Apple mouse not scrolling - How to fix (9 Tips & Tricks!)

Is your Apple mouse not scrolling? If this is the case, it can be incredibly frustrating!

Luckily for you, I have found 9 fixes and solutions that you can try to fix the Apple mouse in no time at all! Let’s begin.

Apple mouse not scrolling – How to fix (9 Tips)

1. Switching your mouse off and on

Let’s start with something easy. Your computer’s peripherals are often left turned on for very long periods. Because of that, they can temporarily glitch. To fix the Apple mouse’s not scrolling issue, we can turn it off and on again to reset it back to its original working state. Here are the steps to restart your Apple mouse.

At the back of your mouse, you will see a switch which you can use to turn it off.
You will also see a battery compartment cover there. Remove the cover and two AA cells will be visible
Take the cells out and then put them back in.
Put the battery compartment cover back
Turn the device back on.

After your mouse connects with your computer again, check if the scroll is working again.

2. Check the device’s settings

There’s a settings panel in Mac OS that lets you configure all things related to your mouse’s scrolling. Sometimes these configurations can get out of order after an update. Follow the steps below to make sure that your settings are configured properly.

Go to the Apple menu. Follow this path to get to the appropriate settings panel.
System Preferences -> Universal Access -> Mouse & Trackpad -> Mouse Options -> Check Scrolling
Here, you will find all of the things related to scrolling that you can configure to your liking.
There you will see a checkbox right next to an option called “Scrolling”. Make sure that it is checked.

Most likely this will fix your issue. Even if it doesn’t it will ensure that your computer’s settings are configured properly and we can focus on other ways to fix your Apple mouse’s no scroll issue.

3. Check if your Bluetooth works

Apple’s mouse communicates with your computer through Bluetooth. Over time your device’s Bluetooth manager can mix up devices and your peripherals start to show issues as a result.

To fix this issue you must reset your Bluetooth which requires you to restart your Mac and you can do just that by following these steps.

Go to the Apple menu and then select the “Restart” option.
Wait for your mac to completely shut down and then it will automatically turn on again.
Again, wait for about 30 seconds for your computer to boot up completely.

Doing this will reboot your Mac and reset your Bluetooth Manager and make sure that your peripherals are connected properly with your mac.

4. Software Update

OS being out of date can be a cause of your Apple mouse not scrolling. Often companies will find bugs in their software and then fix them later or introduce new features that break older working devices. Updating your mac can help you fix the scrolling issue of your Apple mouse. You can follow these steps to check if there are any available updates and how you can install them.

First, go to System Preferences > Software Update
You will see a notification if there are any pending updates for your computer.
Click on the Update Now button which will start installing updates on your computer.
After the update is finished and you must restart your mac which you can do so by following the steps mentioned in the third solution.

Your mac’s OS is not up-to-date. Hopefully, the issue of your Apple mouse not scrolling is fixed. If not, don’t lose hope. Keep going!

5. Make sure the surface is clean

The Apple mouse uses a touch-sensitive interface to get all your gestures, including scrolling, to work. Touch interface requires its surface to be clean for it to work properly.

That is why you must ensure that your mouse’s surface is clean. If you do find anything on there, you can use any ordinary cloth or a tissue paper to clean it.

6. Gesture Control

Another thing to try when you’re dealing with an Apple mouse not scrolling issue is to check whether the gestures are configured properly on your operating system. Follow the steps below to check gesture control settings on your system.

Go to the Apple Menu -> System Preferences -> Mouse
There you will see all the gestures that can enable or disable. See if any feature is disabled
If a gesture you want to work is disabled, enable it.

Now that you’ve gone through all of the simpler solutions, it’s time to get a bit more technical.

7. Resetting Your PRAM

Macs use a small portion of your memory called PRAM, to keep track of your computer’s settings information as well the devices connected to your computer. Resetting this memory can be a possible fix to your problem. The process is very easy, and I’ll guide you through each step of it.

First, shut down your mac by first going to the Apple menu and then selecting the Shut Down option.
Once your device is turned off, I want you to look for these keys on your keyboard Option, Command, P, and R and find out where they’re located.
Once you find all of them, press the power button and immediate press all the four above mentioned keys simultaneously.
Keep holding the keys down for 20 seconds and then release them.

This resets your PRAM and sets your mac’s configuration to default. This causes your mac to make a fresh connection with your peripherals and should do the trick to get rid of the problem but if not, we have other ways to tackle the issue.

8. Resetting Your SMC

This might sound like a hard fix but is very easy to follow. System Management Controller is also known as SMC is supposed to manage your computer’s basic functions.

Resetting this has helped a lot of people fix their issue. It’s a safe procedure and will not cause any damage to your computer. Each type of mac has its way of resetting SMC and we’ve mentioned the procedure for each one of them.

For Mac Notebooks

First, shut down your notebook and make sure that your computer is turned off.
Press Control-Shift-Option keys on your keyboard simultaneously and then press your power button. Hold all these keys for 10 seconds and then let them go.
Then turn on your computer like you normally would. It’s that simple. You’re done. You have successfully reset your SMC.

For Mac Desktops which were released in 2018 or later

First, shut down your Mac and make sure that your computer is turned off.
Press your power button and hold it for 10 seconds and then let it go.
Then turn on your computer like you normally would. This will hopefully fix your issue.

For Older Mac Desktops

Start with shutting down your Mac Desktop.
Take out the power plug from the socket and wait 15 seconds.
Plug your mac back into the wall and again wait 5 seconds.
Press the power button to turn on your computer like you normally would.

Now check if your Apple mouse’s not scrolling issue has been resolved.

9. Narrow down the issue

If after following all those steps your Apple mouse is not scrolling still, you can try a different mouse and see if the issue is really with your mouse. Find another mouse that you know works and connect it to your computer. If the new mouse is working properly, that means the issue lies in your Appl mouse. However, if the new mouse is not scrolling either, the issue could be with your computer’s USB port or Bluetooth. Also, check if your mouse works with a different computer. This will help you make sure if your device is broken or if there’s an issue with your computer.

Hopefully, this tutorial was able to help you get your mouse working properly again. If it did let us know down below which tip got the job done. But If you still face this problem even after exhausting the entire list, then the issue might lie with the hardware and for that, you need to visit your nearest Apple store to get it fixed.

Apple is known to produce the most robust products in the market and because of that, their products always carry a premium price. But even the top brand for computer accessories can have buggy peripherals.

Apple’s mouse is a great accessory that is known for its build quality, durability, and accuracy. However, with time these mice start to develop issues. Sometimes, the issues can arise in even new Apple mice. One of the most common issues that troubles Apple mouse users is the Apple mouse not scrolling.

If you are having an issue scrolling with your Apple Mouse then this is the guide for you. I am going to walk you through all the recommended steps that you can take to fix your problem before a visit to the Apple store is due.