Magic Mouse, Keyboard or Trackpad Won't Connect to Your Mac? Fix It

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read June 9, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

Your Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard or Magic Trackpad won’t connect to your Mac, keeps disconnecting, or the cursor/keys are dead at the login screen.

Why: Apple’s wireless accessories pair over Bluetooth, and the usual culprits are mundane — the device is switched off, the battery is flat, the Bluetooth bond went stale, or another wireless device is interfering. Work the simple checks first before anything drastic.

Fix 1: Turn the device off and back on (and check the switch)

Slide the on/off switch to off — on current models, no green should be visible.
Slide it back on. On older accessories the switch is a power button on the edge or underside.
Make sure the device is awake — click the mouse or press a key.

A simple off/on cycle re-advertises the device to your Mac and clears a stuck connection.

Fix 2: Charge it over a cable — which also re-pairs it

Connecting by cable does two things at once: it tops up a dead battery and forces a fresh pairing.

Connect the accessory to your Mac with the appropriate cable (USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to Lightning, or Lightning to USB, depending on the model).
Wait 1 minute.
Disconnect the cable. The accessory is now paired and charging.

Check the charge level in Control Center (menu bar) > Bluetooth.

Fix 3: Turn Bluetooth on — even with no working mouse

If the mouse and trackpad are both dead, you can still reach Bluetooth using only the keyboard:

Press Command-Space bar to open Spotlight.
Type Bluetooth File Exchange and press Return.
Press Return again — this turns Bluetooth on.

If you have a working pointer, just go to System Settings > Bluetooth and confirm Bluetooth is on. If Bluetooth still won’t turn on, restart your Mac and try again.

Fix 4: Move sources of interference away

If the accessory connects but keeps dropping out, it’s usually wireless interference.

Move USB-3 devices, hubs, and dongles away from the Mac and the accessory (they radiate noise on the same band).
Keep the accessory close to the Mac with a clear line of sight.
Set the accessory on a non-metallic surface.

FAQ

The cursor is frozen at the login screen. Use Fix 3 to confirm Bluetooth is on with just the keyboard, then connect the mouse by cable (Fix 2) to re-pair and charge it.

It pairs but disconnects randomly. That’s interference — work Fix 4, and make sure the battery isn’t low (Fix 2).

Do I need to “forget” it first? Not usually. Cable-pairing (Fix 2) re-establishes the bond. Only remove and re-add it in System Settings > Bluetooth if cable-pairing fails.

Sources: Apple Support — If you can’t connect your Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad to your Mac