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Why doesn't my Magic Mouse connect automatically after chaning the batteries?

zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jan 6, 2005
6,932
3,681
It has been this way as long as I've had the Magic Mouse - if I change the batteries, it won't re-connect. I must plug in a USB mouse and manually connect the Magic Mouse. This is on a relatively recent 24" iMac. Am I doing something wrong?

PS: I think at some point in the past I made the mouse a Favorite in trying to fix this, FWIW.
 
I noticed the same thing when I was using Leopard. Now that I have upgraded to Snow Leopard it manages to reconnect after maybe 20-30 seconds.
 
The batteries were low on my mouse so I turned it off, changed the batteries, then turned it back on. It was immediately recognized by the imac and I did not have to re-pair it at all. I'm using the magic mouse btw.
 
I have the same problem.

I always have to restart it. I'm using Snow Leopard now and it still happens. Is there a keyboard shortcut that will force it to find the mouse?
 
I read this in another thread on this board so the credit for this tip goes to another poster. After you turn the Magic Mouse back on the green led on the bottom will blink twice quickly then just click the Magic Mouse and it connects. :)
 
BT on Mac OS X sucks. It's always a problem.

When I bought my 83 yr old mom an iMac, I specifically got an older model so I wouldn't stick her with BT peripherals that disconnect arbitrarily.
 
Hoople611 said:
I read this in another thread on this board so the credit for this tip goes to another poster. After you turn the Magic Mouse back on the green led on the bottom will blink twice quickly then just click the Magic Mouse and it connects. :)
Click to expand...

Hmm. I'll have to try that. I'm on a late 2009 iMac, and my Magic Mouse never pairs by itself after changing batteries - I always have to use a USB mouse to discover and pair it. Plus sometimes it loses connection for no reason at all, and again I must use another mouse to get things going. Next time it happens, I'll try this tip.
 
RaceTripper said:
BT on Mac OS X sucks. It's always a problem.

When I bought my 83 yr old mom an iMac, I specifically got an older model so I wouldn't stick her with BT peripherals that disconnect arbitrarily.
Click to expand...

or....you could have just bought the newer iMac, sold the BT mouse and keyboard and plug in some usb mouse and keyboard.
 
GyroFX said:
or....you could have just bought the newer iMac, sold the BT mouse and keyboard and plug in some usb mouse and keyboard.
Click to expand...

Or not! The one I got her came with USB mouse and keyboard, so no hassle selling BT peripherals to get what I got anyway.
 
RaceTripper said:
BT on Mac OS X sucks. It's always a problem.
Click to expand...

General statements like this are usually false and so is this one. My BT mouse and keyboard is working just fine on OS X.

So no. It's NOT always a problem.
 
Last edited:
lwien said:
General statements like this are usually false and so is this one. My BT mouse and keyboard is working just fine on OS X.

So no. You are wrong. It's NOT always a problem.
Click to expand...
OK. It's often a problem for me (on each of my last MBPs) and for others I have spoken to. I'm not the first to claim Apples BT implementation is flakey. But just because it's not a problem for you doesn't mean it's not a problem for others. My statement does have some truth to it.
 
RaceTripper said:
But just because it's not a problem for you doesn't mean it's not a problem for others.
Click to expand...

Race, I never even came close to implying that. Of course some people have problems with this issue, and of course, some don't. But to imply, such as you did, that it is ALWAYS a problem is just not true.
 
lwien said:
Race, I never even came close to implying that. Of course some people have problems with this issue, and of course, some don't. But to imply, such as you did, that it is ALWAYS a problem is just not true.
Click to expand...

Don't take everything so literally then.
 
RaceTripper said:
Don't take everything so literally then.
Click to expand...

But see, that's the problem, eh. People come in here looking for advice in helping them make up their mind for future purchases. How do they know that they shouldn't take your comments literally?

I just felt it necessary to counter what you said with a more realistic approach rather than use a broad brush to state that BT flat out, does not work with OS X. I've done that, so..............no more from me.
 
lwien said:
But see, that's the problem, eh. People come in here looking for advice in helping them make up their mind for future purchases. How do they know that they shouldn't take your comments literally?
Click to expand...
Having administered one of the largest Web forums on the planet for 10 years, I think I'm qualified to say one thing with certainty: Whatever you read on a message board should be regarded as anecdotal and apocryphal unless it is visibly supported by a huge body of testimony, or an unassailable online reputation the likes of which we are seldom to see.

It's a shame, because often people who come here for help do not stop to consider the possibility that the person typing doesn't know any more than the person asking for help.

There's no substitute for analytical caution.

(I'll admit right now that in November 2010, I am a Mac Moron. I'm a very recent convert to OSX and Apple.)
 
George Knighton said:
Having administered one of the largest Web forums on the planet for 10 years, I think I'm qualified to say one thing with certainty: Whatever you read on a message board should be regarded as anecdotal and apocryphal unless it is visibly supported by a huge body of testimony, or an unassailable online reputation the likes of which we are seldom to see.

It's a shame, because often people who come here for help do not stop to consider the possibility that the person typing doesn't know any more than the person asking for help.

There's no substitute for analytical caution.

(I'll admit right now that in November 2010, I am a Mac Moron. I'm a very recent convert to OSX and Apple.)
Click to expand...

Here Here! Very sensible advice.

Welcome to the world of Mac! You will enjoy it!:)
 
RaceTripper said:
BT on Mac OS X sucks. It's always a problem.

When I bought my 83 yr old mom an iMac, I specifically got an older model so I wouldn't stick her with BT peripherals that disconnect arbitrarily.
Click to expand...
You do know that you can choose the Apple Mouse (which has a wire, the old name was Mighty Mouse) over the bluetooth Magic Mouse, with the new iMacs? I doubt she needs the power of the new iMacs though, the old one you got her is probably more than enough.

Just wanted to tell you that it actually is possible to get a wired keyboard/mouse with the new iMacs (atleast when ordering online). Not arguing here, just some knowledge you might need in the future :)
 
Skybar said:
You do know that you can choose the Apple Mouse (which has a wire, the old name was Mighty Mouse) over the bluetooth Magic Mouse, with the new iMacs? I doubt she needs the power of the new iMacs though, the old one you got her is probably more than enough.

Just wanted to tell you that it actually is possible to get a wired keyboard/mouse with the new iMacs (atleast when ordering online). Not arguing here, just some knowledge you might need in the future :)
Click to expand...

I bought it at the Apple store the day the newer iMacs came out. It was not offered as an option. Alternate keyboard/mouse was not an in-store option, at least not at the time of purchase.

Nevertheless, the only possible difference my mom would have noticed with the newer iMac otherwise is that it has a higher resolution display that would be much more difficult for her to read. Since Apple still doesn't support resolution independence she's much better off with the older model anyway. Even now I would never buy her an iMac. I would get a Mini instead with a 3rd party display.
 
RaceTripper said:
Nevertheless, the only possible difference my mom would have noticed with the newer iMac otherwise is that it has a higher resolution display that would be much more difficult for her to read. Since Apple still doesn't support resolution independence she's much better off with the older model anyway. Even now I would never buy her an iMac. I would get a Mini instead with a 3rd party display.
Click to expand...

By the sound if it, you haven't adjusted the settings in "Universal Access"?
 
John T said:
By the sound if it, you haven't adjusted the settings in "Universal Access"?
Click to expand...
There's nothing of relevance in Universal Access. She's not disabled.

What Macs really need is resolution independence (i.e. like in Windows XP/7). All these new super high resolution displays make it harder for a lot of people to read text. Universal Access doesn't have anything to assist with that.
 
Hoople611 said:
I read this in another thread on this board so the credit for this tip goes to another poster. After you turn the Magic Mouse back on the green led on the bottom will blink twice quickly then just click the Magic Mouse and it connects. :)
Click to expand...

OK, I always had problems with re-connecting after battery changes, but I can attest that this trick seems to work. I clicked a few times, and boom, the mouse connected.
 
I had this happen this weekend and would have loved to know this trick. I was doing everything the nice little manual told me to do and fought with it for 30 minutes. Finally had to shut down the computer and let it restart to get it to see the mouse.
 
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