A Bluetooth mouse that never appears in Windows, appears briefly, or says paired without working is usually not broken. The common causes are pairing mode timing, a stale Windows device entry, weak batteries, or the Bluetooth adapter needing a reset.
These steps apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs with built-in Bluetooth or a USB Bluetooth adapter, and to Bluetooth mice from Logitech, Microsoft, Apple, and other brands.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if your mouse does not show under Add device, fails during pairing, or used to work but no longer connects.
Put the Mouse in Pairing Mode
- Turn the mouse off and back on.
- Find the Bluetooth pairing button, usually on the underside and separate from the power switch.
- Hold the pairing button for three to five seconds until the LED blinks quickly.
- On the PC, open Settings > Bluetooth and devices.
- Make sure Bluetooth is on, then choose Add device > Bluetooth.
- Click the mouse as soon as it appears because pairing mode may time out in under a minute.
Remove and Re-Add an Old Pairing
- Open Settings > Bluetooth and devices > Devices.
- Find the mouse and choose Remove device.
- Restart the mouse and put it back into pairing mode.
- Use Add device > Bluetooth to pair it again.
- Restart the PC if Windows still shows the old connection state.
Reset the PC Bluetooth Adapter
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Bluetooth.
- Right-click the adapter and choose Update driver.
- If no update appears, right-click it again and choose Disable device, wait a few seconds, then Enable device.
- If using a USB Bluetooth dongle, try another USB port. A USB 2.0 port can sometimes avoid USB 3.0 wireless interference.
Other Things to Check
- Replace batteries or fully charge the mouse. A light can turn on even when power is too weak for pairing.
- Move the mouse close to the PC and move routers or wireless dongles away during pairing.
- Unplug other 2.4GHz receivers temporarily.
- If the mouse supports several paired-device channels, make sure it is on the channel you are pairing.
Sources
- Microsoft Support: Fix Bluetooth problems in Windows
- Logitech Support: Bluetooth mouse will not connect or pair
- Microsoft Support: Connect a Bluetooth device
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