Why can't I use a mouse properly on my Mac?

[IAmAndre]

Hi there,

 

I've been using a MacBook Air for about a year and a half as my second computer, the first one being a gaming desktop. I'm using a Logitech MX Master 3 on both devices, but when on the Mac, I always end up using the trackpad instead. The mouse experience feels so awkward and the worst part is I just can't pinpoint why I find it awkward. It's the same hardware, but I keep missing clicks on the Mac and I just can't get used to it. I tried playing with the mouse settings, both at the OS level and in the companion app but no combination seems to help. For example, I tried playing with the cursor speed but it's always either too fast or too slow. I also tried enabling and disabling options like "smooth scrolling" but the experience is always so awkward.

 

Am I missing something or is it just in my head? Or maybe is it just a fact that mice behave differently on MacOS?

[johnno23]

mice do not behave differently on a mac, I use both a Gaming Rig PC that I built for my entertainment and a Mac mini. I use a simple switch for my keyboard and mou se and the monitor I simply switch between DP for the PC and HDMI for the mac mini that I use.

I also have an Apple pro laptop and the same mouse goes with me if I travel as it is wireless so simply plug in the little USB module. I myself often drop back the the trackpad simply as it is so easy and accurate the mouse though I do find usefull when browsing the web as it is simply quicker when clicking thru pages etc.

I suggest you just go back into the mouse settings on the mac side and set things to defaults and then use it that way. A lot is simply muscle memory not the actual hardware.

My wife has her mouse setup in a way that if I sneeze the pointer is off the screen. she has it set so that the tiniest movement the pointer zips bottm left to top right but she say she finds it comfy to use that way ?

 

EDIT forgot to ask if you installed the mac software for your mouse ? it will work without it perfectly fine but you lose some out on some finer settings and functionality.

https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051303933-Getting-Started-MX-Master-3-for-Mac

[zim2323]

20 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

Hi there,

 

I've been using a MacBook Air for about a year and a half as my second computer, the first one being a gaming desktop. I'm using a Logitech MX Master 3 on both devices, but when on the Mac, I always end up using the trackpad instead. The mouse experience feels so awkward and the worst part is I just can't pinpoint why I find it awkward. It's the same hardware, but I keep missing clicks on the Mac and I just can't get used to it. I tried playing with the mouse settings, both at the OS level and in the companion app but no combination seems to help. For example, I tried playing with the cursor speed but it's always either too fast or too slow. I also tried enabling and disabling options like "smooth scrolling" but the experience is always so awkward.

 

Am I missing something or is it just in my head? Or maybe is it just a fact that mice behave differently on MacOS?

I've experienced the same in the last week with my first Macbook Pro.  IMO, it's that they have "mouse acceleration" turned on.

 

https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-control-the-mouse-acceleration-on-mac

[duncannah]

I have an MX Anywhere 3 and I encounter the same problem, the cursor jitters a lot too. The thing is, I didn't have this issue with my previous very cheap mouse, so the culprit is most likely Logitech... Maybe uninstalling their software (Logi Options) might help things, but then I can't configure many essential functionalities, like the scroll wheel stiffness, or the side buttons. I'll definitely be avoiding Logitech in the future

 

EDIT: This is a recurring issue with Logitech mice on macOS:

 

A reply in another thread, uninstalling the Logitech software fixed it for them:

 

[porina]

I haven't used MacOS recently but the Apple mouse curve is very different from the default Windows curve, and I personally prefer no curve at all - strictly linear mouse movement. Tricks like above can somewhat turn off the Apple curve although it still doesn't feel completely linear to me. I'm not not aware of easy ways to change it beyond that.

 

On mice feeling different, could be due to different DPI values making it sit further up or down the curve than otherwise.

[NinJake]

I've got a logi mouse connected to my mac and I have not noticed any difference compared to using it on windows operating systems.

[Alex Atkin UK]

I've always found every OS is slightly different, though missing clicks is not something I have experienced.

 

Pretty sure I used my MX Master 3 on my M1 Macbook Pro and didn't notice any obvious problem, but I didn't install the software as I do not use any of its functionality.  Also used it over Bluetooth not the dongle.