Connect mouse to android device

Android operating system is the most widely used and one of the most favorite OS for phones and tablets. However if you are not comfortable using touch screen for navigation or need to type in long emails and documents then you wish you could use a mouse or keyboard along with your android device.Can you connect a mouse or keyboard to a android device ? The answer is a simple yes. If the android device supports USB OTG (on-the-go) adapter its very easy to configure these devices.A wireless mouse can also be connected to the android device via bluetooth. Once you have connected the mouse to the android device , the mouse cursor is displayed just as displayed on any other normal computer.

Connect a wired mouse to the android device

Mouse cannot be plugged in directly to the android device because android devices do not have standard full size USB ports. For this reason there is a need for a USB on-the-go cable. A USB on-the-go cable acts as a adapter and plugs into the micro-USB port of the android device from one side and on the other side you can plug the mouse USB cable. Once the mouse is connected, you can start using the mouse. No additional configuration or support is required.

It is important to note that not all android device support the USB on-the-go adapter. So make sure that your device supports it before purchasing the adapter.

Connect a wireless mouse to android device

Since android devices like tablets and phones are wire-free, it is sometimes not advisable to use a wired mouse with these devices. That’s the reason why some devices do not support the USB OTG adapter as these devices are basically meant to be portable devices. If your device does not support the USB OTG adapter or you do not want a wired mouse , then using a wireless mouse is the solution. You can connect your wireless mouse to the android device as follows :

  • Switch ON the bluetooth on your device and the wireless mouse.
  • On the android device navigate to Settings->bluetooth. A list of devices will be displayed.
  • Select the mouse from the list and pair the two devices.

Once these devices are connected and paired, you can start using the mouse.The mouse cursor can be used to navigate through the android interface. You will need to click on the icons instead of tapping it with a finger. If you left click on the icon, it will function as though you have tapped the icon. Right click might invoke a context menu in some application, but generally right click will behave similar to the left click. Scroll wheel can be used for scrolling as usual, although even after connecting the mouse, you can still use touchscreen if required.

Once you have the USB OTG cable, then you can also use it for connecting any other USB devices like flash drive.