I love the scroll wheel on top of the Apple mighty mouse, but after a while the sweat and oil on your finger combined with grit and dust clogs the whole thing up. This manifests itself in the scroll wheel not scrolling down, or up, or in worst cases, not scrolling all. Here’s how to fix the problem.
I rang Apple and said my scroll wheel was not working and they gave me this simple but effective solution over the phone. It was not broken but just dirty. It’s funny that I could not find it anywhere on Google or on the Apple webpage, it has worked for me numerous times.
Simply take a sheet of clean white paper, put it on top of the mouse, and press down on the scroll wheel with your finger, but with the paper between your finger and the scroll wheel. Press quite hard with it and at the same time scroll around – moving it up and down and round and round. Move to a different area of the paper and give it another go.
The paper seems to absorb all the oil and gunk off the scroll wheel, and the scroll wheel in turn when it is clean must absorb the gunk off the sensors or whatever is underneath it.
I have found that a better method, especially with a dirty mouse, is to turn the mouse upside down and run the scroll-wheel in circles on a clean piece of paper until all the dirt comes off.
Make sure you use a brand new clean piece of paper.
Do not use alcohol. The rubber scroll wheel is sensitive and the alcohol is not needed.
No not use water. You don’t want water getting into the inside of your mouse!
This clean paper trick works amazingly well.
WOW.
Prompted by your entry I dug out my old mighty mouse, dusted it off, gave it a “paper clean” and now it works again!!! I have happily disconnected my clunky-looking but functional Microsoft mouse and reconnected my sleek-looking (and now) functional mighty mouse. All is right in the world again.
Excellent!!
You are a genius
Thank you! Now I have solved the problem once and for all.
Thanks Heaps. i bought a new mouse as I could not get the other scrolling, Have just taken my old one and did above, and “voila .’ it works perfectly.
Thank you so much for this tip! I was ready to take my mouse apart because the scroll was completely unresponsive. I tried rubbing wet tissue paper, microfiber clothes, to no avail.
This paper thing really works! I just turned my mouse upside down and rubbed hard out on blank pages on my diary. Then bit by bit all the scrolling came to life!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Amazing! Your a massive dude! Thanks
Thank you!!! I have been putting up with only an upward scroll for a couple of years. I tried with the paper on top first and it didn’t work, but after reading Yan’s post, I turned it upside down and rubbed very hard for a long time and little bits of dirt kept coming out. Now I have a downward scroll too!!
yup it works. Hallelujah.
Tried it… :( sadly my mouse wheel wouldn’t go up before trying this trick, but now it won’t go down either. Time for a new one I guess!! lol I’d still try this if I was someone looking for a quick fix. 1 fail out of 10 is good odds!
It didn’t work for me. I accidently popped off the rim, and I am cleaning out the whole thing before I seal it again. I only did this so I wouldn’t have to risk breaking it unscrewing the little screws that hold it.
I turned it upside down and rubbed very hard for a long time and little bits of dirt kept coming out. Now I have a downward scroll too!!
thanks
UNBELIEVABLE!! This works brilliantly…. having spent days looking up settings trying to fix an unresponsive mouse wheel this finally solved my dilemma!
Found it works best if you turn the mouse upside down and rub frimly and rapidly on the clean pages of a notebook for a minute or two a single sheet of paper on top didn’t work for me!!
Much thanks for this help- absolute Gold
Worked. Thank you!
Beautiful! Didn’t think it would work for ours but it totally did. Do flip it upside down – that’s when I saw results. Do it on a hard surface with a single sheet (i.e. not a notebook)
Mate, you are a magician:-) hahahaha
I was calling my mouse funny names all morning and now it is fixed in 2 secs by just using a tissue.
… Great!!! Also works with a “wired” Apple Mouse!
I’m so impressed! I’ve almost wasted an entire lunch hour trying to fix my scroll function, then did this and it fixed it immediately! Hurrah!
Mate, you are a magician:-) hahahaha
Brilliant dude, I have tried a lot of tricks but was not able to do it.
I was going to buy a new mouse by today but thought to give a try once again & this fixes it up.
Thanks a lot for saving thousands of Rs. for me..
This is simply great thank you so much, i was having problem in scrolling down and its now fixed with you help.
what a magic!!! my mouse works perfectly now,…thanks for the info..
Right-on!!!
thanks! what a relief …
thanks! ive been trying to figure this out for a long time!
I…think I love you…!!!
My up scroll quit (wired mouse), so on other advice wiped the ball with a damp cloth. That did not fix it so tried the upside down firm roll on paper and out came a piece of dirt, so that combination worked for me, thanks.
OH MY GOD IT WORKED! my mouse hasn’t worked for years and this worked like magic!!
Fabulous!!!! Haven’t been able to scroll down….works great even though no dirt came out…what an easy tip!!
Amazingly simple and amazingly effective
LIFE SAVER! If it doesn’t seem to work at first, put the paper on your hand and turn the mouse over on top of it and press hard and roll it around. This finally got it to work for me. The finger just wasn’t doing the job I guess. Awesome tip!
Thanks. It worked.
well I am very happy that it works again .. but at the same time time a bit disappointed by the too sensible apple engineering .. I have worked for many years with various PC mouses without problem .. and after only 2 months of usage with this mouse I get this kind of problem …. Apple product are so sacred that one need to wash his hand before usage or wear white glove :-)
FANTASTIC! Should have seen the gunge that came out. I finished the job with a little bit of spray and wipe on a tissue and it removed an incredible amount of more gunge and cleaned around the outside of the button. Its been AGES since Ive used the little nipple!
Great!
it work.. My scroll back to work again.
but i make some different.
– i put the paper on mouse pad (soft mouse pad)
– put the mouse up side down.
– roll/move the ball over the paper (i change the paper around 3 time)
– fist time i spray some alcohol to the ball and roll it
– second move the ball over the page (if it had some dirty out put a little alcohol on it)
– third move over the dry paper.
all done! my mice back to work fine again.
I used your method and may have come up with an even better way to do this. I used a Clorox Disinfectant Wipe instead of the plain paper. (You can buy a tube of these in any grocery store.) I did everything else you suggested, and BINGO! It now works like it did when it was right out of the box. Many thanks.
Thank you so much! I thought my mouse was broken and this has saved me buying another one. It now works perfectly.
Ha! Just worked for me too. Simple solutions are always the best
WOW! How wonderful to find such a simple solution and to actually have it work! If EVERYTHING were this easy. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!
Thanks!
Worked like a charm, and 20 seconds later I was back in business. THANK YOU!
Wow, thank you! It’s a quick, easy, short and simple solution – works for me!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!
Perfect solution! Thank you
After several hours trying to find a solution, I found your answer. And it works! Thank you!
That didn’t work for me but spraying the scroll ball with screen cleaner did!
Holy shizzle did not think that would work but it did. You rock.
Yes it’s amazing how well this works!
And if it doesn’t work – just keep going with another sheet of clean paper till it does! I had a very dirty mouse that took 3 sheets of clean paper once. I think all the grease rubs off onto the paper.
Simple, but very effective; works excellent again after a couple of weeks without being able to scroll up. Thanks
Fantastic! Really, it is the simple ideas that often work best…
It took several tries and I had to use screen cleaner as well. Worked!
I should have tried this earlier.
My mouse wouldn’t scroll up.
I initially tried prying apart the bottom section to try to get to the insides. Now I have a little piece of plastic rattling in the inside of the mouse :(
But I tried your suggestion on a paper towel, and it works fine (except for the little piece of plastic i broke off and is now rattling around) :)
Thank you! I tried the alcohol/cloth route with no success. This method cleared a speck of gunk the consistency of pencil eraser. It worked!!!
I did a google search for this problem, found this page, read the solution and thought, “No, it couldn’t be this easy…” It worked. Unbelievable…
It is amazing how well it works! It leaves a trail of ‘gunk’ all over the paper.
This just worked. Doesn’t matter what color the paper is. :) You just made my day. Thanks.
Worked great first time on my wired mouse. Thank you!
Your a legend!~ so easy thanks
Fabulous! Thanks for the tip. I have tried everything. This worked like a charm!
Thank. You.
worked a treat!
thanks for sharing
off to rub sheets of paper on other misbehaving items ;-)
bought a wired mouse. it would not scroll horizontal left & right. vertical up and down ok. tried suggested remedy, still did not work.
Took it back to apple @ watford, got a replacement.
Same problem with second wired mouse. tried remedy, no good.
What do i do now?
takes all day to go to watford apple and back.
Try it at the Apple shop before you taker it home. It might be your computer – take it into the shop with the mouse? Have a look in preferences, under “Mouse” and also check under “Accessibility Options”, it might be that you have scrolling turned off!
Thank you so much! This didn’t work with my finger or my hand, so I turned the mouse upside down on the paper on my desk and scrubbed away. Finally cleared up!
Thanks!! Work great!
this worked
Thank you, great tip!!!!! :-> Someone in an Apple store did not help me but you did!
Great tip… thanks…. worked incredible!!!
Thanks mate – it worked!
I’m adding to the “I’m amazed” messages, it actually worked!!!
Thanks so much, I tried the paper face down method which worked great as I rubbed the mouse vigorously on my jeans-great tip!
Brilliant!!! Was such a pain and I thought it was my browser/software/mouse – just gunk!
Like the others, I didn’t believe it could be so simple and easy to fix – Thanks so much
It worked perfectly. Took 2 sheets of paper and a lot of work, but my mouse is fixed!
I’m a believer! Easiest thing I’ve done all week.
awesome! it worked!!!!! so happy!!!!
Amazing thank you!!
absolute magic many thanks !!!!!!!
your magnificent tip solved my problem really well
Thank you!!!
Seriously. That’s amazing.
WOW …this worked a treat… thanks…
Ben
OMG–it worked! Thanks for posting this!
worked for me also thx
Wow. That’s it? After trying brillo pads, toothbrushes, alcohol and every cleaner known to man, the actual answer is a sheet of paper. Sometimes I can really respect this internet thing.
I love this!!! Was all set to go buy a new one…. checked online and got the magic answer!!!
Fun….! Thank you!!!
this does work!!!
this does work
Holy Me it actually works. Praise me.
Thank you friend.. nw i can sell my mouse and keyboard without fear.. the buyer coming tomorrow and i fixed the scroll tonight thanks to you.. many thanks
WOW!!!!! I tried everything else and in less than a minute THIS SIMPLE TIP WORKED and I can scroll again… THANKS
what kind of wizardry is it ? :o
Magic can be sooooo simple. Works like a charm! Thanks!
F**ken awesome!!!! I think this was the fastest internet search success story of all time! Usually I have to dig around the internet to find solutions that work.
I’m pretty sure a piece of paper is going to make no difference whatsoever *tries it out* …. um …. my mouse wheel is working again. *bows to your awesomeness*
Wow!! I did it upside down and gunk came out and now it WORKS!!
Thanks
Super-easy, thanks, and just in time to prevent me from buying a new one.
It worked perfectly, exactly for me as described. I had struggled with an annoying stuck scroll wheel for ages. I used the upside down version of the fix above first. After a couple of tries, success! It sounded really unlikely but it really works! (tries scrolling) yes it still works! Thanks!
Awesome Awesome Awesome, the ” turn the mouse upside down and run the scroll-wheel over a piece of paper” worked for me….in just few seconds!!!! Thank you
My mouse wheel was not working down, so I searched on net and followed the wheel cleaning procedure, I took a clean paper and scrolled the tiny wheel of my mouse upside down will quite a force in horizon and vertical ways, I could see oily strain on paper it worked fine…
Yea verily! It workith.
Blees Thee.
This really works…A++
Utterly f….ing brilliant. Also restores zoom with ctrl key.
Many Thanks
Thank you so much!! Legend!
This really works, Thanks!!!
Thanks for that, worked a treat
I had already bought another mouse and was going to throw the old one when I found this tip. I was skeptical but this really worked. I did not even see any gunk on the paper but the mouse is operating smoothly.
Thanks a million! I had been able to scroll down but frequently not up with my scroll wheel for months — it was getting really annoying. This seems to have done the trick.
I’ve too used with success the “upside-down” mouse variation.
It worked even on a “less-than-glamorous” Microsoft Mouse with a scrolling wheel acting up I use on my Macbook while travelling.
However, I put the soft Mouse Pad between the sheet of paper and the hard desk, and I kept spinning my mice until the gunk was over. Mostly some small “dust bunnies” and crumbs
Wow! This worked! I was all ready to buy a new mouse. Like HS, I didn’t see any dirt on the paper, but somehow it fixed it!
Thanks for the tip.
The best method I have found is;
A use a pledge (furniture polish) cleaning towel (they come in air tight sealed packs like wet wipes)
B; This works too, use a lint free cloth and spray some pledge or other furniture polish on to the cloth and roll over scroll wheel
Job done!
I’m glad it worked for you but I’d be hesitant to put any kind of solvent on the scroll wheel in case the rubber perishes. The paper sheet works fine.
Thank you! My mouse stopped scrolling and it’s been annoying me so much while I’ve been waiting for tech support to come fix it. This worked like a charm!
it worked in just seconds.Really smart and easy way to fix such annoyed problem.
Awesome fix!!!!
It is working the way you telling, thanks a lot….
Thanks heaps. It worked!!
Wow! This sounded like some sort of scam or urban legend, but… It works!! It does! Took me all of 45 seconds of swirling the inverted mouse all over a sheet of new paper and… scrolling like crazy! So many thanks! I imagine a perfect cleanup may require some more time, but… wow!
it worked my friend, thank you.
Thanks a lot – this worked!
Works well!
Lay down paper, put mouse up side down and move around, 10 seconds and done!
No need to open up the mouse for this fix.
Thanks! Just thanks!
just worked for me too – took about 20 seconds, I WAS TEARING MY HAIR OUT.
it worked like a charm, this is one of the greatest tips ive ever read…
Yes, the fix also worked fine for me. Just 5 seconds moving around with the paper and the problem was fixed. There was almost no residue visible on the paper but when you look very closely you could see some fluff or lint. Amazing how easy this works. Thanks a lot!!!!
Wow! I too was sceptical but this really worked! Thank you very much!
Wow… I really didn’t think it would work but it did! I had to use the upside down mouse on paper trick and had to give it some pressure but the dirt came out. Thank you so much!
This is definitely a good tip. I did this to a magic mouse at my University’s Library and it finally scrolls! It was starting to irritate me. It had a lot of gunk so it took me a bit longer so YMMV.
IT WORKS! amazing.
humans sharing tiny helpful stuff like this makes me think perhaps we’re not doomed after all…
You are WONDERFUL. I feel like a full human being again, having beaten the machine and fixed a problem! Yay. Thank you for your help.
Wow -Thanks!
TOUCHDOWN!!!
You saved the day – drama over. Thanks!
So happy with this! Best tip thank you!
OMG life changing!
Holy MACkerel….. it worked! Here I was ready to shell out a bunch of bucks for a new mouse because the scroll wheel is so handy. A couple of swipes on the clean piece of paper and good as new. Thanks!!
So Easy! Yes, this absolutely worked for me, to think that I have been dealing with a one-way down scroll button for months! Thanks for posting this tip!!
The upside down trick worked. Its like new again.
Thanks It worked for me…..
Mouse scroll works again. Thank you
Really worked !!! after lots of unsuccessful attempts like changing preferences it worked.
I’ll be a son of a gun. It worked!
It worked! :-)
Holy cats!!! BRILLIANT!!!
Wow, this actually really did work! Thank you!
Wow! It really worked! Cool
OK, this worked like a champ. I can’t understand why there aren’t more solutions like this. It’s genius. Thanks for posting. Sure made my life better
Thank you so much!!!!!
You are a life saver! I did not have the money to go purchase new and I’ve been so frustrated! Thank you thank you!! You have made my day!
bless you
Thank you!!!!!! I thought I was going to have to buy a new mouse but, this worked perfectly!!!
Been using this for some years – a temporary fix. The mouse stops working again after a few days – might be time for a new one – dob 2008 :)
It worked, thank you so much! That was driving me crazy!
My stress levels have returned to normal, can’t believe such a simple solution.
THANK YOU !!!!
Shame on Apple. After a while of doing this it doesn’t work. This product is a TRUE lemon. Shame on Apple for not providing cleaning access, they want you to fork $50 twice a year to use a mouse. No brand of mouse has this tricky scroller that built up dirt and cannot be cleaned. Shame on Apple, somebody should do a class action suite for this.
I’ve had my Apple mouse with a scroll wheel for years and it’s still going strong.
Thank you! it worked! I was about to return the mouse that was brand new (couple weeks old!)
I have had this trouble in the past and wiped it with screen cleaner. Tried your clean paper trick but it didn’t work. cleaned again with screen cleaner, also the mat. still don’t work. Any more suggestions?
Brilliant. Thanks, within 30 sec of reading the page my mouse was working again.
Tried again today. Based on the toothbrush method I used an artists paint brush about 1/4″ diameter with longer bristles and spectacle glass cleaner. I had to persevere and I could actually see the minute particles of dirt on the ball and ran on clean new paper. Moral, wash your hands before using the keyboard.
I guess I shall have do this about every 3 months as dust in the air is always going to get in.
Perfect solution mine mighty mouse just worked I am so pleased
thank y
MAGIC! Great suggestion … thanks for sharing!
Brilliant. Thanks so much for posting this solution. I had tried previously to fix and had given up. Put up with it for months with first not scrolling up and then not scrolling at all. Tried the paper trick and works perfectly now. Thanks
It works! Great tip, thanks.
Thanks for this. Even better is a piece of kitchen towel dampened with a little nail varnish remover, which, incidental, is a wonderful cleaner of keyboards, too.
Thanks for this. Even better is a piece of kitchen towel dampened with a little nail varnish remover, which, incidentally, is a wonderful cleaner of keyboards, too. ( without the typo)
Henry, I would be hesitant to put nail varnish remover on because the wheel is made of rubber and I’m not sure what it will do long-term. I think nail varnish remover is acetone and I do know that acetone eats away at some rubber gloves.
How long have you been using the nail varnish trick?
I like using a little alcohol swab for cleaning my keyboard. You can buy a packet of 100 of them at the chemist or pharmacy fairly cheaply.
Perfect. Thanks for sharing that little tip :)
Its simply awesome..its worked for me too:)
First reaction . . . Holy #*!–¶¢º¡ÓØ it worked! Thanks!
Ah yes, the simplicity and beauty of the mac flows from the intelligent gathering and collaboration of ideas. This is a beautiful fix!
Amazing. Worked like a charm
It works! Great tip, thanks.
Super tip. Worked like a dream. (Specifically when the mouse was turned upside down and run over paper). Thanks very much.
it works!!!
I have to admit I was skeptical when I read this… Then I grabbed a notepad and rubbed the mouse wheel on it and BAM! Crisis averted. Nice call! Thanks for sharing.
Amazing! Worked so easily! And all the other places said you had to take it apart–which I KNEW I didn’t want to do!
Great tip!
Rolled mouse upside down on paper. Problem solved. Thank you.
It worked really amazingly when I rolled mouse upside down and I saw dirts came off and started working. thanks
Thanks. It really works :D
WOW. That was amazing!
Brilliant. I’d given up after checking all software related issues. This has fixed the verticle scroll, not horizontal, but still very useful.
Thanks!
It worked!!! Thanks for the tip! Should I clean the mouse generally every day-time?
I just do it once a month or so when it slows down. I wouldn’t do it too much – might wear out the trackball!
Wow! amazing what a sheet of clean paper can do! THANK YOU SO MUCH.
This just worked for me, even though my mouse is only a few weeks old! Thanks! Was going crazy searching for a technical reason online.
It worked. Saved the day. Thank you
brilliant!!!! worked just as described—thanks-this should be on the apple website
Um, WOW. This is so ridiculous. I’m laughing at how simple the solution was … I cannot believe how well this worked! I was literally just searching for a new mouse on Amazon and decided to give a quick search … you just saved me time and $$$!
it worked! such an easy fix! thanks!
I am amazed at how many people find that this tip works, because it certainly hasn’t worked for me so all I can do is buy a new one :(
Actually I will now have to eat my words – after another good rolling, it does indeed work.
Great!