M1 mini + Kensington Expert Mouse

[David Hassholehoff]

I got my M1 Mac mini today, and I'm using a Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless, oddly, it doesn't register double clicks. This goes both for dongle and direct Bluetooth connection.

After updating to macOS 11.1, it did not work at all. Connected, but no movement at all. I tried deleting it an re-pairing with the computer, but nothing worked. Until just now, when I bumped it accidentally after using another Bluetooth mouse for a while.

Now it is working as before, not registering double clicks. I have installed KensingtonWorks which I use to bind functions to buttons (successfully).

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Update; double clicking works in games (Civilization VI, Cities Skyline, Divinity Original Sin 2) but not in Finder, Firefox, IntelliJ IDEA, iTerm2, VLC, Xcode and pretty much anything else.

It is also very hard to get it to work after a reboot/sleep. It connects to the computer but I can't move the pointer.

 

[seabee206]

I don't have an answer, but I'm having the same problem with an expert trackball (wired) and a MacBook air M1

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Yes, I've tried with a wired Expert Mouse as well, same behaviour (except no issues connecting).

Also, double clicking works in iPad/iPhone apps.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

I'd like to file a bug report to Kensington, but the only way to contact them seems to be a phone number, and I'm not calling america for this. I was about to give in and register for an account with them to send a text message, but then I faced this ********:

I don't want unsolicited email from them, so I ensure that the Opt In box is not checked.
When I click submit, I get that • Opt in is a required entry.

This is some serious αsshole design.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Update: double clicking the video window in VLC (I keep the video window separate from the playlist/control window) goes fullscreen, but I can't play a video by double clicking it in the playlist.

 

[Topper_F]

I got my M1 Mac mini today, and I'm using a Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless, oddly, it doesn't register double clicks. This goes both for dongle and direct Bluetooth connection.

After updating to macOS 11.1, it did not work at all. Connected, but no movement at all. I tried deleting it an re-pairing with the computer, but nothing worked. Until just now, when I bumped it accidentally after using another Bluetooth mouse for a while.

Now it is working as before, not registering double clicks. I have installed KensingtonWorks which I use to bind functions to buttons (successfully).

Same issue here. Wired. Can't double click anything og double-click to highlight words.

 

[Topper_F]

Uninstalled Kensington software and installed steerMouse. fixed it.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Very nice! Did you manage to uninstall the driver as well (/Library/SystemExtensions/F81989BF-1F62-42A9-AEDC-FFF1C97781BE/com.kensington.tbwDKDriver.dext) or just KensingtonWorks?

 

[Topper_F]

Just KensingtonWorks. There's still issues though - the mouse will stop working after restart and i'll have to unplug and reinsert the mouse.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

just finding this post, does your click and drag function work with the KensingtonWorks drivers? I have tested on an Intel with Big Sur, no issues, but with M1 and the Expert Mouse trackball no click and drag.

I also went through the garbage support purgatory, when they respond to you it sends you an email which you cant reply yet they say reply back to this email. infuriating. They said it was fixed with 2.2.8 but it works for a brief second and stops working. they cant seem to replicate the issue.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

I have had no problems dragging stuff in Finder. I can't say I drag stuff often, though.

Perhaps someone who uses social media (ie not me) should try to publicly shame Kensington into acknowledging the issue?
Link to this thread on Fecesbook/Twitter?

 

[jgriffin916]

just finding this post, does your click and drag function work with the KensingtonWorks drivers? I have tested on an Intel with Big Sur, no issues, but with M1 and the Expert Mouse trackball no click and drag.

I also went through the garbage support purgatory, when they respond to you it sends you an email which you cant reply yet they say reply back to this email. infuriating. They said it was fixed with 2.2.8 but it works for a brief second and stops working. they cant seem to replicate the issue.

I can't drag with left mouse button on M1 mini either. I did find a work around though. I assigned drag lock to a 'chord' press and then it is possible to drag, you just have to unlock when done.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Have you tried installing SteerMouse or USB Overdrive to see if that solves the drag problem?

 

[jgriffin916]

I have installed Steermouse, no joy.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

such a bizarre thing, no copying text or selecting any thing; such as moving app windows around. sometimes it even feels scrolling is slow using the scroll wheel. On intel no issues whatsoever, so its curious what the issue is with M1.

 

[user19I63]

Same problem here. Slimblade Trackball + KensingtonWorks not working on Mac mini M1 Big Sur. Just tested tonight working fine on Mac mini Intel Big Sur.

The odd problem for me is that the device isn't even showing as connected via USB in KensingtonWorks, yet System Info shows it connected just fine. It's like a generic two-button mouse with left and right buttons doing their thing. Just no customizing of the four-button trackball because KensingtonWorks doesn't even see it as connected.

I've talked to Kensington Tech Support multiple times, both by web form and by phone. 800-535-4242 goes to their Philippines office, and somebody always picks up at any hour. But however helpful they seem to be, they eventually point the finger at Apple, and Apple at Kensington, of course.

Ultimately, one guy said (over the phone) that users have to wait for the next version of KensingtonWorks. In my case, it would be the version after 2.2.8. Could be 2.2.9 or 2.3.

I'm still suspecting that maybe I can identify the conflicting software in my MacMini M1 because Migration Assistant may have caused creeping errors. But I'd hate to start from scratch installing all my registered apps, configurations, preferences, etc. one by one. It'll take a dedicated full day at least.

All this is extremely frustrating because my work requires quick data input afforded only by a customized four-button trackball.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Just tried installing Kensington Works 2.2.11 (last one I tried was 2.2.8, I think) and this time it got even worse. I lost the ability to click! No button worked at all. Uninstalled it and immediately got my clicking back. Getting really tired of this...

 

[user19I63]

I should update that I was ultimately able to get it working by doing the tedious fresh install of every app from scratch — no Migration Assistant. Took several days to reconfigure all settings and preferences and logins, etc.

The Kensington Works (v2.2.8) was practically the first thing I installed after a complete reinstall of MacOS 11.3 that came (over the air) with the M1 Mac Mini.

Now running MacOS 11.4, which is the latest version as of this writing.

Everything works okay. For me, there must've been a conflict that got migrated over. Or the KensingtonWork installer didn't identify every problem during installation.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

so far the latest update on an M1 is working okay. little glitchy but okay. What I did was complete remove the previous Kensington drivers and installed the new ones to (hopefully) eliminate any issues.

 

[azdjblue]

Just received my M1 Pro yesterday and no go. Not sure if it's a Monterey issue or the chip. I'd consider moving back to 11.3, but what for? Looks like Kensington is not as good as we thought friends.

 

[David Hassholehoff]

Ever since one of the last Mac OS 11 updates (I forgot which one) the Expert Mouse has been working as intended, without Kensington Mouse Works or SteerMouse installed.

I do however keep SteerMouse installed anyway since I've really fallen for the precise customization options.

 

[azdjblue]

@ David Hassholeoff ~ Thank you for turning me on to SteerMouse. They just updated it on Nov. 9 and it works great. You made my day and maybe weeks or months depending on when Kensington decides to make the update. But this works well. Thanks again. I haven't dug too much into it, so not sure if there are any bugs, but so far so good.