How to Change Mouse Pointer Speed

If the cursor races across the screen or crawls when you move the mouse, you can fix it in a minute. This guide shows where the mouse pointer speed setting is in Windows 11, Windows 10, macOS, ChromeOS and Linux, how it differs from the DPI setting on your mouse, and how to choose a speed that suits you.

Change mouse speed in Windows 11

Microsoft’s steps:

Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse.
Use the slider next to Mouse pointer speed.
Move the mouse to try the new speed, and adjust until it feels right.

The same page has the Enhance pointer precision switch, which changes how the speed reacts to fast and slow movements. That is mouse acceleration, and our guide to mouse acceleration explains whether to keep it on.

You can also reach the older Mouse Properties window: under Related settings, select Additional mouse settings, then open the Pointer Options tab. Its speed slider sits under Motion and does the same job as the slider in Settings.

Change cursor speed in Windows 10

On Windows 10 the setting has a different name:

Select Start > Settings > Devices > Mouse.
Use the slider under Cursor speed.

For the classic window, select Additional mouse options under Related settings, then the Pointer Options tab. Microsoft notes that support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025, so the menus will not change any more.

What is the default pointer speed in Windows?

Windows stores the pointer speed as a number from 1 (slowest) to 20 (fastest). Microsoft’s developer documentation says “a value of 10 is the default”, which is the middle of the slider. If you have lost track of your changes, putting the slider back in the middle returns you to the standard speed.

Change tracking speed on a Mac

Apple calls it tracking speed. In current versions of macOS:

Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
Click Mouse (or Trackpad) in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
Click Point & Click, then drag the Tracking speed slider.

In macOS Sonoma 14 the slider is directly on the Mouse page, without the Point & Click step. Apple’s tip: move the pointer while you adjust the slider to see the effect straight away. Apple also notes that these settings need a wireless mouse or trackpad connected, or a Mac with a built-in trackpad.

Double-click speed and scroll speed are not in Mouse settings on a Mac. They are under Accessibility > Pointer Control.

Change mouse speed on a Chromebook

Google’s steps:

Select the time at the bottom right, then Settings.
In the Device section, select Touchpad (or Touchpad and mouse).
Move the slider next to Mouse speed, or Touchpad speed for the touchpad.

The same page has a switch to turn touchpad acceleration on or off.

Change mouse speed on Linux (GNOME)

On desktops that use GNOME, such as Ubuntu:

Open the Activities overview and type Mouse & Touchpad.
Open the panel and adjust the Pointer Speed slider.

GNOME notes that the Mouse section only appears when a mouse is connected, and that the most comfortable setting for a mouse is not always the best one for a touchpad, so set each separately.

Pointer speed vs DPI

There are two different speed settings, and mixing them up causes most confusion:

Setting	Where you change it	What it does
DPI (or CPI)	Mouse software or a DPI button	Counts the sensor sends per inch
Pointer speed	System settings	How far the cursor moves for those counts

Wikipedia notes that DPI and CPI refer to the same thing, and that many makers say DPI when they mean counts per inch. Microsoft’s ballistics paper describes the Windows slider as multiplying the mouse’s values “by a scalar set based on the speed slider setting”, so the slider scales the movement on the computer and does not change the sensor itself.

Changing either one makes the cursor faster, but they are not the same:

Raising DPI gives the system more movement data to work with. You can measure your real DPI with the mouse DPI analyzer.
Raising pointer speed stretches the same data further across the screen.

Change DPI in mouse software

Logitech G HUB: select your mouse, open the Sensitivity (DPI) tab and click on the slider to add a DPI speed. Logitech allows up to 5 DPI speeds per profile.
Logi Options+: open the mouse settings, select POINT AND SCROLL, then Pointer speed, and use the slider.
Razer Synapse: select your mouse, open the PERFORMANCE tab and turn on Sensitivity Stages, then type a DPI value or use the slider.

Many gaming mice also have DPI buttons behind the scroll wheel. On Razer mice with two buttons, the one nearer the wheel raises DPI and the other lowers it.

Mouse speed in games

Many games read mouse movement directly from the device. Microsoft explains that this “raw input” has no Windows acceleration applied, so in those games your in-game sensitivity and your mouse’s DPI usually matter, and the Windows slider usually does not. To compare sensitivity between games, use the eDPI calculator or the mouse sensitivity converter.

How to choose the right pointer speed

There is no correct number, but this routine works for most people:

Start from the default (the middle of the slider in Windows).
Move the mouse from one edge of the screen to the other in one comfortable wrist or arm movement. If you have to lift and reposition the mouse, the speed is too slow. If the cursor overshoots small buttons, it is too fast.
Change one step at a time and use it for a day before changing again.
If you use a high resolution or several monitors, a higher speed or a higher DPI saves movement.
Check your control on the Aim Trainer: if you miss small targets often, slow down.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my mouse speed on Windows 11?

Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse and use the slider next to Mouse pointer speed. The change applies straight away.

What is the default mouse speed in Windows?

Windows stores pointer speed from 1 to 20, and Microsoft’s documentation says 10 is the default. That is the middle of the slider.

Why is my mouse cursor moving too fast?

Usually the pointer speed or the mouse’s DPI is set high. Lower the pointer speed in your system settings, or lower the DPI in the mouse software or with the DPI button on the mouse.

Is pointer speed the same as DPI?

No. DPI is set in the mouse and controls how many counts the sensor sends per inch. Pointer speed is set in the operating system and controls how far the cursor moves for those counts.

Does Windows pointer speed affect games?

Usually not in games that use raw input, because they read the mouse before Windows applies its settings. In those games, change the in-game sensitivity or the mouse’s DPI instead.

How do I change mouse speed on a Mac?

Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Mouse, click Point & Click and drag the Tracking speed slider. On macOS Sonoma the slider is directly on the Mouse page.