Mouse jiggler for Teams: USB device, free app or TeamsActivo
A mouse jiggler keeps Microsoft Teams on Available because it produces pointer movement, which resets the idle counter Teams reads. A USB jiggler needs no software and is the only option on a computer where you cannot install anything. A free jiggler app is enough for one computer you manage by hand. TeamsActivo does the same job but follows Teams, your work hours and your real activity across 3 devices, for €5 + VAT per month.
What a mouse jiggler does
Teams marks you Away after about 5 minutes without keyboard or mouse input. A mouse jiggler prevents that by moving the pointer at intervals, so the operating system never reaches that idle time. It comes in two forms:
- A USB device. A small dongle that the computer sees as an ordinary mouse.
- A program. A free app such as Mouse Jiggler on Windows or Jiggler on macOS that moves the pointer in software.
TeamsActivo belongs to the second family: it is a software activity simulator. The difference is in when it acts, not in how. For the full list of approaches, including the ones that do not work, see the guide to keeping your Teams status Available.
USB jiggler, free app and TeamsActivo side by side
| Feature | USB mouse jiggler | Free jiggler app | TeamsActivo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stops Away from inactivity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Needs software installed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Needs a free USB port | Yes | No | No |
| Turns on and off with Teams | No | No | Yes, by default |
| Acts only when you are idle | No, it moves on a fixed interval | Depends on the app | Yes, from 60 seconds without input |
| Size of the movement | Depends on the model, sometimes visible | Depends on the app | 1 pixel and back |
| Holds back during full-screen video or slides | No | Usually not | Yes |
| Limits itself to work hours | No | Usually not | Optional, Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 19:00 |
| Stops if you leave for hours | No, until you unplug it | Usually not | Yes, after 4 hours without real use |
| Keeps you Available with the screen locked | No | No | No |
| Systems | Any computer with a USB port | One system per app | macOS, Windows, Linux and Android, 3 devices per licence |
| Cost | One-off purchase | Free | €5 + VAT per month, 10-day free trial |
Free apps vary. The table describes what the well-known ones do by default, so check the options of the one you pick.
When a USB jiggler is the better choice
- You cannot install software on the computer. In that case it is the only thing that works, and TeamsActivo is not an option.
- You want something that works the same on any computer, with no account and no subscription.
- You prefer to pay once.
The trade-offs: it runs for as long as it is plugged in, with or without Teams, so you switch it off by unplugging it. It keeps moving the pointer during a presentation or a video. It occupies a port, and it is one more thing to carry and to forget.
When a free app is enough
If you work on a single computer and do not mind starting and stopping a program yourself, a free jiggler app covers the essential need at no cost. That is a perfectly good answer and you do not need to pay for anything.
Where it falls short is everything around the movement. A generic jiggler does not know whether Teams is open, what time it is, or whether you left the desk two hours ago. It keeps going until you stop it. And if you use a Mac at home and a Windows laptop at work, you need a different app, with different behaviour, on each.
When TeamsActivo is the better fit
- You want it to follow Teams: on when Teams opens, off when Teams closes, with nothing to remember.
- You do not want the pointer to move while you present or watch a video. TeamsActivo skips the movement when a full-screen app is in front or a mouse button is held down.
- You want it to stop by itself: outside work hours if you choose, and after 4 hours without real use if you leave.
- You use more than one device. One licence covers 3, across macOS, Windows, Linux and Android.
The trade-offs: it costs €5 + VAT per month, it has to be installed, and on a Mac it needs the Accessibility permission. Setup is covered in the guides for Windows, Mac and Linux. The trial and the price are on the home page.
What none of the three can do
- Keep you Available with the screen locked. A locked session shows Away, and no jiggler of any kind changes that.
- Survive a closed lid. A laptop that sleeps shows Away.
- Override company policy. A screen lock enforced through MDM, Group Policy or Intune takes priority.
One more thing to keep in mind with any of them: while the pointer keeps moving, the computer does not lock itself from inactivity. Lock it by hand when you step away.
Whichever you choose, use it on your own devices and within your organisation's policies.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mouse jiggler keep Teams active?
Yes. Teams reads the operating system idle time, and pointer movement resets it, so both USB jigglers and jiggler apps keep the status on Available. They stop working when the screen is locked or the computer sleeps.
Is a USB mouse jiggler better than software?
It is better in one case: when you cannot install software on the computer. Otherwise software has the advantage that it can be selective. TeamsActivo, for example, only acts when Teams is open and you have been idle for 60 seconds.
Is TeamsActivo just a mouse jiggler?
The mechanism is the same: a small pointer movement that resets the idle time. What it adds is when it acts. It turns on with Teams, moves 1 pixel and back only after 60 seconds without input, holds back during full-screen apps, can keep to work hours, and stops after 4 hours without real use.
Is there a free alternative to TeamsActivo?
Yes. Free jiggler apps exist for Windows and macOS and they prevent the Away status. They are a sensible choice for one computer. TeamsActivo is worth paying for only if you want the automatic behaviour or the same tool on several devices.