Mouse not working on iPhone

Mouse test 5 steps ~5 min fix

A mouse that won't click, scroll, or move on iPhone is usually a connection, battery, or button-switch issue. Run through these, then test every button live.

Test your mouse right now — it takes one click. Run the mouse test →

Step-by-step fix

  1. Replug the USB receiver (try another port) or re-pair Bluetooth; replace the battery on a wireless mouse.
  2. Run the CheckMyMic mouse test — check left, right, middle, scroll and a double-click.
  3. Clean the optical sensor and try a different surface or mousepad.
  4. Adjust pointer speed and double-click settings in iPhone mouse settings.
  5. Update the mouse/USB driver and restart iPhone.

Frequently asked questions

My double-click registers as one click on iPhone.

That's usually a worn button switch. Run the mouse test's double-click check a few times — if it's inconsistent, the switch is failing. As a stopgap, lengthening the double-click speed/window in iPhone's mouse settings can buy the switch some time.

The scroll wheel doesn't work on iPhone.

Open the mouse test and scroll over the pad. If nothing registers there, the wheel encoder is faulty; if it does register, the wheel is fine — check the scroll settings in iPhone and the app where scrolling misbehaves.

The mouse still misbehaves on iPhone after every step — now what?

Test the same mouse on another computer with the CheckMyMic mouse test. If the fault follows the mouse — a button that won't register, phantom double-clicks, dead scroll — the switch or encoder is worn and it's replacement time. If the mouse behaves elsewhere, the problem is this machine's port, driver or settings.

How do I connect a mouse to an iPhone?

It's an accessibility feature: Settings → Accessibility → Touch → AssistiveTouch → turn it on, then add the mouse under Devices (Bluetooth) — a circular pointer appears. Pointer speed lives in the same panel. Once connected, the mouse test in Safari registers clicks like on a desktop.

Fixed it? Confirm with a quick test. Run the test →

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