Changing the Mouse Pointer
Most of us don't think too much about the mouse pointer, but Windows uses individual cursor files to specify the various pointers it uses. (Depending on which version of Windows you are using, there are 15 - 17 individual pointers that can be used, each reflecting a different condition such as "busy," "text select," resizing, or even "unavailable.") In addition, Windows "packages" a collection of cursor files into what is called a "scheme."
Windows allows you to specify which pointer scheme should be used and, further, to modify the individual cursor files, if desired. Just follow these steps:
- Display the Control Panel.
- Click the Hardware and Sound link.
- Click the Mouse link (under the Devices and Printers heading). Windows displays the Mouse Properties dialog box.
- Make sure the Pointers tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1. The Pointers tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box.
- Use the Scheme drop-down list to specify how you generally want the mouse pointer to look. (Pick a few different ones so you can get an idea of what pointers are in each scheme.)
- If desired, double-click on any of the individual cursors in the Customize list. Windows displays the Browse dialog box so you can locate and select a cursor file defining how that particular mouse pointer should look.
- When you are done making changes, click OK. Your changes take effect immediately.
Author Bio
Allen Wyatt
With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...
Determining Combinations to Make a Total
If you have a range of cells that contain values, you may wonder which combinations of those cells should be used to meet ...
Discover More
Selecting Visible Cells in a Macro
Many times you need to select just the visible cells before taking some action. It is helpful to know how to make this ...
Discover More
Default Formatting for PivotTables
Wish there was a way to define how you want PivotTables formatted before you actually create the PivotTable? You may be ...
Discover More
Understanding ReadyBoost
ReadyBoost promised to provide a hot-swappable addition of memory that could end up improving system performance. Whether ...
Discover More
Using Your Own Pictures as Wallpaper
You can change the image that is displayed for your desktop background to your own picture. Changing the wallpaper to one ...
Discover More
Look to the Background
Windows 10 has several apps that run in the background that help improve performance and function for your system. Some ...
Discover More
This tip (12646) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.
Comments