Top 10 Solutions to Fix Mouse Cursor Disappearing on Mac

ByJim Miller

If you're tired of your mouse cursor disappearing on your Mac, causing you to waste precious hours of productivity, don't rush to the nearest Apple service center just yet. There are several tricks you can try to fix this issue and get your mouse cursor back on track. In this article, we'll explore ten effective solutions to resolve the problem.

1. Disable Universal Control on Mac

The Universal Control feature, introduced in macOS 12.4 and iPadOS 15.4, allows you to control your iPad using a Mac trackpad and keyboard. However, this feature can sometimes cause your mouse cursor to disappear on your Mac. To disable Universal Control, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple icon in the menu bar.
  2. Open System Preferences.
  3. Select Displays.
  4. Click on Universal Control and disable the “Allow your cursor and keyboard to move between any nearby Mac or iPad” toggle.
  5. Hit the Done button.

2. Shake Your Mouse

If your mouse cursor disappears when it reaches the right side of the screen, simply give your mouse a shake, and it should reappear on the display.

3. Make Mouse Pointer Bigger

If you're working on a large Mac screen, the default mouse pointer size can be too small at times. To make the mouse pointer bigger, follow these steps:

  1. Open System Preferences on your Mac.
  2. Open the Accessibility menu.
  3. Under Vision, select Display.
  4. Move to the Pointer menu and use the slider to increase the pointer size.

4. Reset NVRAM

Corrupted NVRAM (non-volatile random-access memory) can cause the mouse cursor to disappear on your Mac. To reset NVRAM, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Apple icon in the menu bar and click on Shut Down.
  2. Boot up your Mac again and keep pressing the Option + Command + P + R keys for about 20 seconds until the Apple logo appears.
  3. Release the keys and start using your Mac as expected.

5. Delete PLIST Files

A broken mouse or trackpad configuration can also cause the cursor to disappear. To fix this, you need to delete related PLIST files. Here's how:

  1. Open Finder and click on Go at the top.
  2. Select Go to Folder and type ~/Library/Preferences, then hit the Return key.
  3. Find the following files and move them to the trash:
    • com.apple.AppleMultitouchMouse.plist
    • com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse.plist
    • com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist
    • com.apple.AppleMultitouchTrackpad.plist
    • com.apple.preference.trackpad.plist
  4. Restart your Mac and check if the mouse cursor reappears.

6. Slow Down Mouse Tracking Speed

If your mouse's tracking speed is too fast for you, you can slow it down from the Preferences menu. Here's how:

  1. Open the System Preferences menu and go to the Mouse menu.
  2. Select Point & Click and slow down the tracking speed.

7. Check Your Monitors

If you have a multi-monitor setup, you may need to recheck the alignment setup. Follow these steps:

  1. From the System Preferences menu, select Displays.
  2. Go to the Arrangement tab and adjust the display tiles.

8. Charge Bluetooth Mouse

If you're using a low-powered mouse, it's possible that the cursor disappears due to insufficient power. Try using new batteries or charge your mouse for flawless tracking.

9. Remove and Add Bluetooth Mouse

If you're facing frequent disconnection issues with your Bluetooth mouse, you can remove it from your Mac and establish the connection again. Here's how:

  1. Open the System Preferences menu on your Mac.
  2. Go to the Bluetooth menu and click on the x mark beside the saved Bluetooth mouse.
  3. Connect it again from the same menu.

10. Update macOS

Sometimes, a buggy macOS build can cause the mouse cursor to disappear. To fix this, make sure you have the latest macOS update installed. Head to System Preferences > Software Update and install any pending updates.

Now that you have these ten solutions at your disposal, you can easily fix the issue of your mouse cursor disappearing on your Mac. However, if you want the cursor gone, you can also learn how to hide the cursor on your Mac. Say goodbye to frustration and get back to work smoothly and efficiently!