Magic Mouse keeps disconnecting from bluetooth

I have replied before to say removing the cover helped the mouse stay connected. This is still largely the case and it is certainly much better than before, but as others report, the dimensions of the batteries are critical, because of the poor design of the mouse battery box. Even Energiser batteries do not work for me.

What I do now is trip the plastic covering from the battery end so that the complete positive end of the battery is naked metal. This small extra clearance allows the batteries to fit and make connection.

I have started using the eveready batterires also and the problem has just started.

i have found that putting paper on the upper side of the mouse in the battery compartment it has resolved the issue. when these batteries have runout i will be using energizer again for sure.

Woshy

I was getting the disconnect problem every time I dropped the mouse down onto the table when repositioning it.

Bad design. Happens the same sometimes on my older Mighty Mouse as well as this Magic Mouse.

I tried putting some padding in the battery compartment, and thought that might stop them disconnecting momentarily when "jerking" the mouse. But it was still disconnecting regularly.

I've been using Eveready Heavy Duty batteries (red ones), and so I decided to grab some rechargables, and measured them against the red Eveready battery, and noticed the rechargable ones I have were about 1 millimetre longer. So I popped them in, and I can now drop my Magic Mouse a few times down onto the table, and no disconnect. (I did also leave the padding in there as well (a small piece of folded nose-tissue).

A world of difference. No disconnects!

Try to find batteries that are a little longer, and it's enough for the spring loaded battery mechanism to now hold tight!

Rock.

- Muzboz

(Check out my game Rad Skater Apocalypse for iPhone). 🙂

Is it really acceptable to have to fiddle with batteries, peel plastic off, add bits of aluminium, generally shake the thing about praying it will reconnect? Your posts have been very instructive, thanks BUT....come on Apple

It's a DESIGN FAULT.

If it was a car they would recall and replace ...

Hasn't anyone explored this yet? Has Apple commented at all...?

I don't know if I can go on with this daily bout of disconnection, and fiddling around with the cover, the batteries, and bits of tissue paper.....

It's a fault, but the mouse is practically extinct. Some of us prefer this old mouse, so its not a big deal.

Since I posted I have found that there are actually only a few brands that don't fit. Most of the cheap bootleg batteries do fit. It's a matter of finding out which don't fit and staying away from them. Cheap batteries don't last as long but when you get a 30 pack for 4 USD, it is fine for my budget.

If any of you are still using tissue, just change brands and see if it sticks.

As an aside I do feel horrible whenever I'm using and dispensing batteries, we need to move away from these things.

I haven't commented in a while because I wanted to be able to talk about my experiences over a longer period of time. I have found that resetting the PRAM as is described early in this thread temporarily fixes the disconnect issue for me. When the mouse starts disconnecting at an alarming rate, this reset gives me a break for at least a month.

Also, if you're concerned about throwing out dead batteries, I can attest that Energizer rechargable batteries work in mine (they are silver batteries with green labeling). As is the case with this mouse, YMMV.

I used to have a problem and tried some of the suggestions ( see earlier posts). But I now simply buy good quality batteries, and this solved the issue (Energizer or Duracell) . Almost every time I use any other, I have a problem of disconnecting. I have had the same mouse for 3 years, and have not had any other problems. I also have a track pad, with no problems. I wish people would just check if a good battery would solve this problem!

Pleased to hear you are OK

I have changed batteries three times today:

Duracell re-chargeable - which I peeled plastic off

Energiser

Duracell non-re-chargeable

I've tried silver paper at both +and - ends

I can feel them rattling away inside, the backplate is quite 'loose'

And nothing seems to work for any length of time, and that's just today !.

My mouse is less than a year old, though it was a re-furbished one...

I just think it is totally unacceptable. Will contact Apple Uk and see if they are moved.......

You might also try my older solution, don't focus on the polar ends, just take something like a post-it note, maybe cut in half and fold over itself as many times as necessary to create enough pad so that there's no movement. The paper is placed under the batteries. You can leave the folder paper long enough to overlap as a tab (sticking out from the side)so that you can adjust it to perfection. Just make sure that you can still close the door, you want the paper thick enough for security, not too thick to prevent closure.

Yes it became a science at one point 😁

Thanks for that I will try anything ... unless Apple replace it foc !

The bit I have difficulty in coming to terms with why the customers haven't contacted Apple in their droves over this issue, or have they and they are playing dumb?

I hate to step on the battery solution, but I was plagued by this problem on two Macs. I tried everything before contacting Apple. Their solution was to reset the PRAM. I did that last October. Problem solved on both Macs. Can't be a coincidence. I am using the same Rayovac Alkalines as always.

Sorry... I trashed the Bluetooth prefs and reset the PRAM.

How do you do this ?

I would have replied earlier but I lost connection twice, and got it back by shaking the mouse......I still think battery connections at fault, but would love to try your solution if I understood it.

Shaking the mouse again ....

It works !

I have been cruising along pretty smoothly with my BlueTooth mouse since last year when I reset the PRAM. I have had couple of stutters over the last two days and today my mouse scrolling stopped working. I checked the prefs and it was not showing those options for my mouse, so I just decided to do a PRAM reset again on my iMac (OS 10.8.3).

Power the iMac down.

Hit the power button and press the COMMAND , OPTION, P, and R keys at the same time. Wait until the computer chimes for the second time and release. Everything started working perfectly again.

I think the battery issue is off base for many users while resetting the PRAM seems to be the correct solution. I have regular Rayovac Alkaline batteries in my mouse and the cover is in place.

Like a charm.