How to Fix Magic Mouse Disconnect Problems

Magic Mouse disconnects can be caused by loose batteries

Both of Apple's Magic Mouse versions are popular with Mac users, but both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Mouse 2 have a few problems that users have noted. For the first-generation Magic Mouse, short battery life and Bluetooth connection issues are the most often cited problems. For the Magic Mouse 2, the inability to recharge the mouse while using it and Bluetooth connectivity issues give Mac users headaches.

No matter which Magic Mouse generation you use, you can get the best performance from your wireless mouse. If you need help with Magic Mouse tracking errors, there's a fix for that, too.

Fix First-Generation Magic Mouse Bluetooth Disconnects

There can be several reasons for a Magic Mouse to drop the Bluetooth connection, but the most common reason is a loose battery terminal contact inside the Magic Mouse.

Upset man moving a Magic Mouse to no effect on his Mac
Lifewire / Tim Liedtke

The Magic Mouse's battery compartment has what appears to be a weak design for the battery contacts. It's possible for a small jolt, such as lifting the mouse to reposition it, to momentarily cause a disconnect between the battery and battery terminal in the Magic Mouse, thus breaking the electrical connection. No power means no Bluetooth connectivity.

The disconnect may be the result of a weak spring in the contacts or a poor contact design. Either way, this low-tech fix can help:

  1. Turn off the mouse, push down the battery cover tab and pull the cover off the mouse. Remove the batteries from the Magic Mouse.

  2. Cut two small pieces of aluminum foil about a half-inch square in size.

  3. Wrap one aluminum square around the negative terminal (the flat end) of each battery.

  4. Reinsert the batteries into the Magic Mouse and replace the cover.

The extra thickness of the aluminum foil produces additional force wedged between the battery and the contact. This makes the battery less likely to be jarred away from the contact when you move the Magic Mouse around.

This may be enough to fix most Bluetooth disconnect problems, but if your Magic Mouse still experiences an occasional disconnect, there's one more modification you can try.

  1. Turn off the Magic Mouse and remove the battery cover.

  2. Cut a piece of paper into a rectangle about 1 inch by 1.5 inches.

  3. Place the paper on top of the batteries, roughly centered. Tuck any excess paper around the edge of the batteries.

  4. Replace the Magic Mouse battery cover.

The extra paper acts as a wedge between the batteries and the battery cover to help hold the batteries in place.

Fix Either Generation Magic Mouse Bluetooth Disconnects

While the first-generation Magic Mouse had a strange battery-related Bluetooth issue, both the first- and second-generation Magic Mouse can suffer from conventional Bluetooth problems, including having the connection suddenly stop working or be intermittent or having the Magic Mouse show up in the Bluetooth device list but not connect. Fixes usually involve one (or more) of the following:

  • Go to System Preferences > Bluetooth or to the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and turn off Bluetooth. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on.
  • Delete the Mac's Bluetooth Preference List (after backing up your data).
  • Re-pair the Bluetooth device with your Mac.

First-Generation Magic Mouse Battery Issues

The first-generation Magic Mouse made use of good old-fashioned AA alkaline batteries. This conventional power source soon earned the scorn of some users, who complained of short battery life. Some users were seeing less than 30 days of life from a fresh set of AA batteries.

If you're experiencing unusually short battery life, there are ways to extend battery life and reduce battery costs, including:

  • Turn off the mouse overnight or on weekends when it isn't in use.
  • Switch the traditional AAs with rechargeable AA batteries.

Magic Mouse 2 Recharging Issues

Because the charging port of the Magic Mouse 2 is on the underside of the mouse, the most common complaint about the mouse battery is that you can't charge the mouse while using it. While that's true, it isn't a reason to avoid the Magic Mouse 2. It could be a welcomed feature for anyone looking for a quick coffee break.

Yes, the lightning port on the mouse is on its belly, but it takes only 60 seconds to recharge enough power for the Magic Mouse 2 to operate for one hour. Double the recharge time to two minutes, and the mouse can go nine hours before it needs to recharge. So, plug it in and take a brief break.

Apple contends that the Magic Mouse 2 can run for about a month on a full charge, so even if you forget to charge it, a two-minute charging coffee break is all that's needed to get you through a typical workday, allowing you to recharge the mouse in the evening to a full one-month charge.