My Magic mouse only tracks on glossy surfaces. It has stopped working on any other surface, even mouse pads! Please help!

Same problem. Mouse has worked fine for several years and started acting up. Did all the recommended fixes, by accident tested it on another machine with similar results to verify it wasn't a software issue. Put in on my dark wood desktop and it worked perfectly, tried it on both a glossy black binder cover and a glossy white binder cover with a color printed page underneath the plastic slip cover of the white one, same perfect results. Makes no sense given it use to work on any surface.

I would really like to know why this problem raises its ugly head after several years of excellent service. Especially since there are no moving parts in this thing. You would think it would last forever....but then Apple couldn't sell us new stuff and pad their pockets....

My mouse were the same symptoms, I tried everything:

switch it on of for many times, warmed it with a hair dryer, wash lenses, and other vodoo methods.

I finally got mad and let it fall to the floor and afther that works perfectly.

Maybe there is grease or dust on the transmitter or optical sensor and the beam is getting attenuated. The glossy background might be helping get more light into the sensor. Try cleaning it with paper towel or maybe a gentle cleanser.

I have the same problem and it only works on glossy. It happened at the time of the upgrade to Mavericks, so I figured it was software this whole time. I am going to try it now myself.

Duh, you already mentioned cleaning the sensor area, sorry.

The glossy black Ikea desk pad is now missing tracking often.

I've resorted to using glossy junk mail catalogs and that seems

to work like new again.

I wonder if the issue is the age of the sensor in the mouse.

Maybe the plastic decayed or fogged up somehow.

Maybe a plastic crumb got in the internals of the mouse.

I noticed the green light goes off when it can "see".

Only goes off on those catalogs, nothing else works.

I can't see plunking down good money to replace this thing.

Same thing here works only on a glossy magazine cover. Works also on the surface on my Macbook Pro. Really strange as it was working on every surface before. Is Apple coming with an iMagazine for the mouse to work in the next Keynote?

If the Apple store was not able to help, I suspect the mouse has failed.

In answer to your question, there is no mouse reset.

Barry

I had this happen as well. after I replaced the batteries it went to acting strangely. Same thing on glossy surfaces only.

This happened once before, and I thought it was broken, and just like pepi70 I think I remember an accidental drop fixed it before, wondering if I should drop it again, I have already tried banging it lightly with my hand to no avail.

Maybe more people have had this problem but didn't think to try it on glossy surfaces. Very strange it only works on glossy...

Anyone find a good solution?

I have the same issue. I have tried cleaning the sensor, cleaned battery terminals and still only tracks on a glossy surface.