PC mouse hangs
Photo by Raul Varzar on Unsplash

One error on Windows is particularly annoying: when the mouse jumps or hangs. Then the user interface can no longer be operated properly. Before throwing your mouse straight away, try our troubleshooting methods first. It might just be a software issue or your mouse might just be a little dirty.

Check physical components

Various errors with limited mouse functionality are actually not software errors. Often there is a problem with the hardware. You should therefore check the following things:

Is the computer dusty?

If too much dust has collected inside your PC, sensitive contacts can be blocked by small dust grains. So you should clean your computer regularly. To check for contamination, open your computer and then gently remove dust from inside.

Is the mouse sensor dirty?

Look at the sensor on the bottom of your mouse. Is it dirty or dusty? If so, you should clean it with a soft cloth. It can also help to blow lightly on the sensor. With a ball mouse, the situation becomes a bit more difficult. You must first remove the ball – then you can examine the sensor.

Is the USB connection working?

No matter what type of mouse you use: Check the USB connection. This means that you examine both the USB slot on your computer and the USB port on the mouse or transmitter. If the mouse connector looks OK, try plugging it into a different USB slot. The previously used USB slot may be defective so that the mouse signal cannot be sent correctly.

With wireless mice, you should also make sure that the reception between the USB transmitter and the mouse is not disrupted. When the signal can not be exchanged properly between the wireless mouse and the computer, the mouse can jump.
If you have a wired mouse, you must also check the mouse cable here. Cable breaks are easy to spot since in most cases the outer rubber coating is also damaged.

Is the battery in the wireless mouse empty?

If the battery or rechargeable battery charge in a wireless mouse is slowly coming to an end, the mouse is no longer being optimally supplied with power. Try putting a new battery in your mouse. Read here how to dispose of your old battery. You should also check that the battery has not accidentally leaked or otherwise soiled the contacts inside the mouse.

Suitable subsoil?

suitable mouse pad can also help with mouse problems. Older mice in particular still have problems with multicolored pads. The mouse should therefore only be used on smooth, single-colored surfaces – these requirements are optimally met by a mouse pad.

Which USB port?

In the meantime, in addition to the common USB 2.0 ports, the USB 3.0 ports are also becoming more and more widespread. These are usually marked in blue. Occasionally hardware problems can occur if the mouse is plugged into a USB port that it is not compatible with. If you have both types of USB ports on your computer, insert the mouse into a slot of the other type.

problems with the software

Tip: Software problems sometimes repair themselves, for example after a restart. So before you go through the other software solutions, you should restart your computer. Sometimes that helps against mouse problems.

Is the mouse recognized?

If your mouse doesn’t move at all, your computer may not be recognizing it. Then you can try plugging the mouse into a different USB port. If that doesn’t work either, your mouse may be broken or have missing/outdated drivers.

Are the mouse drivers up to date?

Faulty mouse movement can also be favored by outdated drivers. Windows normally download the appropriate drivers automatically and keep them up to date. It is best to check which driver version is current on the manufacturer’s website for your mouse. You can also download the latest drivers directly from most manufacturers’ websites.

Are there programs that access your mouse?

Some mice come with specific programs that allow you to activate special mouse functions. Sometimes bugs in these programs, such as the Logitech Gaming Software, limit mouse functionality.

In addition, downloaded malicious software, such as a Trojan horse, can gain access to your mouse and control it externally. So if your mouse moves on its own without your doing, be careful. You should definitely use an antivirus program to rule this out.

Exceptional case: Mouse only works when the task manager is open Does

your mouse only work when you have the task manager open in the foreground (i.e. not minimized)? There may be a problem with Realtek programs. If you actually have Realtek programs installed, the solution is simple: look for the ” FMAPP Application ” task in the task manager and end the task. Your mouse should now work properly again.

This file is a background process of a Realtek program. You can close this process without any problems. To prevent it from starting again, you need to do the following:
Open the path, in which you installed the Realtek program, for example:

C:\Programs\Realtek\Audio\HDA\

Look there for the file ” FMAPP.exe ” and change the file extension to . For example, you can name the file ” FMAPP.exe.txt “. Since it is no longer an executable file, it will not be started automatically either.

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Robeg
I am Robeg founder of this blog. My qualification. completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). With a strong background in computer applications love write articles on Microsoft Windows (11, 10, etc.) Cybersecurity, WordPress and more.