Finding the Mouse Pointer

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated August 28, 2017)

1

I don't know about you, but as I get older it seems that it is harder and harder to locate the mouse pointer on the screen. It could be a symptom of aging eyes, but it could also be because with higher and higher resolutions for the screen, it can be pretty easy to "misplace" the location of the mouse pointer.

If you have this problem often, Windows provides a cool way to easily locate the mouse pointer location:

  1. Display the Control Panel. (How you do this varies based on the version of Windows you are using.)
  2. Click Hardware and Sound.
  3. Click Mouse. (This link is under the Devices and Printers section.) Windows displays the Mouse Properties dialog box.
  4. Make sure the Pointer Options tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

    5. Figure 1. The Pointer Options tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box.

  5. Make sure the Show Location of Pointer When I Press CTRL Key check box is selected.
  6. Click OK.

That's it. Now, when you press the Ctrl key, by itself, Windows "zeroes in" on the location of the mouse pointer, and you can easily see that location.

 This tip (11252) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Printing Odd or Even Pages

You can instruct Word, when printing your document, to print only the odd- or even-numbered pages. This tip explains how ...

Discover More

Exporting a Graphics Group

Need to export a graphics group from a chart so that you can use the group in a different program? It's not as easy as ...

Discover More

Including a Printer's Name in a Footer

If you can produce output on a number of different printers, you may want Word to indicate on your printouts which ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Arranging Desktop Windows

Being able to effectively manage multiple windows is an important skill. This includes tiling and cascading them so you ...

Discover More

Pin Items to the Start Screen

You can improve your efficiency at launching applications by using the Start Screen. This tip shows you how to pin items ...

Discover More

Understanding the Task Manager

The Windows Task Manager is a great utility for a variety of reasons. Understanding it will prove beneficial towards an ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 1 + 7?

2017-08-28 15:30:36

Lou Jones

On my computer (Windows 10) it's a little different: Only after I release the CTRL key does Windows "zero in" with a series of shrinking circles

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2020 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.