How to Change Mouse Speed or Sensitivity

This article explains how to adjust the clicking and pointer speeds of your mouse or trackpad. Information in this article applies to Windows 10 PCs and Macs with macOS Catalina (10.15), macOS Mojave (10.14), macOS High Sierra (10.13), or macOS Sierra (10.12).

How to Change the Mouse Speed in Windows 10

To change the mouse speed in a computer with Windows 10:

1. In the Search bar, enter mouse. In the results, select mouse settings. When the Settings window opens, select Additional mouse options.

2. In the Control Panel applet for Mouse Properties, change the speed with the slider and test it by double-clicking the test folder icon. The faster the speed you choose, the faster you need to press the mouse buttons for a double-click to work. If you want to keep the change, select Apply to save it. If you don't save the change, the setting remains the same as it was before you opened the Settings window.

3. Go to the Pointer Options tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box to change the speed at which the mouse cursor or pointer moves across the screen.

4. The faster the cursor speed, the less you need to move the mouse. If you make the speed slower, you have to move the mouse farther to make the cursor travel the same distance. After you reach the desired speed, select Apply.

How to Adjust the Touchpad Cursor Speed in Windows 10

To change the touchpad speed in Windows 10, open Windows Settings by pressing Win+I. Then, select Devices > Touchpad.

When the Settings window opens, drag the slider in the window to the left or right to change the speed of the cursor when using the touchpad. On the same screen, use the slider to adjust the sensitivity. Unlike the mouse settings, these changes go into effect as soon as you make the change. You don't need to select Apply.

How to Change the Mouse Tracking Speed on a Mac

Changing the mouse tracking speed on a Mac is as easy as changing it on a Windows 10 computer.

1. On the Mac, click the Apple icon at the top of the screen and choose System Preferences from the menu.

2. Click Mouse in the System Preferences screen.

3. Click Point & Click at the top of the screen.

4. Drag the slider under Tracking speed to increase or decrease the cursor speed. The faster the tracking speed is, the less physical movement you need to make to move the cursor.

How to Change a Trackpad's Tracking Speed on a Mac

Whether your trackpad is built into your Mac laptop or is a peripheral you use with your Mac desktop computer, the method to change the trackpad speed is the same.

1. Click the Apple icon and choose System Preferences in the menu.

2. Click Trackpad in the System Preferences screen.

3. On the next screen, click Point & Click.

4. Use the Tracking speed slider to change the tracking speed of the trackpad on the Mac. Select how fast you want the tracking speed to be by dragging the slider between Slow and Fast. The faster the tracking speed is, the less physical movement you need to make to move the cursor.

How to Change the Double-Click Speed on a Mac

Changing the speed of a double-click is part of the Accessibility features on a Mac.

1. Click the Apple icon and choose System Preferences from the menu.

2. Click Accessibility.

3. Choose Pointer Control in the left panel and select the Mouse & Trackpad tab in macOS Catalina. In earlier versions of the operating system, click Mouse & Trackpad in the left panel.

4. Drag the slider next to Double-click speed to change the time between each click on a mouse or trackpad. The change takes effect immediately.

5. Select Mouse Options at the bottom of the Mouse & Trackpad Accessibility screen to access the mouse Scrolling speed slider. Adjust the scrolling speed by moving the slider between Slow and Fast. Click OK.