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Fix a Windows that has mouse that will not work

We'll check connections, drivers, and fix mouse when it will not work.

Troubleshooting · Home maintenance
10–25 min
What you'll need
  • Second mouse (optional, for testing)
Step 1 of 4

Quick triage — pick your path

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Choose the option that matches what you see. You can jump straight to that section.

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Steps

Goal: Get the mouse working again.

  • Confirm mouse is connected.
  • Good: Proceed to Reinstall driver.
  • Bad: Fix connection first.

Check connection

Goal: Rule out connection issues.

  • Reseat USB. Try different port. Re-pair Bluetooth.
  • Good: Connected. Proceed to Reinstall driver.
  • Bad: Fix connection.

Reinstall driver

Goal: Reset mouse driver.

  • Device Manager > Mice > Uninstall. Restart.
  • Good: Mouse works. Bad: Try different mouse; check BIOS.

When to get help

Call a technician if:

  • Mouse works in BIOS but not Windows.
  • Mouse does not work in BIOS—replace mouse.

Verification

  • Mouse cursor moves on screen.
  • Left and right click work.
  • Mouse responds in all apps.

Escalation ladder

Work from the device outward. Stop when the problem is fixed.

  1. Connection Reseat USB; try different port; re-pair Bluetooth.
  2. Restart and driver Restart; reinstall mouse driver.
  3. Different mouse and BIOS Try different mouse; test in BIOS.
  4. Call a pro Hardware fault or Windows corruption.

What to capture if you need help

Before calling support or posting for help, have these ready. It speeds everything up.

  • Mouse type: USB or Bluetooth
  • BIOS: does mouse work there?
  • Different mouse: does it work?
  • Steps already tried

Is the mouse connected?

Loose connection is common.

Reseat USB. Try different port. Re-pair Bluetooth. Good: connected—restart and reinstall driver. Bad: fix connection first.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Does reinstalling driver fix it?

Driver can get corrupted.

Device Manager > Mice > Uninstall. Restart. Good: mouse works. Bad: try different mouse; check BIOS.
Question

Mouse working?

Continue

You can change your answer later.

Fix connection

Reseat USB. Try different port. Re-pair Bluetooth mouse.

Done

Test in BIOS

Boot to BIOS. If mouse works: Windows/driver issue. If not: replace mouse.

Done

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

Why would a mouse not work in Windows?
Loose USB, Bluetooth not paired, driver issue, or faulty mouse. Check connection and driver.
Can I fix mouse myself?
Yes. Reseat USB, re-pair Bluetooth, reinstall driver. Try different port or mouse.
When should I call a technician for mouse?
If mouse works in BIOS but not Windows, driver or OS issue. If it does not work in BIOS, replace mouse.

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