How to Fix Mouse Cursor Disappears on Windows 11/10

Are you among the many Windows 10/11 users who have experienced the frustrating problem of a disappearing mouse cursor? You’re not alone! This issue can occur after upgrading from a previous version of Windows or waking your computer up from sleep mode.

It can be alarming, especially if you rely heavily on your mouse for navigation. But fear not, as there are several solutions you can try to restore your mouse cursor and regain control of your Windows device.

Quick Fixes for a Disappearing Mouse Cursor

Before diving into the more detailed solutions, let’s start with quick fixes that might bring back your mouse cursor. These solutions are applicable if you’re using a mouse and not a touchpad.

Check the mouse settings to ensure the cursor visibility is turned on.
Check the Connection.
Update the Windows.
Change Batteries(For wireless mouse)
Restart Your Computer.
Test the Mouse on another PC.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the mouse.
Removing and re-pairing the mouse.
Connecting the mouse to a different USB port.
Running the Hardware Troubleshooter.
Perform a clean boot
Disable any third-party mouse software.

In case the touchpad cursor still disappears on Windows 11/10, then try the below potential fixes;

How to Fix the Disappearing Mouse Cursor Issue on Windows 11/10

If the quick fixes didn’t work, don’t worry. There are several methods you can try to fix the disappearing mouse cursor issue on Windows 10/11.

1. Enable Mouse/Touchpad with Function Keys

If you’re using a laptop and your mouse cursor disappears on your laptop, it’s worth checking if one of the function keys (F1-F9) enables or disables the mouse or touchpad.

To get the cursor back on the Dell laptop on Windows 10, press the corresponding function key and the “Fn” key to toggle the mouse/touchpad functionality. This simple step may bring back your mouse cursor.

2. Check Mouse Settings

Sometimes, the mouse cursor may be hidden due to certain mouse settings. To unhide the mouse cursor in the system settings, follow these steps:

Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
Type control mouse and press Enter to open the Mouse Properties window.

How to fix Touchpad cursor disappears on windows 11/10

Use the Tab key to navigate to the Pointer Options tab.
Press Tab continuously until the Hide pointer while typing box is highlighted.
Press the Spacebar to uncheck the Hide pointer while typing the box.
Navigate to the Apply option using the Tab key and press the Spacebar to apply the settings.

Finally, navigate to the OK option using the Tab key and press the Spacebar to finalize the process.

3. Update Mouse Drivers

If no cursor is disappeared on Windows 10 on startup, then there might be the possibility that outdated or corrupted mouse drivers can also cause the mouse cursor to disappear. Updating or reinstalling the mouse drivers may fix the issue. Here’s how you can update the mouse drivers:

Press Win + X and select Device Manager from the menu.

Use the arrow keys to navigate to Mice and other pointing devices, and press the right-pointing arrow to expand the category.
Select one of the mouse drivers and press Shift + F10 to right-click on the driver.
Use the arrow keys to select Update driver and press Enter.

Select the Search automatically for the updated driver software option and follow the on-screen instructions to update the driver.

If updating the driver doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try reinstalling the mouse drivers by following these steps:

Open the Device Manager and navigate to Mice and other pointing devices.
Right-click on the mouse driver and select Uninstall device.

Now, Right-click on Mice and other pointing devices and select Scan for hardware changes.

Restart your PC to save the changes.

If you still can’t understand how to update the Mouse Drivers, then watch the below video;

Alternatively, you can download Driver Easy and make the whole process seamless. Download the software and install it; upon launching, click on check for updates and let the software find the latest drivers for your hardware. Once the process is complete, install the drivers and restart your PC.

4. Run the Built-In Troubleshooters

If the cursor disappears on Dell/Asus laptops, Windows provides built-in troubleshooters that can help diagnose and fix various issues, including the disappearing mouse cursor problem. To run the hardware and devices troubleshooter, follow these steps:

Press “Windows+R” to open the Run box:
Type “msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic” in the Run box and press enter:

Click “Next” to start the troubleshooting process:

As a result, the troubleshooter will diagnose and fix the issues encountered.

Using a wireless mouse, you can also run the Bluetooth troubleshooter by searching for it in the same Troubleshoot settings window.

5. Disable Tablet Mode on Touchscreen Devices

If you’re using a touchscreen device and the touchpad cursor is not working, then the disappearance of the mouse cursor may be related to the Tablet mode feature. Disabling Tablet mode might bring back the mouse cursor. Here’s how to do it:

Touch the Notification Center icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Press the Tablet mode option to disable it (the color should change to gray when disabled).

5. Disable Windows Ink

To prevent the cursor from disappearing while using the pen on a Wacom graphics tablet, you can disable Windows Ink by following these steps:

Click on the Start menu and navigate to the Wacom Tablet folder.
Open Wacom Tablet Properties.
In the Properties window, select the MAPPING tab.
Locate the option labeled “Use Windows Ink” and uncheck it.

Alternatively, if you prefer not to disable Windows Ink, you can make Windows display the diamond-shaped pointer by adjusting the settings as follows:

Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings menu.
Go to the Devices section and select Pen & Windows Ink.

Enable the option that says “Show cursor.”

By following either of these methods, you can address the issue of the cursor disappearing while using a Wacom graphics tablet on Windows.

In case you are utilizing multiple monitors or perhaps a projector in your setup, it is possible for the mouse cursor to be located on one of those screens.

If you find yourself in this situation, simply moving the mouse cursor a few inches might not be sufficient to make it visible again. To locate the cursor, try dragging the mouse to the left or right multiple times until it reappears on your primary screen.

In case none of the solutions works for you, then try the below additional fixes;

Check for and remove any found malware
Unplug all USB devices and restart the computer
Power the computer down for a few minutes and then start it back up
Use a registry cleaner tool to clean up registry problems
Run System Restore to undo recent system changes

FAQS

1. Why Did My Cursor Disappear?

There can be several reasons why the cursor might disappear on Windows 11 or 10. Here are a few possible causes:

Display driver issue: Outdated or incompatible display drivers can sometimes cause problems with the cursor. Updating your graphics drivers to the latest version might help resolve the issue.
Cursor settings: The cursor visibility settings may have been modified or changed unintentionally. You can check the cursor settings in the Control Panel or Settings menu to ensure that the cursor is set to be visible.
Cursor theme or scheme: If you have installed a custom cursor theme or scheme, the specific theme you’re using may be causing the cursor to disappear. Try switching to the default cursor theme to see if the issue persists.
Third-party software conflict: Certain third-party software, especially programs that modify or enhance cursor functionality, can conflict with the system and cause the cursor to disappear. Try disabling or uninstalling any recently installed software to see if it resolves the issue.
Malware or system issue: In rare cases, malware or system issues can interfere with the cursor functionality. Running a thorough scan with an updated antivirus program can help identify and remove potential malware. Additionally, performing system maintenance tasks like disk cleanup and system file checks (using tools like Disk Cleanup and sfc /scannow) can help resolve system-related issues.

2. Why Is My Mouse Not Showing Up On My Laptop?

If your mouse cursor is not showing up on your laptop, there could be several reasons for this issue. Here are some common causes and potential solutions: