Microsoft bluetooth mouse will not pair

Question

I changed batteries before and after my Microsoft Bluetooth mouse would not pair. I push the pairing button on the back and it will not show a continuous flashing light to begin the pairing process. this has happened to my other Microsoft mouse also.

Answer 1

Hi Robin Ann Peterson,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

I understand how frustrating it must be to see multiple Bluetooth mouse fail to enter pairing mode. Just wondering, have you tried the steps suggested by Q&A Assist yet, and if so, what was the result? Just a reminder, the button needs to be held down for at least 5s, not just pushed briefly.

If none of those steps helped, this likely isn’t a Windows or Bluetooth configuration issue. When a Microsoft Bluetooth mouse cannot start pairing mode, the PC simply isn’t given a device to connect to. In that state, no amount of Bluetooth resets or driver changes will succeed.

• If the mice are in warranty, contact Microsoft Hardware Support for replacement.
• If they are out of warranty, the device is considered failed and replacement is required.

In case of hardware failures, there are no further Windows troubleshooting steps applicable here. If you have any other details on the issue or something to be clarified, feel free to ask!

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Answer 2

Use these steps to isolate whether the issue is the mouse, batteries, or Bluetooth on the PC.

1. Confirm the mouse has power
   • Open the battery door and make sure the batteries are correctly oriented.
   • Try brand‑new batteries (AA for Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse, AAA for Surface Mouse/Surface Arc Mouse).
   • Press and hold the pairing button for 5–7 seconds and then release it:
     • If the LED does not blink at all, the mouse is not getting power → battery or hardware failure.
     • If the LED blinks only briefly or three times and turns off, it may already be paired to another PC.
2. Remove old pairings and retry
   • On every PC the mouse may have been used with:
     • Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices (or Devices > Bluetooth & other devices on Windows 10).
     • Find the mouse in the list, select More options (…) > Remove device.
   • On the PC to use now:
     • Turn Bluetooth on.
     • Put the mouse in pairing mode again (hold pair button 5–7 seconds until LED blinks).
     • Select Add device > Bluetooth, choose the mouse, then Done.
3. Check for Bluetooth/Windows issues on the PC
   • Make sure Bluetooth is enabled and the mouse is close to the PC.
   • Turn Bluetooth off, wait ~10 seconds, then turn it on again and attempt pairing.
   • Restart the PC and try pairing again.
   • If the mouse appears but will not connect, remove it and re‑add it as above.
4. Rule out interference and other devices
   • Turn off or disconnect other Bluetooth devices temporarily to avoid interference.
   • Turn airplane mode on for 10–15 seconds, then off, and try pairing again.
5. Test on another PC
   • Try pairing the mouse with a different Windows 10/11 PC that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or later.
   • If the LED still will not enter a steady blink/pairing mode on any PC even with new batteries, the mouse hardware is likely faulty.

Because the same symptom occurs on two different Microsoft Bluetooth mice, and if both fail to show a proper blinking pairing light even with fresh correctly‑installed batteries and on multiple PCs, this strongly indicates hardware failure of the devices rather than a Windows/Bluetooth configuration issue.

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References:

• Use Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse
• Troubleshoot problems with your Surface mouse or keyboard
• Troubleshoot Bluetooth not connecting in Windows