12 Best Fixes For Mouse Cursor Disappears On Windows Issue

It is a befuddling state to open your computer and not see the mouse cursor. It doesn’t happen to all of us but is a common situation for Windows users. If the mouse cursor disappears, it becomes almost impossible to use the system. Only very few users know how to navigate the system using a keyboard.

Mouse Cursor Disappears on Windows

This problem can render your system useless unless you the mouse cursor rappers. If you are facing the “Mouse Cursor Disappears on Windows” problem, don’t fret. There are many simple workarounds to get the cursor back in no time at all. We will elaborate on all the possible solutions to bring the cursor back on your screen.

Cause for Mouse Cursor Disappears on Windows problem

There is no definite reason behind the Mouse Cursor Disappears on Windows issue. It could be a partial disappearance, or you may not see the mouse cursor on your screen indefinitely. There can be many possible reasons behind the mouse cursor’s disappearance:

  • A recent mouse driver update has made changes to the default mouse pointer settings.
  • A buggy or broken mouse driver update that introduced software incompatibility.
  • Your external mouse or laptop’s touchpad has a hardware defect.
  • You have made changes to mouse properties to hide the pointer while typing.
  • You have accidentally disabled the touchpad from the BIOS menu.

Solutions For Mouse Cursor Disappears On Windows Issue

Here are 12 easy solutions for the mouse cursor disappearing on windows issues. These solutions will bring back the hidden mouse cursor and let you use your PC/laptop with the mouse again.

  1. Restart Your Windows Operating System
  2. Check the Cable or Batteries
  3. Reconnect the Mouse Sensor or Cable
  4. Try Using a Different USB Port
  5. Test the Mouse on Another PC
  6. Unhide the Mouse Pointer in the System Settings
  7. Highlight the Mouse Cursor
  8. Enable the Laptop Touchpad
  9. Disable Tablet Mode on a Touchscreen Device
  10. Run the Bluetooth and the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters
  11. Update the Mouse Drivers
  12. Reinstall the Mouse Drivers

Note: Since the mouse cursor is not visible on your computer screen, you cannot use your mouse to try the methods. You have to completely rely on the keyboard to execute these methods. If you have a laptop and don’t see the mouse cursor anymore.

Then you can try plugging in another wired/wireless mouse. But if you face the same problem on a PC, then keyboard keys are your only option. Using the keyboard to try these methods is a little cumbersome. But we’ll try our best to make it simpler for novice users.

Restart Your Windows Operating System

Restarting the computer is the most common troubleshooting tip. It is possible that your computer may have not recognized the mouse device on startup. So, you can restart the computer which may identify the device, and close any conflicting app. To restart your computer, do as follows:

  • Press Win key + D key to go to the desktop.
  • Now, press the Alt key + F4 key simultaneously to open the Shut Down Windows feature.
restart windows computer
  • Check if the Restart option is selected by default.
  • If not, then press the downward arrow key to select the Restart option.
  • Now, press the enter key to restart your Windows computer.
  • Log in and try to use the mouse to check if it’s functioning or not. If you don’t see the cursor on the screen, move to the next step.

Check the Cable or Batteries

The connecting cable of your mouse may be loosely connected to the computer. As a result, the device will not work with the computer. You will not see the mouse cursor on the screen. Reconnect the cable and insert it into the USB port properly. You can then flip the mouse to see if the sensor light is active or not.

For users with a wireless mouse, you need to check the batteries. Mouse batteries last for 3-6 months but present problems when battery levels drop too low. 

You can also flip the mouse to examine the sensor light. If it is flickering too much and shutting on/off repeatedly, change the battery. Replace the battery with a new one and then check to see if your mouse cursor appears on the screen.

Reconnect the Mouse Sensor or Cable

A loose connecting wire or USB dongle can also be the cause of the mouse cursor’s disappearance. Take out the loose wire/dongle and reconnect it to the USB port.

Make sure to insert it all the way inside and not leave it dangling mid-way. Now, try to move your mouse and see if the mouse cursor reappears on the screen. If you still don’t see the mouse cursor then move on to the next step in the list.

Try Using a Different USB Port

It is possible that your external mouse is fit as a fiddle. But your USB port is not recognizing the device and shows the same error. The reason behind this could be a faulty/damaged USB port or a corrupt device driver.

First of all, disconnect the mouse from the USB port and try another USB port on your computer. Your mouse pointer may appear on the screen now.

If you still don’t see the mouse cursor then you need to fix the unstable/corrupt USB driver. To do this, repeat the following steps:

  • Press Win Key + R key to open the Run box.
  • Now, type devmgmt.msc and then press the Enter key.
device manager
  • Press the Tab key to shift to the device menu.
  • Now, use the downward arrow key to find the Mice and other pointing devices option.
  • Press the left arrow key to expand the option and then move to the USB mouse.
  • Hit the enter key to reveal the Properties menu.
  • Now, press the Tab key to move to the general tab.
  • Then use the left arrow key to move to the Driver tab.
device manager driver remove
  • Hit the Tab key again till you reach the Uninstall Device option.
  • Hit the enter key to remove the mouse from your computer.
  • Now, restart your computer and then reconnect the mouse to the system.
  • Windows will install the device drivers automatically. Try to use the mouse and check if the mouse cursor is visible on the screen.

Test the Mouse on Another PC

You can test the mouse on another PC to verify its condition. It is possible that your system fails to recognize the device anymore.

Your mouse may be fine but the system isn’t able to power it due to corrupt/old drivers. In such cases, it is good to test your mouse on another Windows PC.

Disconnect your mouse from your system and plug it into the USB port of another Windows system. Try to operate the mouse and see if the new system shows any signs of the missing cursor.

If you still don’t see any mouse cursor, then your mouse has a hardware defect. It is not due to a change in software or system settings and you don’t need to make any systems settings tweaks.

You need to replace the mouse with a new one and then check if your cursor appears on not. If you cannot see the mouse cursor with a new mouse, you need to make changes to mouse properties on your system.

Unhide the Mouse Pointer in the System Settings

You may face temporary mouse cursor disappearance, which only happens when you type. The cursor comes back as soon as you stop typing on your computer. This could be due to the “Hide my Pointer while typing” feature.

If you have enabled this feature, then the mouse pointer will disappear when you type. To revert this setting, do as follows:

  • Hold the Windows key and press the R key. It will open the Run command box on your system.
  • Now, type Main.cpl in the text box and press the enter key.
mouse properties
  • Or, you can open the start menu and then type mouse settings.
  • Then you need to press the enter key to open mouse settings in windows.
  • Now, use the Tab key to reach the Additional Mouse Settings option and then press the enter key.
  • The Mouse Properties window will open. Press the left arrow key to reach the Pointer Options tab in the window.
disable mouse feature
  • Then press the tab key to move to the Hide my Pointer while typing option in the list.
  • Now, press the Spacebar to uncheck the feature and then use the tab key to go to the Apply button.
  • Press the enter key and then go to the Ok button. Press enter key to apply changes and exit the Mouse Properties window.
  • Now, try using the mouse and check if the mouse pointer is back again.

Highlight the Mouse Cursor

There is a feature in Mouse Properties to highlight your mouse cursor by pressing a key. You can enable this feature and then press the Ctrl key to highlight the mouse cursor when it disappears. To enable this feature, repeat the following steps:

  • Press the Windows Key and R key at once to open the Run command box.
  • Now, type main.cpl in the text input area and then press the enter key.
mouse pointer settings
  • The Mouse Properties window will open.
  • Press the left arrow key to move to the Pointer Options tab in the mouse properties window.
  • Once you are in the Pointer Options tab, look for the “Show location of the pointer when I press the Ctrl key” option.
enable mouse pointer settings
  • Navigate to the option using the tab key and press space to check the option and enable it.
  • Now, use the tab key to reach the apply button and press enter key.
  • Then, go to the Ok button using the tab key and hit the enter key.
  • Now, you can press the Ctrl key to highlight your mouse pointer location on the screen.
  • If you cannot see the mouse pointer even now, move to the next step and try it.

Enable the Laptop Touchpad

If your mouse cursor disappears on a windows laptop, you can try enabling the laptop touchpad. There are many methods to enable your laptop’s touchpad. You can do it by using the hotkeys, system settings, and BIOS settings.

Enable the Laptop Touchpad using hotkeys

Most laptop manufacturers offer a touchpad hotkey on their laptops. You can turn the touchpad on/off by pressing this hotkey combination on your laptop keyboard. Usually, it is any F key with a touchpad icon on it.

If you don’t see a hotkey sign on your F key it is possible that there isn’t one for your laptop model. But you do a hotkey search for your laptop model before ignoring this method.

  • Find the F key associated with the touchpad setting on your keyboard.
  • Now, press the Fn key and the designated F key at the same time.
  • You will see a pop-up or notification flash on the screen which informs about the touchpad’s state(on or off).
  • Try to use your touchpad now and check if the mouse cursor appears on the screen or not.

Enable the Laptop Touchpad using Mouse Properties

If you don’t have a designated hotkey for tuning on the laptop touchpad, you can do it using Mouse Properties.  Retrace the following steps to enable the laptop touchpad using mouse properties:

For Older Windows versions:

  • Press Win key + R to open the Run command box on your system.
  • Now, enter main.cpl command in the text input box and press the enter key.
run box
  • The Mouse Properties window opens the Buttons tab by default but you need to go to Device settings.
  • Press the left arrow key to navigate to the Hardware tab.
  • Now, select the Elan or Synaptics device and then press the tab key to move to the enable button.
enable touchpad
  • Press the spacebar to enable the device and move and press the apply button as well.
  • Now, navigate to the ok button and press the spacebar or enter key to enable the touchpad and exit the window.

For Newer Windows versions(10 and 11):

  • Press the Start button and search for Touchpad settings.
  • Open the setting and use the tab key to go to the Enable Touchpad option.
  • If it is off, toggle it on by pressing the spacebar once.
  • Now, try using your laptop touchpad and check if the mouse cursor is visible on your screen.

Enable the Laptop Touchpad using BIOS

A laptop touchpad is a hardware component that can be activated from the BIOS settings. Using the BIOS settings, you can change the boot order of devices and also enable/disable devices. If your laptop’s touchpad is inactive, you can enable it via BIOS settings. Repeat the following steps:

  • Restart the computer by using the Alt key + F4 combination.
  • Now, press the mapped F key to enter the BIOS menu.
  • Once you are inside the BIOS menu, navigate to the Advanced Settings page using the left arrow key.
  • Now, find the Internal Pointing Device option and check whether it is enabled or disabled.
  • If it is disabled, press the arrow key to enable it.
  • Now, locate the desired key for saving changes and exiting the menu.
  • Press F10 to save the new changes and exit the boot menu.
  • Log in to Windows and check if the laptop touchpad works or not. You will be able to see the mouse pointer if it is working fine.
  • Otherwise, move to the next step in the list.

Disable Tablet Mode on a Touchscreen Device

If you have a touchscreen device with the Tablet mode active, it can cause the mouse pointer to vanish in thin air. Once you switch back to normal mode, you can see the mouse pointer again.

So, disabling the Tablet Mode may bring back your mouse pointer on the screen. To disable tablet mode, repeat the following steps:

  • Tap the start button and open the Settings feature of Windows.
  • Now, click on the System option icon in the settings window.
  • Then, scroll the left-hand side menu and find the Tablet mode.
  • Now, check if the “Make Windows more touch-friendly when using your device as a tablet” is active or not.
  • Tap the toggle to disable it and now reconnect your mouse device.
  • Try to use it and check if the mouse pointer appears on the screen.

Note: Tablet Mode is a setting available in Windows 10 operating system. Windows 11 doesn’t have the feature and instead switches to tablet mode automatically. If you use Windows 11, then this method won’t be applicable to your system.

Run the Bluetooth and the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter is a diagnostic utility in Windows OS. It can help you identify the problems with your hardware devices if any. You can let the feature run and identify all the problems with your Windows system.

This can fix the mouse cursor disappear on Windows problem automatically. Remember that the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter is good for software fixes only. It cannot correct or fix a hardware-level defect in your mouse.

Update the Mouse Drivers

Outdated mouse drivers can cause incompatibility and cursor disappearance issues. Obsolete mouse drivers should be periodically updated by the user. To update the mouse drivers, do as follows:

  • Press the Win key + R to open the Run command box.
  • Now, type devmgmt.msc to open the Device Manager.
open device manager
  • Press the Tab key once to enter the device list.
  • Then use the arrow keys to reach the Mouse and other pointing devices option.
  • Hit the right arrow key to expand the pointing devices list and press enter key to open the Properties menu.
  • Now, switch to the Drivers tab using the right arrow key.
update mouse driver
  • Use the Tab key to select the Update Driver option and then hit enter.
  • Select the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Press enter key to install the latest drivers for your mouse.
  • Now, exit the menu and try using your mouse to check if the mouse pointer disappears again.

Reinstall the Mouse Drivers

If the Update mouse drivers option doesn’t do any good then you need to reinstall the mouse drivers. Reinstalling will remove all the traces of existing drivers on your system. To reinstall the mouse drivers, do as follows:

  • Press the Win key + R to open the Run command box.
  • Now, type devmgmt.msc to open the Device Manager.
open device manager
  • Press the Tab key once to enter the device list.
  • Then use the arrow keys to reach the Mouse and other pointing devices option.
  • Hit the right arrow key to expand the pointing devices list and press enter key to open the Properties menu.
  • Now, switch to the Drivers tab using the right arrow key.
reinstall mouse drivers
  • Use the Tab key to select the Uninstall Device option and then hit enter.
  • After that restart your computer and reattempt a driver update. You can do it by using the Update Driver option in the Properties menu.
  • Try to use the mouse and check if the mouse pointer disappears anymore.

Conclusion

These were 12 easy solutions for the mouse cursor disappearing on Windows problem. Make sure to try the solutions in the same order. It will be slightly difficult to use keyboard buttons to navigate complex menus.

Remember that the Tab key and arrow keys are your best option for navigation. You can use to spacebar or the enter key to confirm a selection.

Mouse cursor disappearance is fixable using the above-mentioned methods. But if there is a hardware defect, then you will need to replace your mouse.