Keyboard & Mouse

Sticky keys? Mouse jumping around? Simple hardware fixes.

Difficulty

Easy

Time Est.

5 Minutes

Tools Needed

  • Compressed Air
  • Batteries

Step 1: Check Batteries

If your wireless mouse is "stuttering" or skipping across the screen, 99% of the time it is low batteries. Swap them out.

Step 2: Clean the Sensor

Flip your mouse over. Is there a hair or dust bunny stuck in the optical light? Blow it out. This causes the cursor to jump wildly.

Step 3: Sticky Keys (The Crumbs)

Turn your keyboard upside down and shake it gently. You will be amazed at what falls out. Use a can of compressed air to blast underneath the keys.

Step 4: Re-pair Bluetooth

If it just won't type, go to Bluetooth settings, find the keyboard, select "Forget Device", and put the keyboard back into pairing mode to reconnect.

The “Spilled Coffee” Emergency

If you spill liquid on your keyboard:

  1. UNPLUG IT IMMEDIATELY.
  2. Flip it upside down so the liquid drips out, not in.
  3. Do not use a hairdryer (it melts the plastic keys).
  4. Let it dry for 24-48 hours before trying it again.

Laptop Trackpad Issues

Is your cursor moving while you type? You might be brushing the trackpad with your palms.

  • Windows: Go to Settings > Devices > Touchpad and increase “Touchpad Sensitivity” to “Low Sensitivity”.
  • Mac: Go to System Settings > Trackpad and ensure “Tap to Click” is configured to your liking.

Pro Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Windows + . (period) to open the Emoji panel on Windows! On Mac, it is Ctrl + Cmd + Space.