GearCheckHow to test your mouse
- Click each button inside the box — left, right, wheel click, back and forward.
- Scroll up and down. Each notch counts once; tilt the wheel sideways if your mouse supports it.
- Single-click slowly a dozen times to check for double-click faults.
- Move the mouse fast to measure its polling rate.
Double-clicking when you click once
This is the most common mouse fault. Inside every button is a small metal switch; as it wears, the contacts can bounce and send two clicks for one press. You'll notice files opening when you meant to select them, or drag and drop letting go too early. The test catches it by timing clicks — no human can click twice in under about 80 ms.
- Try another USB port and remove any hubs, then test again.
- Some mouse software has a “debounce time” setting; raising it can hide mild chatter.
- If the fault persists, the switch needs replacing. Mice under warranty are usually replaced for this.
Polling rate explained
| Polling rate | Update every | Typical mice |
|---|---|---|
| 125 Hz | 8 ms | Basic office mice |
| 500 Hz | 2 ms | Mid-range gaming mice |
| 1000 Hz | 1 ms | Most gaming mice |
| 4000–8000 Hz | 0.25–0.125 ms | High-end esports mice (need a fast CPU) |
A higher polling rate makes cursor movement smoother and slightly more responsive, mostly noticeable on high refresh rate monitors. Wireless mice may drop to a lower rate in power-saving mode or when the battery is low. Pair this with the refresh rate test to check your whole setup.
Scroll wheel problems
If scrolling jumps in the wrong direction or skips, dust in the wheel's encoder is the usual cause. Blow compressed air around the wheel while turning it. If “scroll up” sometimes counts as “scroll down” in the table, the encoder is worn.
More tests
See how fast you can click with the CPS test, check your keyboard or test a controller.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my mouse buttons?
Move the pointer into the test box and click with each button: left, right, the scroll wheel (middle click) and the two side buttons if you have them. Each button lights up on the picture while held and turns green once it has worked. The table counts every click.
How do I check for a double-click problem?
Click the left button once at a time, at a normal pace. A healthy switch registers exactly one click per press. If the test reports two clicks less than 80 ms apart when you only clicked once, the switch is chattering — a common fault on worn mice.
How is the polling rate measured?
Move the mouse quickly in circles inside or outside the box. The test counts how many position updates the browser receives per second. Chrome and Edge report every update, so 500 Hz and 1000 Hz mice read accurately; other browsers may show lower values.
Why don’t my side buttons do anything?
Side buttons are buttons 4 and 5. If they don’t light up here, they may be remapped to keystrokes in your mouse software (Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse etc.) — in that case try the keyboard test instead — or the mouse may need its driver.
Can I test a laptop touchpad?
Yes for clicks and two-finger scrolling. Touchpads don’t have a polling rate in the same sense as a mouse, and a two-finger tap usually counts as a right click.