Arc Keyboard and Mouse

Question

My ARC keyboard and mouse responses are not crisp. Letters get missed when typing and mouse jumps around and sometimes fails to select when i click on an item

Answer 1

Hello,

Thanks for getting in touch, and sorry you’re having trouble with your keyboard and mouse.

You can usually fix laggy typing or jumpy mouse movement by turning off USB and Bluetooth power-saving features. Here’s what to do: open Device Manager, find Universal Serial Bus controllers, and for every USB Root Hub or Generic USB Hub, go into Power Management and uncheck the box that lets your computer turn off the device to save power. If you’re using Bluetooth, head to Settings, then System, then Power & battery. Turn off Battery Saver, or set up an exception for Bluetooth. After that, in Device Manager under Bluetooth, turn off the power-saving setting there too.

Give that a try. If you still run into problems, just drop a comment below and I’ll help out.

Answer 2

Try the following steps to improve the responsiveness of the Arc keyboard and mouse:

1. Check power and batteries
   • If they are wireless, replace or fully recharge the batteries. Low batteries can cause missed keystrokes and jumpy cursor movement.
   • For rechargeable devices, ensure they are properly docked or connected for charging. If the charging light turns red or flashes red, remove and reinsert the batteries, then try charging again.
2. Remove interference and adjust receiver placement
   • Keep the keyboard, mouse, and wireless receiver at least 3 feet away from other wireless devices (cordless phones, mobile phones, other wireless mice/keyboards) and at least 8 inches away from electrical devices.
   • Do not place the devices or receiver on metallic surfaces or near long metal objects or cables; maintain about 3 feet distance from such objects.
   • If the receiver is movable, experiment with different positions (including turning it on its side or upside down) to improve signal quality.
3. Reconnect or reset the wireless connection
   • If the devices or receiver have a Reset/Connect button, press it to resync the keyboard and mouse with the receiver.
   • For USB wireless receivers, unplug the receiver, wait about 10 seconds, then plug it back in to re-establish the connection.
4. Try different USB ports and avoid hubs
   • Plug the receiver directly into the PC instead of through USB hubs, KVM switches, or port replicators.
   • Test another USB port, preferably on the back of the computer, which usually provides better bandwidth.
5. Check for dirt or physical issues
   • Make sure there is no dirt or debris under the keys or around the mouse sensor.
   • Clean the keyboard and mouse gently and ensure the mouse sensor is not blocked.
6. Update Windows and device drivers
   • In Windows, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install all available updates to ensure the latest mouse and keyboard improvements.
   • Open Device Manager, locate the mouse and keyboard entries, open their properties, and use the Driver tab > Update Driver to install any updated drivers.
7. Test on another PC
   • Connect the Arc keyboard and mouse to another PC. If the same issues occur there, the devices may be failing and might need replacement. If they work fine on the other PC, focus on drivers, USB ports, or interference on the original machine.

If the devices are Bluetooth versions of Arc, also be aware that after 8–10 minutes of inactivity they may hibernate to save battery, causing a short delay when they first respond again. This is expected behavior, but it should not cause constant jumping or missed input during active use.

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References:

• Mouse and keyboard problems in Windows
• Troubleshoot problems with your Surface mouse or keyboard
• Your wireless mouse or keyboard does not respond or you receive a “The wireless <device name> signal quality is low” error message
• Microsoft Accessories Experiences with Windows 10 S