Keyboard or mouse not working

A keyboard or mouse that suddenly stops responding is usually a small problem, such as a flat battery, a loose plug or a dropped Bluetooth link. Go from the quickest checks to settings, for wired, wireless and Bluetooth devices on Windows and Mac.

Before you start

First work out what is wrong. The cursor may be frozen, the keys may type nothing, or the keys may type the wrong characters. Also check whether the whole computer has frozen: if the clock does not move or the screen does not change, hold the power button to restart and come back to this guide afterward. Unsaved work in open programs will be lost in that case.

Most fixes need only a minute. You may need fresh batteries or the cable that came with the device.

Try these fixes in order

1. Power and batteries

1. Turn the device off and on again using its switch. On Apple's Magic Mouse the switch is on the bottom. On a Magic Keyboard it is on the back edge.
2. Replace the batteries, or charge the device with its cable. A device that is nearly flat can act up before it dies.
3. Look for a small light. Many Microsoft and Surface devices blink when ready to pair. If the light stays off with fresh batteries, the device may be faulty.

2. Wired keyboard or mouse

1. Unplug the cable, wait a few seconds, and plug it in firmly.
2. Use a different USB port. Connect to the computer directly, not through a hub or a keyboard's built-in port.
3. Check the cable for kinks or damage near the plug.
4. Try a different keyboard or mouse. If that one works, the original device has failed.

3. Wireless mouse or keyboard with a USB dongle

1. Unplug the small USB receiver (dongle) and plug it into another port. Use a port on the computer itself rather than a hub.
2. Move the receiver closer to the device with a short USB extension, away from metal and from other wireless gear.
3. If the device has a connect button, press it as the maker's manual describes.

4. Bluetooth keyboard or mouse

1. Make sure Bluetooth is on and Airplane mode is off. On Windows 11, open Settings then Bluetooth & devices. On a Mac, open Apple menu then System Settings then Bluetooth (earlier macOS: System Preferences).
2. Turn the device off and on. If it still will not connect, remove (forget) it from the list of devices and pair it again. See pairing on Windows or pairing on a Mac.
3. On Microsoft and Surface devices, hold the pairing button for 5 to 7 seconds. When the light blinks, the device is ready to pair. If the light blinks three times and goes out, Microsoft says the device is still paired to another nearby PC, so remove it there first.
4. Turn off other Bluetooth devices you are not using. Too many connections can interfere.
5. On a Mac with an Apple accessory that will not connect, plug it into the Mac using the cable that fits the accessory (Lightning to USB, USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C), wait one minute, then unplug it. Apple says this pairs the accessory and charges its battery.

If the connection keeps dropping, see Bluetooth keeps disconnecting and Bluetooth won't pair or connect.

5. Restart the computer

1. Restart the computer with the device connected. On Windows, press Win, select the power icon, then Restart. On a Mac, choose Apple menu > Restart.
2. After the restart, try the device again.

Restarting reloads the driver, the small program that lets the computer talk to the device. Microsoft also advises installing pending Windows updates, since they can include drivers.

6. Settings that change how keys and the pointer behave

If the keys type the wrong thing or some keys do nothing, a setting may be the cause rather than the hardware.

• Windows, wrong characters: open Settings then Time & language then Language & region and check that the keyboard language matches the keyboard you own. Microsoft lists a mismatch between the keyboard's input language and the display language as a cause of wrong characters.
• Windows, slow or odd mouse: open Settings then Bluetooth & devices then Mouse (Windows 10: Settings then Devices then Mouse) and adjust pointer speed and scrolling.
• Mac, keys do nothing: open Apple menu then System Settings then Accessibility then Keyboard and turn off Slow Keys. Then open Accessibility then Pointer Control and turn off Mouse Keys.
• Mac, wrong layout: open System Settings then Keyboard then Text Input then Edit, turn on the option to show the Input menu in the menu bar, then pick the right layout from that menu.
• Laptop built-in keyboard dead on a Mac: connect the Mac to power, because a low battery alert may be hidden, as Apple notes.

7. Check Windows Device Manager

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. With no mouse, press Win + X, then M.
2. Expand Keyboards, Mice and other pointing devices and Human Interface Devices. Look for a yellow warning sign.
3. Right-click the device and select Uninstall device, then restart. Windows installs the driver again.

For more on drivers, see Fix driver problems in Device Manager. Download drivers only from the maker of the device or the computer.

If it still does not work

• Test the device on another computer. If it fails there, replace it.
• If a laptop's built-in keyboard or trackpad has failed but an external one works, the laptop may need repair from its maker. Use an external keyboard in the meantime.
• See USB device not recognized if Windows reports an unknown USB device.

Frequently asked questions