How to Use an Apple Magic Mouse on a Windows PC (and the Old Mighty Mouse)
Can you use an Apple mouse on a Windows PC? Yes. In 2009 we plugged a wired Apple Mighty Mouse into our Windows Vista PC and it worked instantly, scroll ball and all. Apple’s mice have changed a lot since then, and today’s wireless Magic Mouse needs a couple of extra steps on Windows, mainly to make scrolling work. Here’s how to use an Apple Magic Mouse on Windows 10 and 11 in 2026.
Quick answer: Pair the Magic Mouse with Windows through Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Add device → Bluetooth. Pointing and clicking work straight away. To get touch scrolling, install Apple’s Boot Camp mouse driver or a third-party utility such as Magic Mouse Utilities.
Table of Contents
Apple mouse models and Windows compatibility
- Mighty Mouse (2005–2009), later renamed Apple Mouse: wired USB and wireless versions with a tiny 360° scroll ball. The wired version works on Windows as a standard USB mouse. It’s discontinued but still found second-hand.
- Magic Mouse (2009): wireless Bluetooth with a touch-sensitive top surface and AA batteries.
- Magic Mouse 2 (2015): built-in rechargeable battery with a Lightning port.
- Magic Mouse with USB-C (2024): the current model, charged over USB-C, sold on the Apple Store.
All Magic Mouse models connect to Windows over Bluetooth. Apple only supports them on Macs, so Windows features like gestures need extra software.
How to connect a Magic Mouse to Windows 11 or 10
- Turn the Magic Mouse off and on with the switch underneath, so it’s ready to pair.
- On your PC, open Settings → Bluetooth & devices (Windows 10: Settings → Devices → Bluetooth & other devices).
- Click Add device, then Bluetooth.
- Select Magic Mouse from the list. If Windows asks for a PIN, try 0000.
- Move the mouse to check the pointer, left click and right click. You may need to set right-click in your mouse settings.
If it was paired to a Mac before, unpair it there first or it may reconnect to the Mac instead.
How to enable scrolling for an Apple Magic Mouse on Windows
Out of the box, Windows doesn’t understand the Magic Mouse’s touch surface, so swipe-to-scroll doesn’t work. You have three options:
1. Apple Boot Camp drivers
Apple includes Magic Mouse drivers in its Boot Camp Support Software for running Windows on Intel Macs. Many users extract the mouse driver (the AppleWirelessMouse driver) from the latest Boot Camp package and install it on a regular PC. Tools like Brigadier download the newest Boot Camp package directly from Apple. It’s free, but the drivers are old and only give basic scrolling.
2. Magic Mouse Utilities
Magic Utilities is a paid Windows app (with a free trial) that adds smooth scrolling, gestures, middle-click, customisable actions and battery level for the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. It’s the easiest way to get a Mac-like experience on Windows.
3. Open-source drivers
Several free community drivers on GitHub add scrolling for the Magic Mouse 2 and USB-C models. Only install drivers from projects with a good track record, since drivers have deep access to your PC.
Our experience with the Apple Mighty Mouse on Windows
Back in 2009, Apple listed the wired Mighty Mouse as compatible with Windows 2000 and XP, so we bought it to use with our Windows Vista PC alongside our Apple keyboard on Windows. We plugged in the USB cable and it worked instantly, with no software.
The left and right buttons are hidden under the smooth white shell but work perfectly. The pea-sized scroll ball let us scroll 360 degrees, even diagonally, and pressing it acted as a middle click. The two force-sensing side buttons worked as Back in the browser, though they were hard to press. At $49 it was a lovely, if not the most ergonomic, way for Windows users to get a taste of Apple design.
Is an Apple Magic Mouse on Windows worth it?
It looks great and is fine for everyday browsing, but on Windows you lose some of its best features unless you add software. The flat, low shape also isn’t the most comfortable for long working days. If you mainly use Windows, an ergonomic Windows mouse like Logitech’s MX series is more comfortable and has full software support. If you switch between a Mac and a PC, the Magic Mouse is a stylish shared choice.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Magic Mouse work with Windows without drivers?
Yes, for pointing and clicking. Touch scrolling and gestures need Boot Camp drivers or a third-party utility.
Can I charge the Magic Mouse from a Windows PC?
Yes. Plug its USB-C or Lightning cable into any USB port on your PC to charge it.
Why does my Magic Mouse keep disconnecting from Windows?
Low battery, Bluetooth power saving or interference are common causes. Charge the mouse, update your Bluetooth driver and, in Device Manager, turn off “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” for your Bluetooth adapter.
Get our free weekly email: new tech guides and tools, no spam.
New and updated tech guides, a free tool worth bookmarking and one useful pick, once a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.
Yeah, I’m getting an old Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard off eBay. Can’t wait to get it!
I’m using a wired Mighty Mouse on my Dell since my wireless Logitech mouse started having problems. It worked fine at first, but won’t scroll down any more. I’ve had similar problems using it on a Mac and it just needs to have the wheel cleaned. My main problem is that right-clicks are sometimes read as left-clicks. It’s really annoying when you right-click to mark a mine and it blows up instead! It seems to help if I remove my hand from the mouse after positioning it and touch only the right-click area, but not always. Any suggestions?
So you use the Apple mouse and keyboard on a pure PC rite?
Because I am also interested to get one my self but my other curious is, can I use the wireless one? In this case you use the wired one so I’m afraid if PC doesn’t detect the mouse or keyboard for wireless one.
Note, the scroll wheel DOES NOT WORK like it does on the Mac. If fact it does not scroll at all. At least it doesn’t with the apple drivers. I’m trying Microsoft drivers next as this no scrolling business is driving me crazy.
Microsoft drivers are no help either.
THE SCROLL WHEEL DOES NOT SCROLL IN WINDOWS XP!!!!!
do you have the wired or wireless apple keyboard
The wireless is compatible with windows too, i tried it and it’s work. i use xp profesional and now trying on windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit on my laptop with billionton bluetooth, it’s work great :)
Nice article, I coundn’t agree more.
Did you find a way to configure the side buttons? I would like to disable them since their behaviour is mostly surprising me.
Martijn
Thanks! After I read your test I went to bought the fantastic Apple keyboard for my Windows Vista Laptop. It works very well. I only have a problem with some portuguese keys: it´s all there, but some are in the wrong place. Do you know if it is easy to switch some keys without scratch the keyboard?
Now I´m already thinking to buy the wired mouse. Can you tell me if it works well with the USB port of the apple keyboard?
Thanks,
Carlos
When for the first time, I used a MAC mouse, I was not sure about the quality.I also faced problems to install it properly. I wish if I also could have managed such a guide.
The Apple MightyMouse is a great thing, and I’m willing to buy a wired version for my Windows Vista Home Premium based laptop. I hope it’s gonna work since it’s a quite expensive mouse compared to usual mouses.
why do people say “mac”? as in “the macintosh project” that started the whole apple computer thing. the first computer out of apple was the macintosh 128K. hence MAC.
I think that Lewys was asking why people feel the need to capitalise mac, a mac is an apple computer (or a coat), MAC is Media Accesability Control, used a a form of addressing on networks, a MAC sticks with the computer, or more accurally the device. the computer i am typing on has 3 MAC addresses (ethernet, wifi, bluetooth) it also has the one from my USB wifi card, but is i plug this card into annother computer, say my mac, my mac would use that MAC address.
typed interestingly enough on an apple keyboard attached to a windows PC.
Actually, the first computer sold by Apple was the Apple I, which was sold as a kit computer in 1976. Basically a motherboard and you built your own case. It was followed by the Apple II in 1977.
The Macintosh 128k didn’t come along until 1984.
So if some of us who actually owned an Apple II, II+, IIe, or IIc, or Mac 512k “Fat Macs”, or even “Platinum” Mac Plus computers say “Mac” instead of “Macintosh” we’re allowed.
B)
Hi there! I’m on my PC laptop now because my MacBook has run out of battery power. Anyway, my Wireless Mighty Mouse is working perfectly on the laptop which has Windows Vista Business. Also [not to be offensive] but why do people say MAC?
This is the first time I have used a MAC mouse and keyboard in years (since the original Apple). What a wonderful experience! The next computer I purchase will be a MAC.