Why the mouse on the laptop does not work

A laptop is a very versatile thing when it comes to work or surfing the Internet. Unlike a desktop computer, it does not require you to be at home all the time to use it. Freelancers often resort to this – designers, copywriters, marketers, SMM specialists, and so on. You can take your laptop with you and put it in a convenient and vibey place. For example, coffee shops have become a kind of citadels for remote workers.

For convenient work from anywhere in the world, the laptop has a touchpad – a small sensor panel, most often located at the bottom of the laptop keyboard. It functions as a computer mouse, allowing you to manipulate windows and files on the device screen. With the help of certain gestures, the functionality of the touchpad is expanded. This makes laptops even more independent from the periphery.

However, for many, working with a computer mouse is a more familiar and convenient format. However, another problem that users often encounter may arise – the mouse does not work on the laptop.

This problem can arise for a number of reasons, which we will analyze in this article. Let’s see why the mouse on the laptop does not work and how to fix it.

Table of Contents

The most common problems

Here is a list of errors why the mouse on your laptop may not work:

System freeze . When the computer freezes and the Num Lock key on the keyboard works, the mouse will be disabled. The lock can be turned on and off by pressing this key. It is possible that the key indicator will not work and the entire system will freeze.
Conflict between the mouse and new hardware . It also happens that the system incorrectly reads new hardware, giving it priority.
Mouse and driver conflict : If the system has recently updated the drivers, they may not read the device correctly.
Connection issues . If the mouse connects via USB, the laptop’s USB port may not be working properly. This may be due to mechanical damage to the port or problems with the USB drivers.
Mouse driver issues : Faulty or outdated drivers can cause the operating system to not recognize or communicate with the mouse.
Mouse problems : The mouse itself may be damaged or malfunctioning due to wear, being dropped, or other physical damage.
Battery or power issues : If your mouse is wireless, it’s possible that the batteries are low or there’s a problem with the wireless connection.
Software conflicts : Some programs or antivirus software may conflict with or block your mouse drivers.

Reconnecting the USB cable or USB receiver

To reconnect the USB cable or USB receiver of the mouse to your laptop, follow these steps:

Firmly insert the mouse cable into any available USB port. For a wireless mouse, find the USB receiver that came with the mouse and insert it into an available USB port on your laptop, making sure it is fully inserted.
Once connected, the operating system should automatically recognize the device and install the necessary drivers. If the device does not work, check the status in the Device Manager.
Make sure your mouse is working properly by trying to move it around the surface and clicking the buttons.

If the mouse still doesn’t work, try connecting it to a different USB port on your laptop or to another computer to rule out problems with the port or the device itself. Restart your laptop so that the operating system can update drivers or fix other problems.

If these steps do not solve the problem, you may need to update the drivers or have diagnostics performed at a service center. They will tell you whether the port needs to be replaced or simply cleaned.

Wireless Mouse Maintenance

If you’re having problems with your wireless mouse, here are some hardware solutions that might help:

Replacing the batteries . Remove the batteries and replace them with new ones. Make sure the battery area is clean and dry.
Additionally, check the battery status in the Bluetooth section of the Control Panel . There you will find information about the “Total remaining battery power”, which will help you determine whether the batteries need to be replaced.
Check for distance and obstacles . Make sure the wireless mouse receiver is within range and not blocked by other objects. Try disconnecting the wireless USB adapter and connecting it to a different USB port on your computer. This may help troubleshoot the port.
Power and indicators . Check if the power indicator on the mouse is lit. If not, make sure the batteries are inserted correctly and the contacts are clean.

Restarting the laptop

The method that all technical support services love is “try turning it off and on again.” Among our methods, it will not be an exception, as it deserves the right to exist. Let’s consider several options for rebooting a laptop:

Reboot via power button

Setup for Windows:

Press and hold the power button on your laptop for 5-10 seconds.
This will cause the laptop to shut down.
After the laptop is completely turned off, press the power button again to turn on the laptop.

Setup for macOS:

Press and hold the power button on your laptop for a few seconds.
You will see a dialog box with options. Select “Restart” to restart your laptop.

Reboot via system

For Windows:

Select Start and then Restart.
Click Restart to begin the reboot process.

For macOS:

Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
From the drop-down menu, select Restart.
Confirm reboot if prompted.

Before restarting your laptop, make sure all important data is saved and all applications are closed. Restarting your laptop can be helpful in resolving temporary software issues or improving overall performance.

Troubleshooting

The laptop system already has a pre-installed program that searches for and fixes problems. To open it:

Go to “Control Panel”;
In the search engine, type “Devices and Printers”;
Open “Device Manager”;
In the “Mice and other pointing devices” section, right-click and select “Update configuration”.

The system will start searching and fixing problems. Once completed, we recommend restarting the laptop and checking if the mouse works.

Updating drivers

If your laptop mouse isn’t working due to possible driver issues, here’s how to update or reinstall them.

First, visit your mouse manufacturer’s website and look for the support or driver downloads section. On the site, find the latest driver version that is compatible with your Windows operating system. Download the driver and install it on your laptop.

If you don’t have the time or expertise to update manually, you can use a third-party program to automatically search for and install drivers. Such programs automatically find the appropriate drivers for your device on the Internet, then download and install them.

Reinstalling drivers

To reinstall the mouse driver:

Disable Fast Startup Option for Windows

Another not so obvious reason for a non-working mouse is the fast Windows startup. This helps to speed up the laptop boot, however, this parameter can be the reason why the mouse does not work on the laptop. You can try to disable it to improve the software.

go to “Control Panel”;
select “View by: Categories”, then “Hardware and Sound”;
Then click on “Power Options”;
In the sidebar, find “Choose what the power buttons do”;
Click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable”;
Uncheck “Turn on fast startup”.

It may take a little longer for your computer to boot up now, but this will likely help your mouse work properly.

Useful tips

Sometimes the reasons for mouse problems may not be a system failure, but rather some mundane things. We will look at some of them:

Use your mouse on smooth, flat surfaces so the optical sensor can detect your movements. If you like going to cafes to work, bring a mouse pad with you.
If the mouse is damaged: the case is cracked, the LED on the bottom is blinking strangely or the keys are sticking. In this case, it is worth replacing it, rather than trying to fix it.