Guide
Mouse pointers and low vision
How to configure mouse pointers and cursors for users with low vision on Windows 10, as well as make computer mice easier to use.
A few weeks ago, my friend had noticed that I was using a large turquoise green mouse pointer on my Windows 10 computer, and asked me a few questions about mouse pointers and low vision. They were curious to know how I had customized my mouse pointer to something that was easy to see on the computer, and immediately asked how they could do the same. There are tons of ways to customize mouse pointers and cursors for low vision on Windows 10 machines, so today I will be sharing nine different ways to customize your mouse pointer and mouse cursor for users with low vision.
Related links
Mouse pointer size
In Windows 10, the mouse pointer can be enlarged to 15 different sizes, ranging from very small to gigantic. I use the size “6” for my cursor because it is large enough for me to easily track on the screen without having to worry about blocking information. When I’m using screen magnification software, I prefer to use a size “4” so I can still follow the mouse easily without it seeming overly large.
How to change mouse pointer size in Windows 10
- Go to the “Ease of Access” settings
- Under the “Vision” category, click on “Cursor and pointer.” The option to change pointer size is the first section of the list.
- Move the slider to your desired size
Related links
Changing pointer color
There are four different color options available for changing the mouse pointer color. The first two options for white and black are pretty self-explanatory, as they are solid colors, though there are two additional options that can benefit users with low vision:
Invert
I like to think of the inverted pointer as a portable screen inverter. The mouse inverts the colors of items that it passes over- a white screen becomes black, black text becomes white, et cetera. Information can be read directly inside the cursor, so it’s sort of like looking through an inverted window.
Custom color
I personally use the custom colored option for my mouse and chose to use the bright green color because I don’t work with that color very often and it pops against all backgrounds. Users can also pick a custom color by sliding their cursor across a color spectrum or typing in RGB values.
How to change mouse pointer color in Windows 10
- Go to the “Ease of Access” settings
- Under the “Vision” category, click on “Cursor and pointer.” The option to change pointer color is the first section of the list.
- Select your desired cursor from the list. White is the first cursor, black is the second, invert is third, and custom is fourth
- For custom cursors, select a color from either the suggested pointer colors or select the plus icon to pick a custom color. Users can also choose to type RGB values by clicking the “more” option.
Related links
Cursor thickness
When I am writing for long periods of time, I tend to lose track of where the cursor is on the page. One of the things that helps me is adjusting the cursor thickness so that it is a larger black rectangle. The cursor can be adjusted to twenty different settings- I have mine on size “8”
How to change mouse cursor thickness in Windows 10
- Go to the “Ease of Access” settings
- Under the “Vision” category, click on “Cursor and pointer.” The option to change pointer size is the second section of the list.
- Adjust the slider to your desired size.
Visual feedback
While this isn’t technically a setting for the mouse, users with touch screens can benefit from having the areas they touch on the screen displayed darker and larger. This helps me when I am working with my HP Sprout computer and its larger touch screen.
How to change touch visual feedback in Windows 10
- Go to the “Ease of Access” settings
- Under the “Vision” category, click on “Cursor and pointer.” The option to change touch feedback is the third section of the list.
- Turn touch feedback on/off by clicking the slider
Related links
- HP Sprout For Low Vision Accessibility Review
- How I Use The HP Sprout To Improve My Handwriting
- Why I Brought A Desktop Computer to College
Double-click speed
One of my friends finds double clicking to be very difficult, and asked me if there was any way that they could decrease the double click speed. A different friend then asked if the speed could also be increased since they like to move quickly. I was excited to show them both that yes, there is an option for both, and that double click speed can easily be changed.
How to change double click settings in Windows 10
- Go to the “Devices” settings
- Click on the “Mouse” category
- In the “Related settings” section, select “Additional mouse options”
- Under the “Buttons” screen, look at the second section for “Double-click speed”
- Adjust the double click slider to your desired speed
Click lock
The same friend who has trouble with double-clicking their mouse quickly said that they also have issues with holding down their mouse button while selecting text. I suggested that they enable click lock so that they can highlight or drag items without holding down the mouse key. To set click lock, they hold down their mouse key briefly, and then click it again when they are finished.
How to change click lock settings in Windows 10
- Go to the “Devices” settings
- Click on the “Mouse” category
- In the “Related settings” section, select “Additional mouse options”
- Under the “Buttons” screen, look at the third section for “Click lock”
- Check or uncheck the box to enable or disable click lock
Pointer speed
I find it difficult to track fast moving pointers on my screen, so I decided to slow down my mouse pointer speed so that I wouldn’t give myself eye strain trying to track it. There are 12 different notches to choose from for mouse speed, and mine is at “4”
How to change mouse pointer speed in Windows 10
- Go to the “Devices” settings
- Click on the “Mouse” category
- In the “Related settings” section, select “Additional mouse options”
- Under the “Pointer Options” screen, look at the first section for “Motion”
- Adjust the slider to your desired speed. Once the slider is adjusted, you can immediately see the change in your pointer on the screen
Pointer visibility
There are three different options for pointer visibility, which include displaying pointer trails to track the direction of the mouse, hiding the pointer while typing, and showing the location of the pointer when pressing the CTRL key. I find the pointer trails to be disorienting for my double vision, but love being able to hide the pointer while typing and then being able to find it again by pressing CTRL on my keyboard.
How to change mouse pointer visibility in Windows 10
- Go to the “Devices” settings
- Click on the “Mouse” category
- In the “Related settings” section, select “Additional mouse options”
- Under the “Pointer Options” screen, look at the third section for “Visibility”
- Check or uncheck the boxes for “display pointer trails,” “Hide pointer when typing,” and “show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key.”
Related links
- Ten “Odd” Things I Do With Double Vision
- Using PicsArt To Simulate Vision Impairment
- How To Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows
- How To Make Keyboards Easier To See
Scrolling settings
There have been many times that I have accidentally scrolled way too quickly when reading, and it turns out my mouse scroll wheel was to blame. Luckily, this was an easy fix in the mouse settings and now I only scroll 15 lines at a time, which is a much more manageable speed.
How to change scrolling settings in Windows 10
- Go to the “Devices” settings
- Click on the “Mouse” category
- In the “Related settings” section, select “Additional mouse options”
- Under the “Wheel” screen, look at the first section for “Scrolling”
- Adjust the number of lines to display when scrolling with the wheel
Final thoughts
I love being able to customize my computer for my low vision, and I’m glad that Windows 10 has given me lots of options to fine-tune my mouse pointer to be exactly how I like it. In the future, I would love to see an option for being able to change the color of different pointers depending on what is displayed- green for the standard pointer, pink for loading, et cetera. I hope this post is helpful for customizing your mouse for low vision!
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
Updated September 2023; original post published October 2019.
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