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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Magic Mouse and battery drain

Magic Mouse and battery drain
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KenJJ
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Feb 19, 2010, 09:11 PM
 
I need to replace my wireless Magic mouse because of the repeated scrolling issues that seem to plague that mouse. Was going to replace it with the wireless Magic mouse but have read many complaints claiming it causes extreme battery drain in everyones wireless bluetooth keyboard. This issue has me considering other wireless mouse options. Has anyone else noticed extreme battery drain in Apples wireless bluetooth keyboard since moving to the Magic mouse?
     
ghporter
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Feb 19, 2010, 09:15 PM
 
I'm curious about these issues, as I can't picture a second BT device having anything to do with how the first uses its battery power.

I really like my Magic Mouse; I've had it for about 5 months now and I've changed the batteries once. It just keeps on going for me. No "scrolling issues" noted here, either.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
KenJJ  (op)
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Feb 19, 2010, 09:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
I'm curious about these issues, as I can't picture a second BT device having anything to do with how the first uses its battery power.

I really like my Magic Mouse; I've had it for about 5 months now and I've changed the batteries once. It just keeps on going for me. No "scrolling issues" noted here, either.
It puzzles me that so many have reported(at least they have on another site)that the Magic mouse is greatly affecting the battery life in their Apple wireless keyboard. Some have reported having to change the batteries in their keyboard every week. I even read reports Apple is aware of the issue. By the way what keyboard are you using with your Magic mouse?
     
ibook_steve
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Feb 19, 2010, 10:47 PM
 
Links?

I'm with ghporter. How does the use of one BT device affect the battery drain in another BT device?

Steve
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Douglashh
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Feb 20, 2010, 02:16 AM
 
I don't know how the wireless mouse affects the wireless keyboard. My first generation wireless mouse went through batteries every 6 to 7 days and my wireless keyboard would last about 40 to 60 days. After getting rid of the mouse my keyboard now lasts 3 to 4 months easily. I got rid of the mouse due to excessive battery use and switched to Logitech v470 which lasts just over a month on batteries and my wireless keyboard lasts easily 50% longer.
     
KenJJ  (op)
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Feb 20, 2010, 02:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by ibook_steve View Post
Links?

I'm with ghporter. How does the use of one BT device affect the battery drain in another BT device?

Steve
I read about the issues on the Apple site.

Apple - Support - Discussions - Apple Wireless Keyboard Eating Batteries ...
     
KenJJ  (op)
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Feb 20, 2010, 02:35 AM
 
I just read on another forum that the issue was corrected in a firmware update a month ago. All the issues people were having were back in Jan. Glad it's been resolved because I tested the Magic mouse the other day at BestBuy and liked it.
     
CreepDogg
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Mar 5, 2010, 12:39 AM
 
FWIW, I got the Magic Mouse in late January and the initial set of batteries is still going (at 18%). I have the wired keyboard with the numeric keyboard, though, so can't speak to the impact on the wireless keyboard.
     
OreoCookie
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Mar 5, 2010, 04:40 AM
 
I got a Magic Mouse in the beginning of January and I've used it 5 days a week for 9-12 hours. It's still at 67 % charge even though I stopped switching it off after a week.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
Atheist
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Mar 10, 2010, 11:02 AM
 
I just got a magic mouse a few weeks ago and it's eating batteries like crazy. I've got the wireless keyboard as well and have installed the keyboard update.

Yesterday the mouse batteries were at 50%, today it's 18%. I'm very discouraged.
     
-Q-
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Mar 15, 2010, 01:04 PM
 
How odd that you're still seeing the battery issue. I've not had a problem with the mouse (only changed the batteries once), but did see the keyboard drain that had been reported. The recent firmware update did fix that so I've seen barely a drop in percentage charge remaining in the keyboard batteries.

Do you turn you machine off or just let it sleep? Mine gets shut down every night so that may explain the great battery life I've been experiencing...
     
Atheist
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Mar 15, 2010, 11:28 PM
 
I don't turn my computer or mouse off at night. I replaced the mouse batteries on Friday and now 3 days later they are at 85%. There must be something wrong with the mouse.
     
ghporter
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Mar 16, 2010, 07:09 AM
 
I'd agree that there's something wrong with your mouse-I sleep my iMac overnight and my Magic Mouse batteries are at 50% after a couple months' use.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
jretzner
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Mar 27, 2010, 11:42 PM
 
I've had my Magic Mouse since October 2009, leaving the mouse on all the time. Tonight, a "low power" *That's 23%) alert popped up on my iMac's screen for the first time. That's five months. How long are the batteries supposed to last?
     
ghporter
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Mar 28, 2010, 10:20 AM
 
Originally Posted by jretzner View Post
I've had my Magic Mouse since October 2009, leaving the mouse on all the time. Tonight, a "low power" *That's 23%) alert popped up on my iMac's screen for the first time. That's five months. How long are the batteries supposed to last?
Apple says "up to four months." You're doing well.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Atheist
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Mar 31, 2010, 03:52 PM
 
It's been less than 3 weeks and my batteries are down to 44%. (They're Energizer Alkaline.)

Next time I'm in the States I'll try going to an Apple Store. What do you think my chances are that they'll give me a new one?
     
Spheric Harlot
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Mar 31, 2010, 04:05 PM
 
Four weeks, at 55%.
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Oct 23, 2010, 11:38 AM
 
Anyone else have this problem? My wireless Magic Mouse (came with iMac i5) has gone through two AA Panasonic carbon zinc batteries about every 3 weeks. It's pretty insane. Has there been an update or anything by any chance...??

greg
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Atheist
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Oct 23, 2010, 12:58 PM
 
I've just resigned myself to the fact that I have to replace mine every 4-6 weeks.
     
ghporter
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Oct 23, 2010, 02:24 PM
 
I found that my iMac was not properly sleeping-once I made sure it actually did sleep when I thought it was asleep, I have managed to get about 3 months out of a pair of batteries. I was reminded of this recently when the iMac again stopped automatically sleeping, because I only got about 4 weeks out of the batteries.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Oct 24, 2010, 06:08 PM
 
From the mouse?

I'm scratching my head as to why people are experiencing such crazy batteries ranges out of the same piece of hardware...?

greg
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ghporter
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Oct 24, 2010, 07:44 PM
 
It wasn't the mouse keeping the iMac awake, but when the computer is awake, it keeps the mouse awake. The mouse is rated for its long battery life based on some formula Apple came up with relating to how long it would be awake versus asleep, so if it's awake a lot more, it will use the batteries faster.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
rubberwheels
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Nov 10, 2010, 02:48 PM
 
I had my magic mouse for about a year now. I used it often and the original energizer batters are still running in it.
     
ghporter
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Nov 10, 2010, 08:34 PM
 
I have to say that I find it hard to believe that anyone is getting significantly more than Apple's stated "up to 4 months" life out of a set of batteries in a Magic Mouse. I get consistently about 3 months-as long as my iMac goes to sleep when I tell it to. And i use the computer for only a few hours a day at most.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
   
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