Member Avatar for les_3

I have been using a wal-mart wireless mouse for months. It got slow response yesterday and today will not work. Plugged in a new mouse and it's not working either. Settings /mouse not detecting. Batteries good. any help would be appreciated.

  • 7 Contributors
  • 12 Replies
  • 529 Views
  • 5 Months Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by macmad

Dani AI

Generated

Short expert summary and targeted troubleshooting based on the thread (references: , , , , , ).

The pattern reported — the same wireless mouse still works on a PC while the iMac accepts other USB devices and a wired mouse — strongly narrows the fault to the wireless link (receiver/pairing), radio interference, or a per‑Mac software/setting issue rather than a general USB hardware failure.

Try these focused checks in order:

  1. Confirm interface: is the mouse Bluetooth or a 2.4 GHz USB receiver?

    • If Bluetooth: open System Preferences > Bluetooth, remove/forget the device and re-pair. Option+Shift click the Bluetooth menu icon to expose the hidden “Reset the Bluetooth module” action (if present) and try that before re-pairing.
    • If a USB nano‑receiver: open About This Mac > System Report > USB and see whether the receiver is enumerated.

  2. If the receiver does not show in System Report the receiver or shows but no input: move it. Use a short USB extension cable or a front/side port so the dongle has a clear line of sight to the mouse (cheap receivers and 2.4 GHz signals are sensitive to distance and obstructions).

  3. Eliminate interference: temporarily switch off nearby 2.4 GHz sources (Wi‑Fi on 2.4 GHz, DECT phones, microwaves, other wireless dongles) or move the iMac and mouse to another room to test, as suggested.

  4. Software conflicts: remove or update third‑party mouse utilities (Logitech Control Center, USB Overdrive, SteerMouse, BetterTouchTool). Test in a clean user account to rule out per‑user preferences.

  5. Low‑level resets: reset NVRAM/PRAM (restart and hold Option+Command+P+R for ~20 seconds) and the SMC (for desktop Macs: shut down, unplug power for 15 seconds, plug back in and wait 5 seconds, then start). On Apple Silicon machines a full shutdown/wait/restart replaces SMC reset.

  6. Hardware check: inspect battery contacts for corrosion, ensure the mouse power switch is on, and try fresh batteries again. If the mouse is inexpensive and all else fails, the transmitter or internal PCB commonly fails after months.

If the receiver appears in System Report but the cursor still won’t move, collect the Console logs for HID/USB errors and consider trying a different wireless model (or borrowing a known good wireless mouse) — cheap RF mice often fail and replacement with a reputable model is the most practical outcome.

Recommended Answers

All 12 Replies

Member Avatar for rproffitt

My first test is these mice on other machines. Then I'm looking at the Apple docs such as

Member Avatar for les_3

YEAH, I've tried all that. Weird thing...it was working fine for a couple months, then quit. I've installed updates and restarted a couple times but no workey.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

. You write you tried all that but didn't tell in detail the results. I take it the Apple is dead to USB mice now and it's time to take it to the counter.

Member Avatar for Reverend Jim

Do any other USB devices work in that port?

Member Avatar for les_3

Thanks guys. I have tried the mouse in my pc and it works there. I plugged an external hard drive into the usb and it reads it, also plugged in a usb mouse and it works. I put in new batteries in the wireless mouse but it didnt help.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

Here's a thing. USB devices can work here but not there. It's good to test on other machines but it's not going to tell us much. For this round all we have discovered is this mouse and another isn't working on this Apple. Time to try a name brand like Logitech.

Member Avatar for les_3

OK, I certainly dont mind buying a name brand, it's just that this one DID work for a couple months, then for no apparent reason just decided to not work.....doesnt make much sense. But thank you all for the advise

Member Avatar for Dani

Did Windows Update run and screw up the drivers?

Member Avatar for nicbkw

Did anything else change? Have you recently placed any other 2.4GHz devices close to the iMac or mouse? DECT phones, WiFi routers, even WiFi dongles could affect the mouse talking to the iMac by causing excessive inteference on the 2.4GHz channels used. Try moving both iMac and mouse to a new area.

Member Avatar for dee101g

I found on a couple older machines with El Capitan that I needed to shut off blue tooth and reboot a few times before turning it back on for non-Apple wireless mice to work. I was using Logitech, so it may not work with your WalMart mouse but it is worth a try.

Member Avatar for macmad

You start with a wireless mouse (Bluetooth?) and then say that you got a new mouse and plugged it in (USB?). Which one are you having a problem with. Two completly different interfaces and two completly different troubleshooting paths. Can you please identify the Mouse by model and manufacture?

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.