Abnormal Mac Mouse Scrolling and Clicking Speeds: 9 Effective Solutions

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: August 9, 2024

Expert verified

Erratic mouse scrolling and clicking speeds on a Mac can cause the cursor to move too quickly or slowly. The cursor feels like it has a life of its own and you can’t really navigate or click the way you want. I’ve been there myself, constantly adjusting settings and finding fixes for a responsive mouse control. In this guide, I’ll share practical steps to fix abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds.

How to Fix Abnormal Mac Mouse Scrolling and Clicking Speeds

Here is a detailed explanation of each step:

1. Clean the Mouse and Mousepad

Dust, dirt, and debris can accumulate on your mouse’s sensor or mousepad’s surface. This causes erratic behavior. Cleaning the mouse and mousepad can often fix abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds. This simple Mac maintenance step can improve the mouse’s responsiveness and restore smooth clicking and scrolling.

Here’s how to clean up your Mac mouse and mousepad:

1. Shut down your Mac.

2. Unplug/disconnect the mouse and remove the batteries (if applicable).
3. Use a soft, dry cloth to clean the surface of the mouse and the mousepad.
4. Reinsert the batteries (if applicable) and plug/connect the mouse back.
5. Turn on your Mac and test the mouse to see if it’s scrolling and clicking regularly now.

2. Turn Your Bluetooth Off and On

If you’re using a wireless mouse, sometimes an unstable Bluetooth connection can cause erratic mouse speeds. By turning Bluetooth off and on again or re-pairing the mouse, you can fix abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds. Here’s how:

1. Click the Control Center icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar.
2. Click Bluetooth in the Control Center.

3. Toggle off Bluetooth and wait a few seconds. Then, toggle it on again.

Your Mac should automatically try to reconnect to your mouse. Check if your mouse is working now.

3. Try a Different USB Port

If you’re using a wired mouse and your Mac’s USB ports are not working properly, you can face abnormal mouse speeds or total unresponsiveness. USB ports may not provide a stable connection or sufficient power due to hardware damage or dirt accumulation. So, try plugging your mouse into different USB ports to rule out the damaged one.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Disconnect your mouse from the current USB port.
2. Plug the mouse into a different USB port on your Mac.
3. Wait for your Mac to recognize the mouse.
4. Test the mouse to see if the scrolling and clicking speeds have returned to normal.

4. Adjust the Tracking and Scrolling Speed of Mac Mouse

If your Mac mouse’s tracking and scrolling speeds are not properly set, they can cause inconsistent mouse behavior. You can easily change these settings to fix any abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds.

Here’s how to adjust the tracking and scrolling speed of your Mac mouse:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings.

2. Click Mouse or Trackpad, depending on which device you are using.

3. Adjust the Tracking Speed slider to change the speed of the cursor on the screen.

4. To adjust the scrolling speed, click Accessibility in System Settings and select Pointer Control.

5. Click the Mouse Options… button under Mouse & Trackpad.

6. Drag the Scroll speed slider to change the speed of scrolling and click OK.

You can test the changes by moving your mouse or scrolling up and down on a page. 

5. Reset the Mouse Settings

Resetting your Mac mouse settings restores the default configurations. This removes any misconfigured settings or software conflicts, which can cause abnormal clicking. When you reconfigure your mouse, it will be without any software glitches.

Here’s how to reset the mouse settings to fix abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings.

2. Click Trackpad/Mouse to open the mouse settings.

3. If applicable, click the Set Up Bluetooth Trackpad/Mouse… button.

4. Click the Reset Defaults button.
5. Close the Mouse settings window and test the mouse to see if the issue has been resolved.

6. Update the Mouse Driver

Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause compatibility issues and erratic mouse behavior. By updating the mouse driver to the latest version, you ensure your Mac recognizes the mouse correctly. It can also resolve any software-related issues and improve the overall responsiveness of your mouse.

Here’s how to update your mouse driver on Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select App Store.

2. Click Updates in the left sidebar.

3. If an update is available for your mouse driver, click Update.
4. Restart your computer and test the mouse to see if the issue has been resolved.

7. Reset your Mac’s Bluetooth Module

A corrupted or misconfigured Bluetooth connection can also cause erratic mouse behavior. By resetting the Bluetooth module, you establish a fresh connection between your system and the mouse. This clears any temporary files, cache, or conflicting settings, fixing the abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking problems.

Here’s how to reset Bluetooth module on Mac:

1. Open Terminal on your Mac by going to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

sudo pkill bluetoothd

3. Type your password and press Enter to execute the command.

4. Exit Terminal and restart your Mac.
5. Once your Mac restarts, reconfigure your Bluetooth settings and then re-pair your mouse. It should work properly now.

8. Check for Software Conflicts

Conflicting software or background processes can interfere with your mouse’s functionality. By closing unnecessary apps, disabling any conflicting mouse-related software, or updating programs causing compatibility issues, you can restore smooth clicking and scrolling.

Here’s how to check for software conflicts on Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select Force Quit.

2. Look for any processes that are unresponsive or using excessive resources.
3. Select the problematic app and click Force Quit.

4. Click Force Quit on the pop-up again.

5. Restart your Mac and test the mouse to see if the issue has been resolved.

9. Remove Malware Using MacKeeper

Malicious software can compromise your system’s performance. They interfere with various functions, including mouse responsiveness. By using MacKeeper’s antivirus, you can scan and remove malware causing these problems.

Here’s how to fix abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds by running a virus scan on your Mac:

1. Download and install MacKeeper.
2. Launch MacKeeper and navigate to the Antivirus tab in the left sidebar.

3. Initiate an instant virus scan by clicking the Start Scan button.

4. If any viruses are detected during the scan, click the Fix Items button to resolve the issues.
5. Enable real-time antivirus protection to protect your Mac from future threats by clicking the Enable button.

Once you have configured your security settings, MacKeeper will continue to operate in the background. It will scan your Mac for threats and actively blocking any malicious activity. Thus, preventing your mouse’s abnormal scrolling due to viruses.

Why Is Your Mac Mouse Scrolling and Clicking Abnormally?

There can be a few reasons for abnormal Mac mouse scrolling and clicking speeds. Here are the most common ones:

1. 🛠️ Driver Issues: There might be an issue with the mouse driver. Updating macOS can sometimes resolve this.
2. 📶 Bluetooth Connectivity: There could be an issue with the Bluetooth connection.
3. 🔋 Battery Issues: If you’re using a wireless mouse, the batteries might be low or dead.
4. 🔌 USB Port Problems: For wired mice, the USB port might be faulty.
5. 🧼 Dirty Sensor: The sensor on the bottom of the mouse might be dirty.
6. 🔄 Outdated Software: Outdated macOS can cause issues with your Mac mouse’s scrolling and clicking speeds.
7. ⚙️ Faulty Mouse Settings: Your mouse settings may be configured incorrectly, causing abnormal scrolling and clicking.
8. 🪲 Other Software Conflicts: Some third-party software or plugins can conflict with your mouse’s settings, causing abnormal scrolling and clicking speeds.

Keep Clicking With Your Mac Mouse

A Mac without a working mouse or mousepad is pretty useless. So, make sure you keep it clean, up to date, and malware-free to prevent abnormal clicking and scrolling speeds. Here are some more tips to keep all your Mac parts in good shape:

• If your MacBook Trackpad is not working, clean it, check its settings and reset if necessary, and update your firmware.
• If your Mac keyboard is not working properly, clean the buttons, restart your system, reset its settings, and check for physical damage.
• If your Apple Mouse is not working or scrolling smoothly, it may be due to low or dead battery. So, recharge it and try again.

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