PC Bluetooth Mouse or Keyboard Keeps Disconnecting
In plain English: Your mouse stops for a few seconds, then works again, often after your PC has been idle. Windows can put the Bluetooth radio to sleep to save power, and that is the cause, so turning that setting off is the main fix.
First safe step: Put in fresh batteries, or plug the mouse or keyboard in to charge until it is full, then use it close to the PC.
Your mouse stops for a few seconds, then works again, often after your PC has been idle. Windows can put the Bluetooth radio to sleep to save power, and that is the cause, so turning that setting off is the main fix. This page covers a mouse, keyboard, and hearing aids, with numbered steps, no downloads, and no paid help.
This is one of our device problems in plain English guides, so the steps stay short and use normal words. The pattern is the clue: the mouse or keyboard works fine, then pauses after a break or a short idle spell, then starts again on its own. A wider radio problem is likely if the Wi-Fi icon has disappeared at the same time.
You do not need to buy a new mouse yet. Start with the power setting below, then check the battery, the distance from the PC, and whether the device pairs again cleanly.
Part of the No Sound, No Wi-Fi, Camera Not Working: Device Problems in Plain English series, the pillar guide for this cluster.
Why your mouse or keyboard keeps dropping out
The timing gives the clue. Your mouse or keyboard works well while you use it, then stops after a short break or after the PC wakes. Windows can put the Bluetooth radio to sleep to save power, so the link pauses until you move the mouse or press a key again.
Watch for the same short pattern each time. The pointer stops for a few seconds, or typed letters do not appear at once. Then the pointer moves again, or several letters appear together, and the device works as normal until the next pause.
Your mouse, keyboard, and hearing aids share the same Bluetooth radio in your PC. That is why more than one of them can drop at the same time after a pause. When the cause is the radio going to sleep, one change to that setting can help all three, instead of fixing each device on its own.
A device that never comes back is a different problem. That is the case if Windows has stopped the USB Bluetooth dongle, or when the driver is missing after an update. It is also different from when the PC crashes as it wakes from sleep, which stops the whole PC instead of pausing one device for a few seconds.
Quick checks to try first
Start with power in the device itself. Put in fresh batteries, or plug the mouse or keyboard in to charge until it is full, then use it close to the PC, within a few feet and with a clear path between them. If it works well up close, a low battery or weak signal was likely the cause.
Next, look at what sits between the device and the PC. Move the mouse or keyboard away from a USB 3 drive, a metal desk lamp or filing cabinet, and other wireless kit such as a phone, router or wireless headphones. These can crowd the same signal, so test again with the device near the PC and the path clear.
Then reset the connection itself. Turn Bluetooth off, wait about ten seconds, and turn it back on. Restart the PC as well, then try the mouse or keyboard again for a few minutes, including after a short pause. If the drop is gone, a stuck connection was the likely cause.
These checks help when a device still shows up but drops out. That is different from if Windows has stopped the USB Bluetooth dongle, or when the driver is missing after an update, when the device may not appear at all. If that is what you see, note it and move on to the main fix in the next section.
Stop Windows putting your Bluetooth radio to sleep
One Bluetooth radio serves your mouse, keyboard, and hearing aids, so one sleep setting can pause them all. Device Manager holds that setting for the radio built into your PC. You will open it, find the adapter, and clear one box. No download is needed, and the change takes effect after a restart.
- Right-click the Start button and select
Device Manager. - Select the arrow beside Bluetooth to show the adapter list.
- Right-click your Bluetooth adapter and select Properties.
- Select the Power Management tab.
- Clear the box beside '
Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'. - Select OK, then restart your PC and test the mouse or keyboard after a short pause.
If your mouse uses a USB Bluetooth dongle, repeat the same power step for the dongle and for the USB hub it plugs into. In Device Manager, open Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click each USB Root Hub, select Properties, and clear the same power box. Restart again and test after a pause.
After the restart, a device that still drops after a pause is more likely to need the next checks. That is different from a dongle that never works, so check if Windows has stopped the USB Bluetooth dongle before you change anything else. It is also different when the driver is missing after an update, which needs a driver check rather than another power change.
Your hearing aids use the same radio, so the same cleared box should help them stay connected after a pause. Test them at close range after the restart, and keep the PC awake for a short test first. This power fix is not a fix when the PC crashes as it wakes from sleep, because that crash points to a different sleep problem.
The adapter name varies by PC, so look for Bluetooth, Intel Wireless Bluetooth, or a name that matches your dongle maker. If the Power Management tab is missing on that adapter, close Properties and try the next adapter in the list. Do not change other tabs, and do not clear the box on a device you do not recognize.
If it still drops after sleep or an update
If the drops are still there after the power fix, check the service that keeps Bluetooth running. Press the Windows key and R together, type services.msc, and press Enter. Find Bluetooth Support Service. If it says Stopped, right-click it and select Start. If it is running, right-click it and select Restart. If it will not stay running, see our guide for when a Windows service is turned off.
Next, remove the old pairing and start fresh. Open Bluetooth settings, select the mouse or keyboard, and choose 'Remove device;'. Restart the PC, then open Bluetooth settings again and choose 'Add device;'. Put the mouse or keyboard in pairing mode, wait for its name to appear, and select it. Test it after a short pause, when the old drop would most often happen.
If the driver is damaged, a fresh pairing will not hold. Open Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click the adapter, and choose 'Uninstall device;'. Restart the PC and let Windows install the driver again. This also helps when the driver is missing after an update, but if Windows cannot find one, get the driver from the PC maker's support site for your exact model, install it, then restart and test again.
If these steps do not help, check which fault you have. A stopped dongle needs a different fix, so follow our guide for if Windows has stopped the USB Bluetooth dongle. A PC that crashes as it wakes needs a different fix too, so see our guide for when the PC crashes as it wakes from sleep. If neither fault matches, the device itself may be worn out.
Hearing aids, and when the device itself is the problem
For hearing aids, start with the basics that are easy to miss. Check that both aids are charged, that the case or charger is working, and that sound is set to come through the aids and not the PC speakers. Stay close to the PC for the test, and keep the aids paired while you listen for a short break in sound.
Test the same device on a second device if you can. Pair the mouse, keyboard, or hearing aids with a phone, tablet, or another PC, then use them for a few minutes and wait through a short pause. If they work well there, the fault is most likely on the first PC, and the power and pairing steps above are still the place to look.
If the same drops happen on every device you try, the device itself is the likely cause. A mouse or keyboard with old batteries, a loose switch, or a worn USB dongle can drop out even when the PC is fine, so replace the batteries or try a spare dongle before you buy a new mouse or keyboard.
Two signs point away from a worn-out device. A device that never appears at all, when the driver is missing after an update, points to the PC side. And if Windows has stopped the USB Bluetooth dongle, fix that fault first, because a new dongle or a new mouse will drop out in the same way until it is cleared.
If you do need to replace it
You only get here if the same mouse or keyboard dropped out on a second device too. At that point the PC is fine and the device itself is worn out, so replacing it is the fix. There is nothing special to buy: a standard Bluetooth mouse or keyboard pairs with the exact same steps you used above.
Affiliate note: the Amazon button below is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the order of these fixes: every step above is free, and this section is here only because this article can honestly end in a replacement.
Standard replacement
Logitech M240 Silent Bluetooth Mouse
A plain Bluetooth mouse with silent clicks and no USB dongle to lose. It pairs from the same Bluetooth settings page used in the steps above, and needs no software of its own.
- Connects byBluetooth, no dongle needed
- Works withWindows 10 and Windows 11
- SetupPairs in Windows Bluetooth settings
Price and stock are shown on Amazon at checkout. Demo link: in production this button carries the site's Amazon affiliate tag.
Shopping for a keyboard instead? The same rule applies: any standard Bluetooth keyboard pairs the same way. See Bluetooth keyboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change the power setting for each mouse or keyboard?
No. The setting is on the Bluetooth radio in Device Manager, not on each device. One change covers the mouse, keyboard, and hearing aids that use that radio. If you use a USB dongle, change the setting for the dongle too.
Will turning off the power setting drain my laptop battery faster?
It can use a little more power because the radio stays awake instead of sleeping during pauses. For a mouse or keyboard, the change is small. If you are on battery and the drops stop, keep the setting off for now and charge the laptop when you can.
Why does the mouse start working again on its own?
The radio wakes when you move the mouse or press a key, so the link comes back after a short delay. That pause, then normal use, is the sign the radio was asleep. A device that never comes back is a different fault.
Neighbouring cases in this cluster: Everything on Screen Is Huge (or Tiny) After an Update and Your PC Suddenly Started Talking (or Zoomed In): Narrator and Magnifier.
Conclusion
If the drops stop after you change the power setting, you have your answer. The radio was going to sleep during a pause, and your mouse, keyboard, or hearing aids were waiting for it to wake. Keep the setting off, and test it after a short break before you buy anything new.
If the drops keep happening, the test on a second device tells you where to look next. A device that works elsewhere points back to this PC, and a device that drops everywhere points to its battery, dongle, or the device itself. Fix that fault first, then replace only the part that failed.