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Keyboard or Mouse Not Working

How to fix a keyboard or mouse that is not responding, lagging, or behaving strangely

A keyboard or mouse that stops working or starts behaving strangely is usually a connection issue, a dead battery, or a settings problem. Less often, it is a driver or hardware failure. Test your keyboard at thetest.com/keyboard to check which keys are registering.

The fix depends on whether your device is wireless or wired, so start there.

Run the Keyboard TestRun the Input Test

Wireless (Bluetooth) devices:

  1. Check the battery level — open System Settings > Bluetooth and look at the battery percentage next to your device. If it is low or dead, charge or replace the batteries
  2. If the device is not listed under Bluetooth, put it into pairing mode (check the device's manual — most have a button or switch) and click Connect when it appears. See Bluetooth pairing guide for detailed steps
  3. If the device shows as connected but is not responding, turn Bluetooth off and back on in System Settings > Bluetooth
  4. If that does not help, remove the device from the Bluetooth list by clicking the i icon next to it and selecting Forget This Device, then pair it again
  5. For USB wireless receivers (Logitech Unifying, etc.), try a different USB port. If you are using a hub, plug the receiver directly into the Mac instead

Wired devices:

  1. Unplug the keyboard or mouse and plug it into a different USB port — if it works in a new port, the original port may be faulty
  2. Try a different cable if the device has a detachable cable
  3. If the Mac does not recognize the device at all, check System Information (Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report) under USB to see if the hardware is detected

Keyboard settings:

  1. Open System Settings > Keyboard and adjust Key repeat rate and Delay until repeat — if repeat rate is too slow or delay is too long, typing will feel sluggish
  2. If specific keys are not working, open System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard and make sure Slow Keys is off (it adds a delay before key presses register) and check whether Sticky Keys was accidentally enabled

Mouse settings:

  1. Open System Settings > Mouse and adjust Tracking speed if the cursor moves too slowly or too fast
  2. For a trackpad, open System Settings > Trackpad and check that Tap to Click and other gestures are set how you expect

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my wireless keyboard or mouse keep disconnecting?▾

Intermittent disconnects are almost always a battery or interference issue. Replace or charge the batteries first. If the problem continues, check if other Bluetooth or wireless devices are causing interference — USB 3.0 devices and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi routers near the receiver can disrupt wireless signals. Moving the receiver closer to the device with a USB extension cable can help.

What is Sticky Keys and how did it get turned on?▾

Sticky Keys is an accessibility feature that lets you press modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt) one at a time instead of holding them together. On Windows, pressing Shift five times in a row triggers a prompt to enable it, which is easy to do accidentally during gaming or fast typing. On Mac, pressing Shift five times does the same. Turn it off in your accessibility settings if you enabled it by mistake.

My keyboard types the wrong characters — what is going on?▾

Your keyboard language or layout is probably set to something other than what you expect. On Windows, press Win + Space to switch input languages. On Mac, check System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. On Linux, check Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. If you only have one layout configured and characters are still wrong, the issue might be a hardware problem with the keyboard itself.

Should I use a USB hub for my keyboard and mouse?▾

USB hubs work fine for most keyboards and mice, but they can cause issues. Unpowered hubs may not supply enough power for multiple devices, and wireless receivers can get interference from other USB devices in the hub. If you are having problems, try plugging your keyboard and mouse (or their receivers) directly into your computer's USB ports instead.