issue

 

If you intend to re-pair your Magic Mouse with your iPad, simply go into your Settings app > Bluetooth and then click on the    icon next to your Magic Mouse and then select to Forget This Device. After 1-2 minutes, turn your Magic Mouse off and back on again. You can go back into the Settings app > Bluetooth and then reconnect your Magic Mouse.

 

 

5. Check the Mouse Settings.

Another option that was shared by users over on Stack Overflow that had encountered similar scrolling issues with their Magic Mouse was to make sure that the mouse scrolling setting was set to ‘Without Inertia’.

This fix supposedly fixes the issue because it removes the in-built friction by the Magic Mouse and ensures a more fluid scrolling experience. S

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. First, click on the Apple menu and click on the System Preferences option.

System Preferences Apple Menu

 

  1. Then, click on Accessibility (or Universal Access on earlier versions), and then click on Mouse & Trackpad.
  2. Now, click on the Mouse Options button, and then a pop-up window will appear.
  3. Finally, enable the Scrolling checkbox and select the Without Inertia on the drop-down menu.

Magic Mouse Not Scrolling Issue

 

Now that you have the correct settings, your scrolling feature should be working on your Magic Mouse. For additional settings on your Magic Mouse, learn more about what to do.

 

 

6. Restart your Mac.

Sometimes, there are issues when applying changes in your settings. This usually happens when your Mac does not have enough resources to make the changes active. With overloaded tasks, it is not possible to perform another process. To fix this, you need to restart your Mac.

 

Restart Mac

 

To do this, just click on the Apple menu icon and then click on the Restart option. But if your Mac won’t restart, make sure to force quit all apps and try it again. If your Mac still does not restart, make sure to press and hold down on the Power button on your Mac until it powers off. Wait a minute and press the Power button again to turn it back on.

After doing this, make sure to power cycle your Magic Mouse, as explained in Method 4.

 

 

7. Update to Latest Version.

If your macOS or iPadOS is not on the latest version, there is a chance that this issue is caused by a bug in the OS. Apple may release a new update that addresses the scrolling issues soon, especially if this issue is affecting a lot of users.

To update your Mac, click on the Apple menu icon and click on System Preferences. Then, find and click the Software Update option. If an update is available, click on the Update Now option. If you are using an earlier macOS version, learn more about how to update your OS.

 

Apple Software Update

 

If you’re on your iPad, open the Settings app, tap on General and then tap on Software Update. If there is a new iPadOS software update available, then make sure to Download and Install it. The whole updating process can take anywhere around 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the update as well as your internet connection speeds.

 

 

8. Have the Magic Mouse be Inspected by Apple.

Lastly, if none of the methods above have fixed the scrolling issues with your Magic Mouse, then it’s highly likely that the mouse has a hardware defect.

In which case, we recommend that you seek out an Apple-certified technician to check out the mouse for you. If possible, bring along your Macbook or iPad so they can test it and see if it’s a software or hardware issue. Their services are available at your nearest Apple Store.

 

Magic Mouse Not Scrolling Issue

 

If you’ve just bought the Magic Mouse lately, then you’re entitled to a 14-day returns and refunds policy provided by Apple so you can get a new unit or even get your money back.

And this wraps up our quick and simple guide for today. We hope that the solutions above have managed to fix your Magic Mouse not scrolling issue. If you have questions related to this topic, please feel free to leave a comment below.

 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

 

Author

  • Jake Kovoor

    Jake is the Editor-in-Chief of Saint and an independent software developer, with a Bachelors in Computer Science from Lancaster University, UK. He loves trying out various tech from the Flipper Zero to coding Raspberry Pis for automation. He started Saint back in 2016, having written over 100 posts, with the sole purpose of creating guides for software that had yet to exist back then to help users navigate around their technical problems.

1 comment
  1. Number 6 (accessibility options) worked! Even though I never touched them since first launch under 10.5

    Strange thing is that it worked fine when I launched under 10.4 but never worked under 10.5

    Now it works under both systems.

    Thank you!

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