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How to Tell if Your Computer Mouse Is Dying?

Let’s be honest, sometimes you just get that feeling. You are scrolling through YouTube comments, clicking through replies to find an informative response among all the angry ones, and it happens.

The mouse freezes, and you end up liking a hate comment, something you are totally against morally.

While freezing is not necessarily a telltale sign of your computer mouse dying, it is indeed a possibility. In this article, we are going to look at signs that will help you tell if your computer mouse is dying.

Sign One: Stops Working Suddenly

The most common one is that it randomly stops working. Or worse, it switches on and off. Imagine that happening with a gaming mouse while you are in the middle of a shootout. The on and off thing is more common when you move the cable, as it can degrade quite a lot over time. 

Sign Two: Random Movement

Another common sign to tell if your computer mouse is dying is when it randomly slings the cursor in a corner. This could also happen if your mousepad is dirty so you can try cleaning it up and then using the mouse again. If the problem persists, chances are that the laser is faulty. 

This will be extremely frustrating if you need your mouse to do detail work, such as one used for 3D modeling. Or a gaming mouse doing so will be equally irritating. 

Sign Three: One of the Buttons Going Bad

Most computer mice come with two buttons. There is the scroll one, and the scroll clicking one. At some point, one of these can go bad.

The most annoying part of such an occurrence is that it never really stops completely working. It will most likely start working again when you don’t need it, and ruin whatever you have been working on for the past five hours. 

Some Things That Should Not Worry You

The following are some things that should not make you worried about the health or status of your computer:

When the Cursor Movement Isn’t Smooth

If the cursor movement is not smooth while drawing with the mouse or any other task, it is likely that there is dust or dirt in the sensor area. Rather than writing it off as a lost cause, try cleaning it. You can use a microfiber cloth with soapy water to clean up this area.

Another reason for unsmooth movements of the cursor can happen due to the surface you are placing it on. Computer mice don’t work best over glossy surfaces such as varnished wood and glass. Using a mousepad can take care of this issue easily. 

Cursor Freeze

If the mouse cursor freezes at some point and stops working, it doesn’t mean that the mouse is at fault. An overworked computer can result in the same result. Shut off applications running in the background, see if it still happens. 

Alternatively, reboot your computer and check whether it restores your computer mouse. Sometimes restarting the computer helps to settle things down. 

And if the mouse still doesn’t work properly after following these steps, you can try doing something more advanced, as followed:

Check the Software 

You can reinstall the mouse driver. Sometimes it can crash and cause issues. Or the last update might have been faulty. Changing the mouse sensitivity in different OS seems to solve some glitches in few instances.

Check the Hardware

Take a good look at all the connected cables and ports. Try connecting other devices to the ports to see if those work properly or not. Sometimes things like a faulty USB, bad wiring, etc. can be at play. 

If you are using a wireless mouse, there is a high chance that only the battery has died, not the whole thing. Wireless mice from reputable brands will most likely not just die on you, so double-check the batteries if the problem still occurs. 

What to Do When Your Computer Mouse Is Dying? 

If you are really sure that it is indeed dying, then there is no point in trying to revive it, as you can’t. In that case, it’s better to get a new one. Computer mice generally give out after a couple of years anyway, given how much they are on use on a regular basis.

And if you want to enhance the longevity of your computer mouse, the best way to go is to get one from a reputable brand. No-name brands are more likely to wear off faster in general. 

Computer mice are not a super expensive investment, thankfully, especially when compared to the other parts of the device. Get a optical or laser mouse, or a mechanical one, or a wireless one, whichever you prefer from a reputable brand, and you should be good to go for a couple of years, at least.

Also, knowing how to clean a mouse wheel without taking it apart helps.

Tip 1: For laptops such as a Chromebook, you can use the Bluetooth or the USB port to attach a mouse to it. Working for hours without one can get tiring. While a Chromebook mouse is not exactly a thing, it’s entirely easy to turn a wired or wireless mouse into one. 

Tip 2: If you have a wireless mouse and it has been giving your troubles, try switching up the battery positions. Sometimes this trick might work in keeping the batteries working a little longer.

Tip 3: If you are unsure as to whether it’s the mouse that is faulty or your device, try using it on a different PC. Most of the time, though, it is indeed the mouse at fault.

Keep Using Your Computer Mouse with Ease!

Even if it might seem like your computer mouse is not likely to die that quickly since it’s from a good brand, it’s always a good idea to buy a little bit expensive one when it comes to computer mice. That way, you can rest assured for at least a couple of years down the line.

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