Mouse not working on macOS
A mouse that won't click, scroll, or move on macOS is usually a connection, battery, or button-switch issue. Run through these, then test every button live.
Step-by-step fix
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Replug the USB receiver (try another port) or re-pair Bluetooth; replace the battery on a wireless mouse.
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Run the CheckMyMic mouse test — check left, right, middle, scroll and a double-click.
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Clean the optical sensor and try a different surface or mousepad.
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Adjust pointer speed and double-click settings in macOS mouse settings.
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Update the mouse/USB driver and restart macOS.
Frequently asked questions
My double-click registers as one click on macOS.
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 macOS's mouse settings can buy the switch some time.
The scroll wheel doesn't work on macOS.
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 macOS and the app where scrolling misbehaves.
The mouse still misbehaves on macOS 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.
Scrolling feels backwards with a mouse on my Mac.
macOS ships with "natural" scrolling, designed for trackpads. Turn it off under System Settings → Mouse → Natural scrolling. Note that on older macOS versions this setting is shared with the trackpad, so fixing the mouse flips the trackpad — third-party utilities can split them if you need both.