How to Adjust Mouse Sensitivity in Windows 10

Evan Gower April 16, 2022

It’s impossible to use a PC without a few additional components tacked onto your computer. A monitor is a must, since you can’t control anything on your computer without viewing menus and programs. Speakers are important too, especially if you’re planning on watching Netflix on your new computer. And we can’t forget a mouse and keyboard, since without them, you won’t be able to use your computer at all.

How to Adjust Mouse Sensitivity in Windows 10

While laptops might have these components built into their chassis, if you’re using a desktop computer, these are absolute necessities before you can get up and running with your device. Even if you are using a laptop, an external mouse isn’t a bad thing to have on hand. Unlike a touchpad, a mouse is much more accurate, allowing you to perform tasks you wouldn’t want a touchpad for. From gaming to working in Photoshop, a mouse is a seriously important tool for anyone trying to improve their computing experience.

Of course, just buying the mouse isn’t enough. Mice are delicate tools, and you need to adjust the settings on your PC to get them to work right. If your PC is feeling slow due to the mouse sensitivity, adjusting your mouse settings is a great way to make Windows 10 speedier and faster than before. Let’s look at how to adjust your mouse sensitivity using Windows 10.

Method 1 – Adjust the Mouse Sensitivity using the Control Panel

Most of the features you can use are found in the Control Panel, and so are the mouse settings. You can use the native Windows feature to set the speed of your pointer, the double-clicking speed, and even change the primary buttons on your mouse. Here is what you have to do:

Press the Win + R keys together to open the Run box. Type “Control” and press Enter when you see the Control Panel pop-up. You can access the control panel from the Start menu, too.
When the Control Panel opens, select Hardware and Sound. Then, choose Mouse under Devices and Printers.
The Mouse Properties window will open. The Buttons tab allows you to switch the primary buttons on your mouse and set the double-click speed.
Click on the Pointer Options tab to access the mouse sensitivity settings. The Motion slider allows you to change the speed of your pointer at will. Move the slider left or right until you get the sensitivity you want. You can also check the box that says Enhance pointer precision to improve the accuracy of your pointer.
You can also customize your mouse wheel by increasing or decreasing the number of lines you skip when scrolling. Open the Wheel section and enter how many lines you want to skip at a time in the Vertical Scrolling box.

If you’re still unhappy with the resulting increase in mouse sensitivity, you can try using the following method.

Method 2 – Adjust the Mouse Sensitivity using the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor can also help you increase your mouse sensitivity, but it’s a little more technical and complicated. You also have to be very careful when making changes because you could end up damaging your system files if you change the wrong registry files.

You need to find the file that handles mouse speed settings and increase the sensitivity as far as it can go. If you raise the value above the recommended level, your mouse could actually become slower than before.

Here is what you have to do:

Press the Win + R keys together to access the Run box. Type “regedit” and press Enter. When the User Account Control prompt pops up, click Yes, and the Registry Editor will open.
Select File in the top-left corner of the window and choose Export to make a backup of your registry if something gets mixed up. That way, you can always restore the registry to this point and undo any potential mistakes you could make.
In the left window of the Registry Editor, find this line: Computer > HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Mouse.
When you reach the registry file, move your cursor to the right-hand side and select MouseSpeed. When the window opens, write the number 2 where it says Value data and Click OK to save the changes.
Next, find and select MouseThreshold1, change the Value data to 0, and click OK.
The last thing you have to do is select MouseThreshold2, again, set the Value data to 0, and then click OK.
If you completed every step, the sensitivity of your mouse should be set to the maximum value. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Method 3 – Adjust the Mouse Sensitivity using the Mouse DPI Button

Technically speaking, this method is the easiest of all, but it’s not possible if you don’t have a DPI button on your mouse. The feature is found on gaming mice, but most office mice don’t come with a DPI button.

Depending on your mouse, the DPI button has between 3 and 7 different modes. The sensitivity of the mouse depends on how many dots per inch (DPI) the laser on your mouse creates. Gaming mice start with 700-800 DPI and can have up to 3000-4500 DPI. Press the DPI button while moving the pointer until you reach the speed you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you change the mouse pointer size?

There are a few ways to change the mouse pointer size on your computer, let’s get started.

1. Open up the Start menu and click on Settings to open up the menu.

2. Then, click on Ease of Access.

3. Now, within in the left-side menu, click on Mouse pointer.

4. From here, adjust the mouse pointer to your desired size by using the Change pointer size slider.

Ready, Steady, GO!

Now that you know three different ways to change the sensitivity of your mouse in Windows 10, you are ready to show your navigating and aiming skills. When using the second method, make sure to create a restore point for your PC’s registry just in case you accidentally mix up the registry files.

What method do you use to change the sensitivity of your mouse? Share your experiences in the comments section below.