HT204621: Troubleshooting wireless mouse and keyboard issues

Learn about Troubleshooting wireless mouse and keyboard issues

karendesign

Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Wireless mouse recognized but click not recognized?

My Mac Pro desktop (OS X 10.6.8) suddenly won't recognize any clicks from my Apple wireless mouse (sorry can't give exact model #, too small to read even with magnifier). Bluetooth is on, mouse is discoverable and recognized. I've had this mouse for at least a couple of years, performance has been fine. Batteries are charged and clean; I've tried multiple sets. Mouse contacts and lens cleaned. Mouse can move pointer around screen but physical clicks do not work. When the wireless mouse is in this state, even a wired mouse doesn't work (same behavior), as if stuck in the down or drag part of a click. When wireless mouse and Bluetooth are turned off, a wired mouse works correctly. Power-down and restart has no effect. I've searched but haven't found this exact condition described or solved; could not find on Apple support. Any help is appreciated.

--Karen

Mac Pro (Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.8), Wired keyboard, wireless mouse

Posted on Feb 27, 2016 3:41 PM

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Q: Wireless mouse recognized but click not recognized?

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by Grant Bennet-Alder,

Grant Bennet-Alder Feb 27, 2016 6:14 PM in response to karendesign
Level 9 (60,759 points)

Desktops

Feb 27, 2016 6:14 PM in response to karendesign

Do you have a wired or wireless graphics tablet? Others have pushed them out of their active work area, forgot they were on, and left the pen sitting on them.

The idea is that the Mac uses an "all devices active" philosophy about pointing devices and keyboards. Just because you are not using it does not mean it's not on.
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by karendesign,

karendesign Feb 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
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Feb 27, 2016 9:44 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Good thought... but no tablet. AFAIK, other wireless devices (speaker, headset) are off and stored well away from tower; and have been in this same state as when wireless mouse worked correctly.
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by Grant Bennet-Alder,

Grant Bennet-Alder Feb 27, 2016 9:50 PM in response to karendesign
Level 9 (60,759 points)

Desktops

Feb 27, 2016 9:50 PM in response to karendesign

are there any helpful settings you can experiment with in
system preferences > Trackpad

... or whatever applies to this?
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by lllaass,

lllaass Feb 28, 2016 1:13 AM in response to karendesign
Level 10 (188,104 points)

Desktops

Feb 28, 2016 1:13 AM in response to karendesign

Try trashing the mouse .plist. A new one will be created and you will have to go t Mouse preferences to change any preferences
Deleting the System Preference or other .plist file
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by karendesign,

karendesign Feb 28, 2016 8:10 AM in response to lllaass
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Feb 28, 2016 8:10 AM in response to lllaass

I trashed com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMouse.plist, but no change. I tried to re-establish the wireless mouse to reset its preferences, but when I turn it back on and connection is made (and already-open mouse preferences switch from wired to wireless), clicks are not recognized from wireless or wired mouse. Once I turn off the wireless mouse and connection is lost, wired mouse works.

I don't have another wireless mouse to test, but will try to borrow one.
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by lllaass,

lllaass Feb 28, 2016 8:28 AM in response to karendesign
Level 10 (188,104 points)

Desktops

Feb 28, 2016 8:28 AM in response to karendesign

- Try resetting the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
About NVRAM and PRAM
- Try starting in Safe Mode
OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
- Boot to Recovery and repair the startup disk
OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
- If it is repairable reinstall the OSX
How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support
- If you do not have a backup use disk utility to restore the internal disk to an external disk so you can try to recover data.
Then format the startup disk and do a fresh install of OSX
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by karendesign,

karendesign Mar 1, 2016 7:57 AM in response to lllaass
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Mar 1, 2016 7:57 AM in response to lllaass

Tested and paired a borrowed wireless mouse, and it works correctly (using it now). Guess that means a hardware failure of the old wireless mouse--nothing wrong with the Mac Pro or Bluetooth itself. Time for a new mouse.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. :-)
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HT204621: Troubleshooting wireless mouse and keyboard issues

Q: Wireless mouse recognized but click not recognized?

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by Grant Bennet-Alder,

by karendesign,

by Grant Bennet-Alder,

by lllaass,

by karendesign,

by lllaass,

by karendesign,

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