Adjusting Mouse Movement Speed on Windows & macOS

The speed at which your pointer glides across the screen can have a big impact on comfort and precision. This guide covers how to change that speed in Windows 10, Windows 11 and the latest three macOS releases.

What you're changing: The OS scales how far the pointer moves relative to your hand. Higher values make the pointer travel farther; lower values slow it down.

Windows

Windows 11

Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse and adjust the Mouse pointer speed slider.
For finer control, open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Devices and Printers, then click Mouse and use the Pointer Options tab's slider.

Windows 10

Open Settings → Devices → Mouse and use the Cursor speed slider.
Open the classic Control Panel → Mouse and adjust the slider on the Pointer Options tab.

Advanced (Registry)

Run regedit and open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Control Panel\\Mouse.
Double-click MouseSensitivity and set a value between 1 (slow) and 20 (fast). Default is 10.
Restart Windows to apply.

Tip: In the Pointer Options tab, toggling Enhance pointer precision enables acceleration; disabling it provides linear movement.
Note: Editing the Registry can cause instability. Back up first and change only MouseSensitivity.

macOS

macOS 13 Ventura

Open System Settings from the  menu.
Select Mouse and drag Tracking speed (and Scrolling speed if available).
For Magic Mouse scrolling, go to Accessibility → Pointer Control → Mouse Options and adjust Scrolling speed or disable inertia.

macOS 14 Sonoma

Open System Settings and click Mouse.
Adjust the Tracking speed slider. Third-party mice may show a Scrolling speed slider here.
Magic Mouse users: go to Accessibility → Pointer Control → Mouse Options for scrolling speed and inertia.

macOS 15 Sequoia

Open System Settings.
Go to Trackpad → Point & Click.
Adjust the Tracking speed slider, then close System Settings.

If the pointer feels hard to control, reduce tracking and scrolling speeds. Disabling inertia on a Magic Mouse stops pages from moving after you lift your finger.
In Sonoma, the tracking-speed slider covers both Magic Mouse and other mice; only third-party mice expose a scrolling-speed slider on the main Mouse page.
On Sequoia laptops, pointer speed for trackpads lives under Trackpad; external mice use the Mouse section.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Test in different applications to ensure the speed feels right everywhere.
Consider pointer acceleration. Windows offers Enhance pointer precision; macOS applies its own curve. Disable or lower tracking speed if movement feels unpredictable.
Update drivers or firmware for third-party mice or trackpads.
Use consistent surfaces—mouse pads improve precision at higher speeds.
Reset sliders to their defaults (middle positions or value 10 in the Registry) if changes make things worse.

References

TenForums. "Change Mouse Cursor Speed in Windows" (2020). tenforums.com
Mauro Huculak. "How to change mouse speed on Windows 11" (2025). windowscentral.com
AbilityNet. "How to slow down the mouse in macOS 13 Ventura" (2022). abilitynet.org.uk
AbilityNet. "How to slow down the mouse in macOS 14 Sonoma" (2023). abilitynet.org.uk
AbilityNet. "How to slow down the trackpad pointer in macOS 15 Sequoia" (2024). abilitynet.org.uk

All links verified as of Aug 21, 2025.