How to fix a vertical mouse wheel

Fix Vertical Mouse Scroll Wheel

Last update: November 27, 2024 Utilities

A little over a year ago, I bought a vertical mouse from the brand Anker. I wanted to try this type of mouse without risking spending €80 on a premium one, fearing I might not like it or find it uncomfortable. So, I opted for a more affordable alternative, trusting that Anker would offer good value for money.

While researching, I noticed that many unknown brands offered the same design as the Anker vertical mouse at an even lower price. However, I ultimately chose Anker (for this reason, even if your mouse is from another brand, not vertical, and has this issue, this guide might still help you).

Although I haven’t tried premium brands like Logitech, I was satisfied with my purchase. However, a few months ago, the scroll wheel started malfunctioning, and the problem worsened to the point where it stopped working unless I pressed it forcefully. This, instead of relieving stress on my tendons, ended up exacerbating the discomfort.

Since I had bought it on Amazon and the two-year mandatory warranty in the European Union (now three years) had not yet expired, I decided to request a repair or replacement.

I had to handle the claim directly with Anker, as Amazon no longer managed it after the return period. The experience was positive: after sending them the invoice and the device’s serial number, they offered to send me a replacement mouse. It wasn’t new but rather one previously inspected by a technician, and returning the defective mouse wasn’t required.

From the moment the old mouse started failing, I considered opening it and attempting to repair it, but my prior experience with frustrating disassemblies held me back. However, after receiving the replacement device and not having to return the broken one, I decided I had nothing to lose. I opened the mouse to investigate the cause of the scroll wheel issue.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I managed to open the vertical mouse and, with a bit of instant glue, repair it, preventing another electronic device from ending up in the trash.

Estimated time: 20 minutes.

Step 1:

On the bottom of the mouse, there are four ovals that serve as contact points with the table. These ovals are glued on. I used a mobile phone opening tool, which is a plastic tool similar to a guitar pick.

Any hard, thin plastic or even a box cutter can work to carefully peel them off without breaking them.

Step 2:

Underneath the ovals, you’ll find the screws holding the mouse base. In my case, there were only three, but this may vary depending on the model or brand. Remove all the screws.

Step 3:

Carefully open the bottom of the mouse, as an integrated circuit in the base is connected to the top by a cable.

Step 4:

Gently disconnect the cable from the connector on the circuit. Do this slowly to avoid damaging it.

Step 5:

The next step is to remove the top buttons. Using a flat screwdriver, carefully release the tabs holding the buttons to the mouse's top frame.

Step 6:

Once you remove the left and right buttons, you will be able to see the screws that join the two parts of the mouse. Remove those screws.

Step 7:

Turn over the part of the mouse that contains the scroll wheel, remove the screws that secure the circuit containing the scroll wheel to the plastic frame.

Step 8:

After separating the frame from the circuit board, carefully extract the scroll wheel.

Step 9:

The scroll wheel consists of two parts: a rubber section (the one we touch with our fingers) and a hard plastic section. A common issue with these mice is that the two parts are joined solely by the pressure of the rubber. Over time and with temperature changes, the rubber tends to expand and lose its grip.

Separate the two pieces, apply a small amount of instant glue or strong adhesive between them, and let it dry completely.