Got a new Magic Mouse, but you’re unsure how to connect it to your Mac? This can be frustrating when you’re ready to use your new mouse, but you can’t because you don’t know how to get it going.
Connecting it will depend on whether you have a Magic Mouse or a Magic Mouse 2. For a Magic Mouse, you only need to put it in pairing mode and then select it in your Bluetooth devices. For the Magic Mouse 2, plug in the lightning cable or turn it on near your Mac, and it will connect automatically.
My name is Eric, and I have worked with computers and peripheral devices since the late 1970s. Devices are so much easier to connect today, but they often don’t come with instructions, or how to connect them is not obvious.
If you’re having this issue, don’t worry; I can show you how to get up and running. Keep reading below, and I will show you how to connect both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Mouse 2 to your Mac.
Contents
Do You Have a Magic Mouse or a Magic Mouse 2?
Before connecting your Magic Mouse to your Mac, you must figure out if you have an original or newer version, the Magic Mouse 2. The two are vastly different, so it is quite easy to figure out which one you have.
The original Magic Mouse uses 2 AA batteries. The Magic Mouse 2 has a built-in rechargeable battery and a lightning port on the bottom side for charging it. That’s all there is to it; you can tell which one you have from those two features.
Connecting the Magic Mouse
If you have an original Magic Mouse, which is the one with the AA batteries, you will need to pair it and connect it via Bluetooth. You will first want to ensure that you have good batteries in the mouse and that they are installed properly since this version of the Magic Mouse is known to have issues holding the batteries in place.
Once you install the batteries, you can connect the mouse to your Mac using the following steps.
Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth.
First, you must ensure that your Mac’s Bluetooth is turned on. To do this, click on the Apple icon in the upper right corner of the screen and select System Preferences.
In the System Preferences window, Click on Bluetooth in the left side pane. Look at the Bluetooth setting on the right side of the window. If it is off, click on the switch to turn it on.
Step 2: Turn on the Mouse.
Use the switch on the underside of the Magic Mouse to turn it on. Once it is on, the LED should begin blinking, meaning it is discoverable and ready to be connected. If it never turns on, your batteries are bad or not installed correctly.
If the LED turns on briefly but does not blink, the mouse is already connected to another nearby device, such as another computer or iPad. In that case, you must first disconnect the mouse from the other device.
To disconnect from another device, go to its Bluetooth settings, find the mouse, and click the disconnect button. Once disconnected, turn the mouse off, then back on again, and look for the blinking LED.
Step 3: Pair and Connect the Mouse
To pair and connect the mouse, you will need to go back to System Settings and Bluetooth as you did in step 1. Once you are there, you should see your mouse listed in the nearby devices, as shown below.
My mouse was unavailable for this test, but you can see my other available devices listed there. The mouse will show up similarly to the headphones shown above. Select your device and click on the connect button.
Your Mac will then pair and connect the mouse. It may ask you for a PIN. If so, use 0000 for the PIN.
Connecting the Magic Mouse 2
Connecting a Magic Mouse 2 to your Mac requires that you have a USB-C to Lightning cable or a Lightning to USB cable, depending on the ports you have available on your Mac. The cable is usually supplied with your Mouse if you purchase it new.
The process only requires connecting the mouse to your Mac with the cable; your Mac will do the rest. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Turn Bluetooth on
Make sure your Bluetooth is turned on. You can use step 1 in the previous section to check and turn it on if needed.
Step 2: Turn the Magic Mouse 2 on
Use the switch on the bottom side of the mouse. If the battery is charged, you should see green under the switch, indicating it is on. If it does not have a charge, it will power up when you connect it in the next step.
Step 3: Connect the Magic Mouse 2 with the Lightning cable
Connect the Lightning connector end of the cable to the Lightning port on the bottom of the Magic Mouse 2. Connect the USB end to your Mac. Once connected by cable, your Mac will automatically pair and connect to the mouse. It will also charge the battery.
You should see a message indicating that the mouse has been connected. You may go to your Bluetooth devices, select the Mouse and check its charge level if needed.
Step 4: Disconnect the Lightning cable
Once you have seen the message that the mouse is connected and you feel it is charged enough, you can disconnect the cable and begin using it wirelessly.
FAQs
Below are a few questions that often come up when discussing how to connect a Magic Mouse to your Mac.
Can I use the Magic Mouse 2 while it is charging?
No, you cannot. Unfortunately, the Magic Mouse 2’s charging port is located on its bottom side, making it impossible to use while charging.
Can I connect a Magic Mouse to a Windows PC Machine?
Yes, a Magic Mouse can be connected and used with a Windows PC Machine. Take a look here if you would like to find out more.
How long does it take to charge the Magic Mouse 2?
It generally takes about 2 hours to fully charge the Magic Mouse 2, but you don’t need to have a full charge to use it. You can find out more information here about the Magic Mouse 2’s charging time.
Conclusion
Whether you have a Magic Mouse or a Magic Mouse 2, connecting it to your Mac is fairly simple, as I have shown above. For the original Magic Mouse, you can turn it on and look for it on your Bluetooth devices. For the Magic Mouse 2, just connect it with a Lightning cable, then disconnect it, and you are good to go.
I hope the information above has helped you to connect your Magic Mouse to your Mac. As usual, let me know if you have any questions or comments. I would love to hear from you.
