Battery Life in Magic Mouse Pulls a Disappearing Act

Use rechargeable NiMH AA batteries to reduce power cost

By
Tom Nelson
Tom Nelson
Writer

Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm.

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Updated on July 23, 2020

The original Magic Mouse comes with AA alkaline batteries installed and ready for use. Some early users reported that battery life was low and lasted about 30 days. This weakness may be why Apple changed the battery type for the Magic Mouse 2 to an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery. When your Apple wireless mouse is draining the battery, there's a simple solution.

Magic Mouse 2 in Space Gray
Apple, Inc.

Sources of Magic Mouse Battery Drain

If you experience an abnormal battery drain, it's possible the batteries, and not the mouse, are the culprit. In most cases, the Magic Mouse comes with Energizer batteries, which are a well-respected brand. However, it's difficult to know how long the batteries were on the shelf before being used. New, fresh batteries will likely last longer than the 30 days some users were getting out of the initial batch.

Battery life also depends on usage. The Magic Mouse goes into hibernation when it isn't used, which extends battery life. Turning the Magic Mouse off manually when you're done using it, with the switch on the underside of the mouse, should also increase battery life.

Switch to Rechargeable Batteries

Another option to get the most life out of the Magic Mouse is to replace the default batteries with either lithium-ion AA or rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries. Both should provide longer life. The NiMH batteries have the added benefit of being rechargeable.

If you decide to use rechargeable batteries, look for NiMH AAs with a 2900 milliampere-hour rating or better. Many bubble-packed, brand-name rechargeables found in the checkout aisle of local hardware or grocery stores have a 2300 to 2500 mAh rating. These work, but don't have as much staying power, and you'll recharge these batteries often.

The 2900 mAh batteries are sometimes referred to as high-capacity batteries.

Lithium AAs are also available in various mAh ratings. The 2900 mAh rating is a good value. Lithium batteries have a longer life than standard alkaline AAs. These last longer than the NiMH batteries do on a single charge but aren't rechargeable. Lithium AAs are expensive when compared to standard AA batteries. 

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