6 Ways to Fix a Disappearing Mouse Pointer in Windows

Is your cursor acting coy? Here's how to fix a vanishing mouse pointer in Windows.

Has the mouse pointer disappeared from your Windows device, or does your mouse pointer randomly disappear while you’re typing? If you're stuck in this strange situation, there are ways to bring your shy cursor back out for everyone to see. And the fun part is that, as you try these solutions, they’ll teach you a few tricks about how to use Windows 10 without a mouse.

So, let’s dive in and discover how you can bring back that mouse pointer on your device.

1. Quick Fixes for a Mouse Pointer That Won’t Appear

Before we can explore a few detailed solutions, let’s first check some quick fixes that could help bring back the mouse pointer. However, note that these are only applicable if you’re using a mouse and not a touchpad:

Reconnect the Mouse Sensor or Cable

Depending on whether you’re using a wired or wireless mouse, try removing and reconnecting the mouse sensor or cable. Once reconnected, try moving the mouse and seeing if the cursor returns.

Check the Cable or Batteries

For a wired mouse, check the mouse cable and ensure that it doesn’t have any signs of damage. If it’s a wireless mouse, try using new batteries and see if this resolves the issue.

Try Using a Different USB Port

The mouse might have disappeared simply because the USB port is defective. So, try using a different port and see if this resolves the issue.

Test the Mouse on Another PC

If all the other quick fixes don’t work out, try using your mouse on another device. In case the issue persists, then your mouse needs to be fixed. Otherwise, if the mouse works on the other device, then your system has issues and needs troubleshooting.

f your mouse works on another device, let’s take a look at how you can troubleshoot your PC to bring the mouse pointer back.

2. Unhide the Mouse Pointer in the System Settings

If you encounter this issue only while typing, then this has to do with the way you’ve configured your mouse settings. So, let’s take a look at how you can bring back the mouse pointer in this instance:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
2. Type control mouse and then press Enter to open the Mouse Properties window.
3. Next, continuously press the Tab key until the Buttons tab is highlighted.

Next, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Pointer Options tab. When you get there, press the Tab key continuously until the Hide pointer while typing box is highlighted.

From there, press the Spacebar to uncheck this box.

Next, navigate to the Apply option using the Tab key and press the Spacebar to apply these settings. Finally, navigate to the OK using the Tab key and then press the Spacebar to finalize this process.

3. Enable the Touchpad

If you’re experiencing this issue while using a touchpad, then the touchpad is most likely disabled in the system settings.

So, here’s how you can enable your touchpad to resolve the issue:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
2. Type control mouse and then press Enter to open the Mouse Properties window.
3. Use the Tab key to navigate to the Buttons tab.
4. Next, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Touchpad tab (usually labeled ELAN or Device Settings).
5. Use the Tab button to select the Enable Device option and then press the Spacebar to select this option.

Navigate to the Apply option using the Tab key and then press the Spacebar to apply these changes. Finally, navigate to the OK option using the Tab key and then press the Space bar.

4. Disable Tablet Mode on a Touchscreen Device

If you’re using a touchscreen device, you’re also most likely to use the Windows Tablet mode feature. However, switching to Tablet mode might be the reason your pointer has disappeared from your screen.

So, in case the Tablet mode feature is enabled on your device, here’s how you can easily disable it:

1. Touch the Notification Center icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Press the Tablet mode feature to disable it (its color should be gray when disabled).

5. Run the Bluetooth and the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

You can also bring back the mouse pointer by using Windows’ built-in troubleshooting tools. We'll take a look at how the Bluetooth and the Hardware and Devices troubleshooters can help resolve this issue.

To get started, here’s how you can use the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter:

1. Press the Windows key and type Settings in the search box.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the Settings option and then press Enter.
3. Next, type Troubleshoot in the search box, use the arrow keys to select the Troubleshoot option, and then press Enter.

In the next window, use the Tab button to move to the options on the right-hand side pane. When you get there, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.

Press Enter when the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter is highlighted, press Tab to highlight the Run the troubleshooter button, and then press Enter to continue.

When you finish, you can now run the Bluetooth troubleshooter. However, this will only be helpful if you’re using a wireless mouse.

1. To get started, open the Troubleshoot settings window as per the previous steps.
2. Next, search for the Bluetooth troubleshooter and then run the troubleshooter as per the previous steps.

6. Update or Reinstall the Mouse Drivers

This issue is also most likely to occur if the mouse drivers are corrupted. In this case, you can bring back the mouse pointer by either updating or reinstalling the mouse drivers.

Here’s how you can update the mouse drivers:

1. Press Win + X, use the arrow keys to select the Device Manager, and then press Enter.
2. Press Tab and then use the down-pointing arrow key to navigate to the Mice and other pointing devices option. From there, press the right-pointing arrow to expand this option.
3. Use the down-pointing arrow key to select one of the mouse drivers and then press Shift + F10 to right-click on the driver.
4. Use the down-pointing arrow key to select the Update driver option and then press Enter.

In the next window, use the arrow keys to select the Search automatically for updated driver software option. From there, follow the on-screen instructions to finalize the process.

If the issue persists, try reinstalling the mouse drivers by following these steps:

1. Open the Device Manager and the mouse drivers as per the previous steps.
2. Press Shift + F10 to right-click on each mouse driver and select Uninstall device.
3. Next, navigate to the Mice and other pointing devices option and right-click on it by pressing Shift + F10. Select Scan for hardware changes from the options and then press Enter.

Restart your PC when you finish.

Easily Bring Back a Missing Mouse Pointer to Your Screen

It’s really hard to use your computer without a mouse. So, in case your mouse pointer suddenly disappears, easily bring it back with the tips we’ve provided. From there, you could now start focusing on how you could customize the mouse pointer to your liking.

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