Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

9

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

2

  • How to clean Apple Mighty Mouse scroll ball
  • 1 step
  • Apple Mighty Mouse Scrollball Disassembly
  • 8 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              How to clean Apple Mighty Mouse scroll ball
  • Before you continue, turn off the mouse using the slide switch underneath the mouse.
  • Before disassembling the mouse, first try scrubbing the mouse ball with a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol. Be sure to get the bristles between the ball and the housing as this will help remove dirt and dust that is clogging the rollers inside.
  • You can also try blowing into the “ball hole” with a can of compressed air.

Before you continue, turn off the mouse using the slide switch underneath the mouse.

Before disassembling the mouse, first try scrubbing the mouse ball with a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol. Be sure to get the bristles between the ball and the housing as this will help remove dirt and dust that is clogging the rollers inside.

You can also try blowing into the “ball hole” with a can of compressed air.

1024

Step 2

              Apple Mighty Mouse Scrollball Disassembly
  • Begin by flipping the mouse over, as shown.
  • Remove the bottom panel by pushing the release latch down and to the left.
  • You may need to pry the edge of the bottom panel up in the indicated area.
  • Remove the batteries.

Begin by flipping the mouse over, as shown.

Remove the bottom panel by pushing the release latch down and to the left.

You may need to pry the edge of the bottom panel up in the indicated area.

Remove the batteries.

Step 3

  • Insert spudger between button and outer white ring.
  • Twist the spudger to separate the ring from the body of the mouse. Work the spudger around the whole mouse until the ring is completely detached.
  • You must use some force to break the adhesive that holds the ring in place, but try not to crack the plastic ring.
  • You will have to glue this ring back to the mouse body when reassembling it. Cyanoacrylate adhesive works well.

Insert spudger between button and outer white ring.

Twist the spudger to separate the ring from the body of the mouse. Work the spudger around the whole mouse until the ring is completely detached.

You must use some force to break the adhesive that holds the ring in place, but try not to crack the plastic ring.

You will have to glue this ring back to the mouse body when reassembling it. Cyanoacrylate adhesive works well.

Step 4

  • Undo two clips using a spudger.
  • Similarly, use the spudger to unhook two pivot points.

Undo two clips using a spudger.

Similarly, use the spudger to unhook two pivot points.

Step 5

  • Carefully separate the two halves; do not pull on the flex cables.

Carefully separate the two halves; do not pull on the flex cables.

Step 6

  • Gently unlock the latches with a fingernail or a spudger. Do not stress the latch, or it might break.
  • Disconnect both flex cables.
  • The second photo shows how far to pull the latches.
  • When reassembling the mouse, both cables should be inserted into the connectors contact-side-up.

Gently unlock the latches with a fingernail or a spudger. Do not stress the latch, or it might break.

Disconnect both flex cables.

The second photo shows how far to pull the latches.

When reassembling the mouse, both cables should be inserted into the connectors contact-side-up.

Step 7

  • Remove three Phillips #00 screws that attach the scrollball assembly to the upper shell.

Remove three Phillips #00 screws that attach the scrollball assembly to the upper shell.

Step 8

  • Pry the white ball cover out of the black housing with a small flat-head screwdriver.
  • There are small loose parts in the Assembly, be careful when removing the cover. The small magnetic wheels are especially easy to lose.

Pry the white ball cover out of the black housing with a small flat-head screwdriver.

There are small loose parts in the Assembly, be careful when removing the cover. The small magnetic wheels are especially easy to lose.

Step 9

  • Remove the four rollers from the black housing with tweezers. They are held in place magnetically.
  • Clean all parts in isopropyl alcohol, allow them to dry, and reassemble the device.
  • When reassembling the Assembly, the Rollers are placed back with the back wheel end touching the metal tabs.

Remove the four rollers from the black housing with tweezers. They are held in place magnetically.

Clean all parts in isopropyl alcohol, allow them to dry, and reassemble the device.

When reassembling the Assembly, the Rollers are placed back with the back wheel end touching the metal tabs.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

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                    Alex Jansen

Member since: 04/21/2010

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manwithfire - May 27, 2012

Reply

Confirmed: these instructions work just fine for the usb version. The ribbon cable connectors are positioned slightly differently, but otherwise, exactly the same process. My usb mighty mouse is now like brand new. Thanks.

Tobias - Nov 20, 2012

Reply

Very good guide, worked very well for USB version as well, cable connector sitting in different positions but it’s not a problem. Fixed my mouse in about 15 minutes, I would say it was easy.

Thanks!

olivierfrein - May 29, 2013

Reply

thanks, it worked perfectly.

Omar ElHagin - Jan 26, 2014

Reply

Great guide. I followed it and re-assembled my wireless mighty mouse, only problem though, now the ball only scrolls up. When I scroll up, down, left, or right, the page scrolls upwards in all cases. Any tips?

lomez - Apr 29, 2014

Reply

I guess I screwed it. Something went wrong with one of the flex cables, so that the scrollball works fine, but the pointer doesn’t move any more. F**k.