How to connect a bluetooth mouse to new mac mini (Impossible?)

Question

How to connect a bluetooth mouse to new mac mini (Impossible?)

I'm pulling my hair out here. Just got a mac mini M2

I set it up fine, logged in. Then I used my Bluetooth mouse on another system.

Now... how on earth do I reconnect it?

I have a wired keyboard, so I can login with my password, and use spotlight to open system settings via the keyboard. Then what? I cannot use the keyboard to change any of the settings (pressing tab does nothing). How on earth do I connect the mouse?

I can't understand why this is so difficult. Surely every single person who buys the machine has this issue? How is there not a simple solution? And am I now going to have this issue every single time I disconnect my Bluetooth mouth from my Mac Mini??

The only solution I can find is to wait two days (tomorrow is a public holiday) to go BUY a wired mouse simply to click a checkbox? I'm so tired... This is such utterly terrible UX

Mac mini

Posted on Apr 30, 2024 2:17 PM

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Answer 1

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Phil0124

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Apr 30, 2024 2:37 PM in response to angryuser3000

While in the bluetooth settings, tap the option+f7 (option+fn+f7) keys to change the way the you select the buttons and tabs. It should then let you move the selection to the connect button by pressing the tab key.

With the connect button selected, press the space bar key to activate it.

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/287210/pair-a-bluetooth-mouse-with-the-keyboard-only

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Answer 2

Apr 30, 2024 2:49 PM in response to angryuser3000

Ah... wait!! It was ctrl+Fn7 not Option. And it work .

thank you soo much!! This was driving me insane

If anyone at apple is reading this – this should not be this insanely complicated.

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Answer 3

Apr 30, 2024 2:31 PM in response to angryuser3000

The closest I can get is to go to Bluetooth file exchange and click enter. The mouse is in pairing mode and I can see it in the menu with the 'connect' button, but when I click enter I just get an error sound and nothing happens.

As a side – the support from Apple was terrible. I can't find any phone number or live chat. Pretty sure this will be my last Apple product I ever buy. My Macbook air died two days ago (two weeks out of warranty). Been buying Apple products exclusively for almost 20 years but I'm just done. Constantly having problems.

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Answer 4

Apr 30, 2024 2:45 PM in response to angryuser3000

Maybe it's because I'm not using an apple keyboard? I'm using a Keychron. The only thing I can think is that there's some communication issue with the keyboard, because every online solution I've found results in this same noise at some point. I cannot figure out why

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