Eston Burciaga asked if “there’s a way to drastically increase the size of the standard Windows pointer?”
If you move your mouse, and can’t find the pointer, it’s time to change the way that the pointer looks and behaves. You can make that adjustment through Control Panel’s Mouse tool. The easiest way to get to that tool varies depending on your version of Windows.
[Have a tech question? Ask PCWorld Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector. Send your query to answer@pcworld.com.]
Windows 7: Click Start, type mouse and select Mouse in the Control Panel section.
Windows 8: Go to the Search charm and type mouse in the text box. Click the option that simply says “Mouse,” and has an icon of a mouse. (Don’t be tempted by the “Ease of Access mouse settings” option. It doesn’t provide as many options as the Control Panel tool.)
Windows 10: In the Search field, type mouse. Select Change your mouse settings. In the resulting Settings app, click Additional mouse settings.
Now, whichever version of Windows you’re using, you should be in the Mouse Properties dialog box.
Two useful tabs in the Mouse Property box
Click the Pointers tab. Pull down the Scheme menu and select something. You’ll find a variety of options in different sizes, colors, and outlines. When you select one, it won’t change the actual mouse pointer, but it will display your selection in the box to the right of the Scheme menu. If you really want to see how a pointer looks in actual use, click Apply and mouse around with it a bit.
You’ll find more possibilities in the dialog box’s Pointer Options tab—especially in the Visibility section. Pointer trails can be especially useful in making the pointer more visible.
If you move your mouse, and can’t find the pointer, it’s time to change the way that the pointer looks and behaves. You can make that adjustment through Control Panel’s Mouse tool. The easiest way to get to that tool varies depending on your version of Windows.
[Have a tech question? Ask PCWorld Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector. Send your query to answer@pcworld.com.]
Windows 7: Click Start, type mouse and select Mouse in the Control Panel section.
Windows 8: Go to the Search charm and type mouse in the text box. Click the option that simply says “Mouse,” and has an icon of a mouse. (Don’t be tempted by the “Ease of Access mouse settings” option. It doesn’t provide as many options as the Control Panel tool.)
Windows 10: In the Search field, type mouse. Select Change your mouse settings. In the resulting Settings app, click Additional mouse settings.
Now, whichever version of Windows you’re using, you should be in the Mouse Properties dialog box.
Two useful tabs in the Mouse Property boxClick the Pointers tab. Pull down the Scheme menu and select something. You’ll find a variety of options in different sizes, colors, and outlines. When you select one, it won’t change the actual mouse pointer, but it will display your selection in the box to the right of the Scheme menu. If you really want to see how a pointer looks in actual use, click Apply and mouse around with it a bit.