If not all, most of us have had some kind of run-in with our mouse cursor moving on its own and it can get annoying, even problematic.
There are many reasons why a mouse could decide to lead a life of its own and stop listening to our commands. Some of them are a quick click away from a fix and some might require a bit more effort to fix.
So, if you have a mouse cursor moving on its own, whether that be via your mouse or touchpad, here are a few things to check off the list.
Contents
Possible Cause #1: Faulty Hardware
There’s always a good chance that your mouse cursor is going on an adventure due to hardware. So, the first step should include checking your mouse cable, whether it is plugged in correctly, and checking the port.
If you have a wireless mouse cursor moving on its own, then it’s a good idea to check the USB & USB port, as well as recall the last time you had a battery change.
If you use a touchpad, then it could have accumulated dust which is making the cursor malfunction.
How to Fix It
Depending on which of the above could be the faulty hardware causing the movement, then you should act accordingly.
For instance, for a faulty cable, you can try fixing it or replacing the mouse; whereas, for a faulty battery, a battery change will suffice.
Possible Cause #2: Touchpad Settings
If you use a mouse, there is a good chance the source of your issues is hiding in touchpad settings. If you have your touchpad movement speed and sensitivity set to high, it is possible that through your hand movement, you are moving the mouse cursor both with your mouse and your touchpad.
Similarly, if you are using your touchpad, high cursor speed or sensitivity could cause you to move your mouse cursor without intending to.
How to Fix It
Go to touchpad settings:
The screenshot below shows normal mouse cursor speed. If your mouse cursor speed is set much higher then try turning it back down and see if it fixes the problem.
For sensitivity check, open the taps section, and if it is set to any other sensitivity, try medium sensitivity, as shown in the picture below.
You can play around with the settings and see if moving them around fixes the problem for you. If not, check out the other possible causes!
Bonus tips:
- If you don’t use your touchpad, then you can turn it off while using your mouse.
- If your touchpad has accumulated dust, it could very well be the reason your mouse cursor is moving on its own.
Possible Cause #3: Driver Updates
Another possible cause for your mouse drifting or moving on its own could be outdated drivers. Corrupted or outdated drivers can definitely cause damage to your mouse and that could be the reason your cursor malfunctions.
How to Fix It
The way to fix this issue is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is update your mouse drivers. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Device Manager
- Find Mice and other pointing devices
- Right-click on Mice and other pointing devices
- Click on Update drivers options
If that doesn’t work, you can always uninstall and install the drivers again. However, if that too doesn’t work, keep reading.
Possible Cause #4: Virus or Malware
A tale as old as time is viruses and malware affecting mouse cursor. There could be malware or viruses taking control of your mouse which is causing all the trouble.
How to Fix It
To fix this problem, you can run an antivirus program to scan your computer and let it do the work afterward.
Possible Cause #5: Surface Under Your Mouse
Most of us have been there: our mouse cursor stops responding to our commands, and come to find out, a new mouse pad fixes everything!
Check to see how your mouse cursor behaves on different surfaces to determine whether this is a possible cause for the problem you’re facing. The surface it is currently on could be too smooth, too harsh, or simply not right.
How to Fix It
Depending on what your issue is, you can always fix it by getting a new or your first mouse pad for this mouse.
Possible Cause #6: Other Devices
When dealing with a self-moving mouse cursor, one of the possible causes might be that your other hardware is interfering with its function. Check to see if you have any joystick or keyboard plugged in among others that could be messing with your mouse.
How to Fix It
In order to fix this issue, try unplugging other devices to see if your mouse cursor stops moving on its own. If it doesn’t, then the issue probably lies elsewhere.
Possible Cause #7: Realtek HD Audio Manager
Given that Realtek HD Audio Manager drivers have a reputation for interfering with mouse drivers, this could very well be the reason your mouse cursor is moving on its own. Read below what you can do to fix this.
How to Fix It
If this seems to be the issue, you can try a quick fix that involves updating or re-installing Realtek HD Audio Manager drivers. In order to do this, follow our steps for updating mouse drivers, just change out the type of the driver.
If that doesn’t seem to be getting you anywhere, you can always try disabling Realtek HD Audio Manager when rebooting. For this you will need:
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager
- Go to the Startup section
- Find Realtek HD Audio Manager and right-click on it
- Click on Disable
A Few Extra Tips
If you’ve tried all of the above and yet your mouse still moves on its own, fret not, because we still have some tricks up our sleeve.
By now, you may be tired and ready to give up on your mouse cursor; however, keep in mind these are only a few easily done steps. So, if you’ve read through here, keep on reading just a bit more to find out how to fix a mouse cursor moving on its own.
Troubleshoot Hardware
You can always opt for troubleshooting hardware if all else fails. You can access the hardware troubleshooter through these simple steps:
- Go to Settings
- Select Troubleshoot from the menu and open Other Troubleshooters
- From the menu select the hardware you want to troubleshoot (Mouse and/or Bluetooth if you’re using a wireless mouse)
Update Windows
If you have outdated Windows settings, that could also be a potential cause of your mouse cursor struggles. To rule this out, all you need to do is check if your Windows updates. To do this, follow these simple steps:
- In your Start search bar, type Windows Update Settings and click to open
- Click Check for Updates, if there are any new ones, make sure to install & download them
- If your results look like the picture below, but your mouse keeps moving on its own, continue reading
Restart Your PC
As a last resort, you can try turning it off and on again. Jokes aside, many times, our hardware problems are solved by one simple restart of the system. If you’ve tried all of the above and this one works for you (has happened to us too!), please don’t hate us!
Lastly, if none of these work, maybe try replacing your hardware or visiting your local IT shop. We hope this long list of the most common causes for a mouse cursor moving on its own has been helpful.
