My Cursor Disappeared on Laptop. Get it Back Using 9 Easy Steps

A driver update will often fix this problem

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mouse cursor disappeared windows 10

In this article, we explore all you need to know on how to get the cursor back on your laptop. Sometimes, your cursor freezes jumps, or disappears on Windows 10, which can cause many problems.

The disappearance of the mouse pointer can be a big problem since you won’t be able to access anything unless you rely solely on keyboard shortcuts.

The best solution to get your mouse pointer back is to press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B on your keyboard.

How do I get my mouse pointer back?

1. Press function keys just in case

You can sometimes disable your mouse using specific keyboard shortcuts, especially on laptops.

If that’s the case, it could be resolved by pressing the function keys on your keyboard.

So, try one of the following combinations, depending on your keyboard and mouse model, and your mouse cursor may become visible again: Fn + F3, Fn + F9, Fn + F11

2. Update or roll back the mouse driver

2.1 Updating the driver

  1. Press the Windows key + X, and select Device Manager from the results list.
  2. Press the Tab to switch to the devices list.
  3. Use your arrow keys to navigate to Mice and other pointing devices, and press the Right arrow key to expand it.
  4. Press the Down arrow key to select your mouse.
  5. Press Shift + F10 to simulate the right-click, open the context menu, and select Update driver.
  6. Select Search automatically for drivers.
  7. Wait while Windows updates your driver.

If your driver is updated, the latest version isn’t compatible with Windows 10, so here’s how to roll back your mouse driver.

2.2 Rolling back the driver

  1. Repeat steps 1-4 from above
  2. Press Enter.
  3. Hit Tab a couple of times until the square is on General.
  4. Press the Right arrow key to go to Driver.
  5. Press Tab a couple more times until Roll back driver is selected, and then press Enter.
  6. Follow further on-screen instructions.

To ensure that all your drivers are correctly updated, we suggest using specialized software, such as Outbyte Driver Updater, to update all outdated drivers automatically.

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

3. Turn off Cortana

  1. Press the Windows key + S and enter voice activation. Next, select Voice activation privacy settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Choose switch apps can use voice activation.
  3. Locate Cortana and set Let Cortana respond to Cortana keyword and Use Cortana even when my device is locked and set them both to Off.

4. Disable NVIDIA High Definition Audio/ Realtek

  1. Press the Windows key + X and navigate to Apps and Features.
  2. Select the GeForce Experience app and click on Uninstall.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen to remove it.
  4. Press the Windows key + X and select the Device Manager.
  5. Next, locate NVIDIA High Definition Audio and click Disable device.

The same thing might work for other audio drivers, such as Realtek, so try disabling them. If disabling audio drivers didn’t help, try uninstalling them.

For some users asking how do I get their mouse pointer back, disabling Nvidia has come in handy.

5. Remove recently installed software

  1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Settings app.
  2. Navigate to the Apps section.
  3. Select any recently installed software and choose Uninstall.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen to remove it.

To ensure that the selected application is completely removed, we recommend using uninstaller software to avoid leaving any files behind.

6. Run a full system scan

  1. Press the Windows key and type defender, then select Windows Security.
  2. Navigate to Virus & threat protection and select Scan options.
  3. Select Full scan and click on Scan now.
  4. Wait for the process to finish. Keep in mind that this might take more than an hour.

A complete virus scan is often the most effective solution for users asking how to get their mouse pointer back.

Although Windows Defender is a great tool, many users prefer using third-party antivirus software since it offers more advanced features.

This isn’t the most reliable method to repair your system, and sometimes, it’s better to use specialized repair software.

7. Change the power settings

  1. Press the Windows key + S and enter the power plan. Next, select Choose a power plan from the menu.
  2. Locate your current power plan and select the Change plan settings.
  3. Now select the Change advanced power settings.
  4. Find When I close the lid and Plugged in options and set them to Do nothing.
  5. Click Apply and OK to save changes.

8. Update your OS

  1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Navigate to the Update & Security section.
  3. If any uploads are available, be sure to download them.

An OS update is often the easiest way for users to ask how do I get my mouse pointer back.

If you encounter any issues, visit our Windows Update not working guide for more solutions.

Fix mouse cursor dissapeared with Powershell

If your mouse cursor disappeared from your screen, it is possible that you have file corruption on your PC. To fix this problem, you should repair your system using the built-in command line tool Powershell.

1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Context menu.

2. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the list.

windows powershell run as admin

3. Run the following command: sfc /scannow

sfc scannow powershell

4. Wait for the scan to finish. This may take a while.

5. Check if your mouse cursor is visible.

Why has my cursor disappeared?

From the experiences of different users, we gather that there are other triggers for this problem. However, here are a few common ones:

  • Driver issues – When these types of problems occur, the most likely cause is your driver, so you might have to reinstall or update it to fix the problem.
  • Wrong settings – Your settings can also lead to this problem, so check them and ensure that your peripherals are enabled.

Regarding this error, here are a few reports we have gotten from users:

  • Windows 10 mouse pointer disappears after login – Sometimes, your mouse cursor may disappear after you unlock the screen. In this case, try unplugging and plugging it back in, which should solve the problem.
  • Windows 10 mouse pointer disappears after sleep – If you can’t see your mouse cursor after waking your PC from sleep, you’re not the only one.
  • Mouse cursor disappears on Chrome – Many users reported that sometimes the mouse pointer disappears on Chrome while it’s still visible on other browsers.
  • Mouse cursor disappears after Windows update – Installing the latest Windows 10 updates may sometimes break your mouse. Usually, a simple restart should be enough to fix this problem.

If you are one of the users who asked how I get my mouse pointer back, we hope this has helped.

Not being able to use your mouse can be a significant problem, but we hope these steps were easy enough. We also have a guide on what to do if the mouse cursor is stuck in the corner, so be sure to check it out.

Did you manage to fix this issue on your own? Feel free to share your solution with us in the comments section below.

More about the topics: mouse, windows 10, Windows 11