How to spot a fake Apple Magic Mouse from a real one

By Dave Johnson - Executive Editor
3 Min Read

How can you tell fake Magic Mouse from the real thing? Are you perhaps using fake Magic Mouse without knowing? Here’s how to find out.

  • The most foolproof way to know if Magic Mouse is genuine or fake is to go directly to the source: Apple. Apple has an online to check a product’s warranty status. Just enter the Magic Mouse serial number and, if you find it there, it’s genuine. If you don’t, you’ve spotted fake Magic Mouse.
  • You should also look for typos on the packaging and material of the accessory, and check if it connects to your Mac in the right way.

Magic Mouse is wireless and rechargeable, with an optimized foot design that lets it glide smoothly across your desk. The Multi-Touch surface allows you to perform simple gestures such as swiping between web pages and scrolling through documents.

The rechargeable battery will power your Magic Mouse for about a month or more between charges. It’s ready to go right out of the box and pairs automatically with your Mac, and it includes a woven USB-C to Lightning Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac.

Magic Mouse is a common targets for counterfeiters and some of them look exactly like the real thing — but they never work like it. Here’s how to be sure you’re getting the genuine article.

How to Tell If Magic Mouse is Fake by inspecting the packaging

Although scammers have become quite smart these days, they still make mistakes, which can help you spot fake Magic Mouse. Carefully look at the packaging of the Magic Mouse box, and if you notice spelling mistakes, double spaces, printing issues, and pixelation in photos, then the Magic Mouse isn’t genuine. Even the quality of the packaging material itself can reveal if it’s a fake. Apple pays really close attention to the packaging, so a subpar experience is a good sign of a fake.

How to tell if Apple magic mouse is fake by inspecting the mouse

The design of the Magic Mouse can also signal to you whether it’s fake or genuine. You can compare the design of the Magic Mouse in your hand with the one on the image provided below, and if you notice any extra ports, buttons, or shape differences, you’re holding a fake.

Magic Mouse in White, showing its curved design and Multi-Touch Surface.  

How to Tell If Magic Mouse is Fake by checking the Serial Number

If you’re unsure about the authenticity of a Magic Mouse, you can check its serial number to confirm it.

Apple runs a website that lets users check if their products are still under warranty. This is great for checking real products, of course, but it also has the added benefit of telling you when you’re using a fake product.

To use the site, you’ll just need your Magic Mouse serial number.

  • Find the serial number of your Magic Mouse. You can find it on the bottom surface of the Magic Mouse, along with other markings. It’s a string of 17 letters and numbers.
  • Once you’ve obtained the serial number of the Magic Mouse, head over to checkcoverage.apple.com. This webpage will show the relevant warranty and additional coverage details of the Magic Mouse. If your Magic Mouse is genuine, you’ll see proper results. If it’s fake, the website will throw up an error message.

Online purchases

If you’re ordering your Magic Mouse online, you won’t get your hands on it until it’s delivered. So you can check for a few things before placing the order to safeguard your money. Check seller reviews, read user reviews on the listing, and avoid suspiciously good deals. It’s also always better to buy from the Apple Online Store or reputed sellers from Amazon and other popular e-commerce websites.

The bottom line: Don’t act fast

While buying directly from Apple is the safest way to avoid counterfeit Magic Mouse, that’s not always an option for everyone. So, if you’re buying your Magic Mouse from another retailer or as a second-hand unit, make sure you properly inspect it, try to connect it to your Mac, verify the serial number on Apple’s website, and pretty much go through all the steps we listed above. Ultimately, you wouldn’t want to spend cash on a fake product, and scammers can’t mimic every Magic Mouse characteristic. So, if you’re dealing with a fake, then you’re bound to find one flaw or another, assuming you inspect and test it thoroughly. Once you’re confident that the product is real, then proceed to buy it.

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By Dave Johnson Executive Editor
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Dave Johnson is the editor-in-chief at GeeksChalk where he oversees all of site’s evergreen content to ensure it’s up to date with the latest information. Hailing from New Jersey in the US, he has over seven years of experience in the tech journalism space and holds a degree in English Literature. In his spare time, Dave can found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, and petting every dog he comes across in the outside world.
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