Mouse 2 no longer works on Apple’s tablet, and some
of them have singled out January’s iPadOS 13.3 as the
culprit. The most frustrated users are those who never
had a chance to see the mouse work at all, so they’re
convinced they’re doing it wrong. Surely, they think,
Apple wouldn’t pull support for one of its own products- and who could blame them?
Well, it seems that it did. I’ve confirmed this with my
own iPad Pro that’s running iPadOS 13.3.1, and nada - nothing works. (That’s true of my iPhone, too.) I’ve
tried the back door route described in my how-to. I’ve
tried multiple methods of hooking up devices through
Bluetooth. If I hook up the Magic Mouse 2 with a wired
connection, I can at least get the AssistiveTouch feature
that powers the iPad’s mouse control to recognize that a
mouse is attached, but I can’t actually move the pointer.
Of course, it’s not like I could actually use the Magic
Mouse 2 with a wired connection anyway, thanks to this
infamous design flaw:
So Apple giveth and Apple taketh away. But why?
I’ve reached out to Apple itself, and haven’t received
a response. The weirdest aspect of this episode is that
I can hook up every other Bluetooth mouse I have on
hand with the iPad and they’ll work fine – and that
includes the first-generation Magic Mouse.
This probably isn’t because of a simple bug. After all,
Magic Mouse 2 support on the iPad had never worked
the way you might expect. Instead of simply pairing the
device through Bluetooth as you would through any
other mouse, you have to take an unintuitive trip into
the Switch Control panel under Accessibility and hook
it up through Switches. It was always weird – and a sign
Mouse 2 nolongerworksonApple’stablet,andsome
ofthemhavesingledoutJanuary’siPadOS13.3asthe
culprit.The mostfrustratedusersarethosewhonever
hadachancetoseethemouseworkatall,sothey’re
convincedthey’redoingitwrong.Surely,theythink,
Applewouldn’tpullsupportforoneofitsownproducts
- andwhocouldblamethem?
Well,itseemsthatitdid.I’veconfirmedthiswithmy
owniPadProthat’srunningiPadOS13.3.1,andnada - nothingworks.(That’strueofmyiPhone,too.)I’ve
triedthebackdoorroutedescribedinmyhow-to.I’ve
triedmultiplemethodsofhookingupdevicesthrough
Bluetooth.IfIhookuptheMagicMouse 2 withawired
connection,IcanatleastgettheAssistiveTouchfeature
thatpowerstheiPad’smousecontroltorecognizethata
mouseisattached,butIcan’tactuallymovethepointer.
Ofcourse,it’snotlikeIcouldactuallyusetheMagic
Mouse 2 withawiredconnectionanyway,thankstothis
infamousdesignflaw:
SoApplegivethandAppletakethaway.Butwhy?
I’vereachedouttoAppleitself,andhaven’treceived
aresponse.Theweirdestaspectofthisepisodeisthat
IcanhookupeveryotherBluetoothmouseIhaveon
handwiththeiPadandthey’llworkfine–andthat
includesthefirst-generationMagicMouse.
Thisprobablyisn’tbecauseofasimplebug.Afterall,
MagicMouse 2 supportontheiPadhadneverworked
thewayyoumightexpect.Insteadofsimplypairingthe
devicethroughBluetoothasyouwouldthroughany
othermouse,youhavetotakeanunintuitivetripinto
theSwitchControlpanelunderAccessibilityandhook
itupthroughSwitches.Itwasalwaysweird–andasign