How to Stop Mouse From Going off Screen: 5 Quick Ways

Whether using a USB mouse device or your laptop’s touchpad, it isn’t very pleasant when it suddenly goes off the screen.

Most computer users do one of two things: either unplug, then plug back the mouse, or change the Synaptics settings for the touchpad. But these quick, basic, yet knee-jerk responses may not always work.

In this case, you’ll want to search for other possible solutions, which we have outlined and described in this article.

What can I do if the mouse pointer goes off screen?

Here are a few things to check before you use any of the solutions below:

• The make and model of your mouse
• The operating system you’re using (32 or 64-bit)
• Whether the issue is in all apps or a specific app
• If changing mouse settings like speed helps resolve the issue
• Whether connecting the mouse to a different computer helps
• Check if you installed the latest drivers for the mouse
• Look for any yellow exclamation mark on your mouse in the Device Manager
• Check if other USB devices work properly

1. Check your monitor’s projector mode to fix the mouse going off screen

If your projector mode is set to Extend, this may cause the mouse to go off the screen. Go to the projector settings and set it to Computer only. This limits the mouse to the end where the screen does.

Go to display settings, press multiple displays, and set it to ‘Show only on 1’.

2. Boot in Safe Mode and check for the device

1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app and select Update & Security.
   
2. Select Recovery from the left pane and click the Restart now button under Advanced startup.
   
3. Now, select Troubleshoot when your PC restarts.
   
4. Next, click Advanced options.
   
5. Choose Startup Settings.
   
6. From here, click the Restart button.
   
7. Once your computer restarts, press 4 or F4 to Enable Safe Mode.
   

If the mouse goes off the screen in Safe mode, then your default settings and basic drivers are not contributing to the issue.

Restart your PC to exit Safe Mode and boot normally. If that does not work, follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows key + R, type msconfig, and click OK.
   
2. Click the Boot tab at the top.
3. Now, uncheck the Safe Boot box, click Apply, followed by OK, and restart your computer.
   

Safe mode starts your computer with limited files and drivers, but Windows will still run. If the mouse issue persists, check whether it occurs while your computer is in Safe mode.

3. Run troubleshooter

1. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and click Run as administrator under Command Prompt.
   
2. Type the command below and hit Enter: msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic
3. Finally, wait for the command to finish running.

If your mouse still goes off the screen after applying the fixes above, you might need to run the Hard and Devices troubleshooter to diagnose and fix the issue.

This checks for commonly occurring issues and ensures any new device or hardware is correctly installed on your computer.

4. Uninstall and reinstall mouse drivers

1. Press the Windows key + X and select the Device Manager option.
   
2. Click the arrows next to the Mice and other pointing devices option to expand it and right-click the device there.
3. Now, select the Uninstall device option.
   
4. Click the Uninstall button to confirm the action.
   
5. Finally, restart your PC and the driver will be reinstalled automatically.

Sometimes, your mouse might go off the screen because of faulty drivers. The quickest way to fix this is to reinstall the drivers.

5. Check Mouse Properties

1. Press the Windows key, type control, and select the Control Panel option.
   
2. Choose the Hardware and Sound option.
   
3. Select Mouse.
   
4. Select Click to change Touchpad settings.
5. Click Sensitivity.
6. Check the Turn On box next to Touch Guard.
7. Move the white circle under Touch Guard to your extreme right (towards the + sign).
8. Click Save and close touchpad utility.
9. Click Ok.

In some cases, your mouse might be going off the screen because of its settings. You can follow the steps above to adjust its properties accordingly.

With this solution, we can conclude this guide on fixing the mouse goes off the screen issue. You only need to follow the instructions, and things should return to normal.

If your mouse cursor moves erratically, check our detailed guide to fix it quickly. When working with a secondary monitor, you can adjust the cursor movement to precision for easier transition between displays.

Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you solve this problem in the comments below.