Magic Mouse Loses Connection

I've been using Blu Tak for several years now. Just a tiny bit inside of the cover over each battery.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11373233/MacDiscussions/Magic%20Mouse%20fold er/Mouse%20Lid%20plus%20BlueTack%20Fix.jpg

Only use a tiny bit, just enough to do the job. If you use too much, you'll have difficulty removing the cover to get the batteries out for recharging. Otherwise, works like a charm.

I have finally solved MY magic mouse 'lost connection' problem after a week or so of changing batteries etc and looking at software issues posted on this site. It turned out to be just a 'mechanical' issue.

One of the upper positive battery connectors (the resessed hole ones) had sprung back too far and was causing an intermittant connection, hence the lost Bluetooth connection. The fix was a small ball of aluminium kitchen foil to pack out the gap and ensure a permanent connection to the battery.

Maybe Apple needs to address this issue as it appears to be happening to quite a few users!

This is the only trick that worked for me. I tried all the others, not wanting to believe that a piece of Apple technology needed aluminum foil to work proplerly. I removed/added the mouse from Bluetooth settings, made it a "Favorite", changed the batteries, etc.

Finally, I folded two small pieces of aluminum foil, and inserted them into the battery bay at the "+" end, and then replaced the batteries.

The mouse hasn't failed since.

I've seen some replies to this problem where the tech savvy were laughing at those who suggested the problem could be solved with a folded up piece of paper, but this is exactly how I fixed the problem.

I tried the ditching of preferences etc. New batteries made no improvement either. The clue was that the little red light under the mouse went out a lot, and the mouse would lose the connection if you accidentally tapped the keyboard with it. The batteries were too loose by a matter of microns. Apple must accept this as a design problem, because it drove me nuts.

So thanks those who suggested padding the batteries. You win this one.

I was having connectivty issues with my Magic Mouse. It would disconect randomly and tracking was very jerky.

I removed the batteries and cleaned the contacts with a q-tip. Now it seems to be working perfectly fine again.

"When the Magic Mouse loses it's magic..."

I read that online somewhere in my endless quest to find a working answer to bring the little guys spark and magic back to life, it's so fitting. I've battled the same frustration of connection lost - connected - connection lost .... connected? Wait. No. Yes, connected, no lost ...

I tried the technical side of things like turning off discoverable device, throwing out the preferences, remember this device, changing the batteries, moving the router, ect. The cycle has just been VISCOUS! (Anyone reading this has obviously experienced the same daunting trickery from the NOT so entertaining "Magic Mouse"!)

So having said all of that...

THANK YOU tonyfromraleigh for the following post that has put the magic back into my not so magical mouse!

"I had this problem a lot. What I found out is that the batteries were not extremely tight in the battery compartment and that they would wiggle around, especially when bumped or moved quickly, or even just from plain old gravity losing power and then causing brief connectivity loss.

I resolved it by folding a piece of paper a few times and putting it between the batteries and the battery door so that it couldn't move around in the compartment. Haven't had the problem again since."

I also haven't had the problem again since! Thanks again for giving me my sanity back, Tony.

I didn't want to beilve it but it was the batteries. Bought a box of new good batteries and didn't think that could be the problem. Put some older ones in and no issues since. That is a bit weird but problem solved.

Dear Barry

Thanks a bunch that really worked!! 🙂

Cheers

Sam

To the person who originally posted this question, I thank you.

To the person who suggested to put a folded piece of paper in between the batteries, like the aliens in toys story, "You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful". That small piece of bunch up paper restores the magic!

Thanks!

Not sure if this has been posted yet but I don't feel like paging through all the replies to find out. But this solution seems to be the winner.

http://macs.about.com/od/tipstricks/qt/Fix-Magic-Mouse-Disconnects.htm

I found a different issue though still battery related. The recessed (+ve) terminals are engineered for a certain width and depth of the battery positive terminal. My rechargable batteries (Ansmann 2800mAh) have a wider, shallower terminal and this is right at the limit of the engineering of the terminal recess. If I use regular alkaline batteries the terminal is taller and narrower, even though the battery itself is 2mm shorter than the Ansmann cells. Obviously cleaning terminals is always sensible but in my case there was a definite issue with the fit of the battery at the +ve end.

I suppose I could have put some aluminium foil into the recesses, cut back the plastic recess material (or even dabbed some solder onto the Ansmann cells, taking care not to get them too hot!) but in the end it was just as simple to switch to the disposable cells, of which I have a fair number.

I would guess the Apple rechargeable cells don't have this issue with the +ve terminals by design so getting them will likely be a good fix as well.

On a related note: Although there could be interference with an iPhone, Bluetooth is supposed to be able to cope with that and the iPhone wouldn't pair with a mouse anyway. If turning off BT on the phone works, or simply keeping the phone on the othe side of the desk then great, but the battery is a measurable problem you may have as well.

This is such a long (and old) thread I'm wondering if you should start a new one of your own. It's an interesting question.

The terminal looks to be the same length. It's just that some batteries have a taller shoulder (for want of a better word) that has the same effect as if the terminal is shorter.

That explains why -

i) some batteries work fine and don't have the problem, and

ii) shoving some silver paper in cures the problem when using batteries that have the larger shoulder.

I've taken a photo of two batteries - one with, the other without, the nuisance shoulder.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11373233/MacDiscussions/Magic%20Mouse%20fold er/Battery%20Tops1.tiff

Beats me why only rechargables have this thing to watch out for, not alkalines.

BTW - I also have a very small amount of Blu-Tack on the mouse cover over each battery to stop them moving when the mouse is moved. Not had in any trouble for several years now.

Message was edited by: El Deanio

I read in another forum listing that it is a problem with the design of the mouse. Some batteries are slightly smaller and rattle around, loosing contact. The fix is to jam a wad of paper between and under the batteries to keep them fixed in position. I had this problem and this solution fixed it instantly. How high tech can you get :-)

I find a little sausage of Blu-Tack under each battery sticks them into their cradles perfectly. Don't put padding on the outside, it will curve the access door outwards, making it more likely to drag on your desk and even get permanently out of shape. Just glue them in!