How to fix Magic Mouse scrolling on Windows
Connect a Magic Mouse to Windows and the scrolling is usually the first thing that breaks — either nothing happens, or it jumps a line at a time. Here's why, and three ways to get smooth scrolling back.
Why Magic Mouse scrolling doesn't work on Windows
The Magic Mouse scrolls with a touch-sensitive top surface rather than a wheel. Windows has no driver for that surface, so by default it has nothing to read — you get no scrolling, or the coarse line-by-line scrolling Windows falls back to. The fix is to add a driver that understands the surface.
Method 1: Apple Boot Camp drivers (free)
Apple's own Windows drivers add basic scrolling at no cost, but they take some legwork:
- Download Apple's Boot Camp Support Software with a free tool like Brigadier — Apple doesn't offer it as a direct download.
- In the downloaded BootCamp folder, find the Apple wireless-mouse driver (or its .inf file under Drivers/Apple).
- Run the installer, or right-click the .inf and choose Install.
- Restart. Vertical scrolling should now work.
The trade-off: it's manual, the drivers are old, and you still won't get inertial (momentum) scrolling or horizontal swipe.
Method 2: a third-party scrolling utility
Dedicated utilities add smooth scrolling and gestures without the Boot Camp dance, typically as a paid, per-device licence. They're the established route if you want more than the basics.
Method 3: Tenon (coming soon)
Tenon is a single, code-signed driver that gives the Magic Mouse pixel-smooth, inertial scrolling on Windows 10 and 11 — the momentum and precision you get on a Mac — plus horizontal swipe, with no Boot Camp extraction and no Secure Boot workarounds.
Scrolling stopped working? Quick fixes
- Re-pair the mouse: remove it from Bluetooth settings, then add it again.
- Check the battery: a low Magic Mouse can connect but behave erratically.
- Remove duplicate entries: if the mouse appears twice in Bluetooth, delete both and re-pair.
- Reinstall the driver after a major Windows update, which can replace it.
Frequently asked
Why is my Magic Mouse not scrolling on Windows?
Windows has no built-in driver for the Magic Mouse touch surface, so out of the box scrolling is either dead or jumpy. You need Apple Boot Camp drivers or a third-party utility to enable it. Tenon (coming soon) adds smooth, inertial scrolling with one signed install.
Does Magic Mouse scrolling work on Windows 11?
Yes, with the right driver. The same options apply on Windows 11 and Windows 10: Boot Camp drivers for basic scrolling, a third-party utility, or Tenon for smooth, pixel-level scrolling.