How to Customize a Mouse Cursor

Windows 11 / Windows 10

1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Mouse pointer and touch.
2. On that page, open Customize pointer image to preview and edit each pointer role.
3. For each role, click Browse and assign a .cur/.ani file. Roles you can swap include:
   • Normal Select
   • Text Select
   • Link Select
   • Busy
   • Vertical Resize
   • Horizontal Resize
   • Diagonal Resize 1
   • Diagonal Resize 2
   • Move
   • Help Select
   • Unavailable
   • Working in Background
   • Alternate Select
   • Precision Select
   • Pen
   • Location Select
   • Person Select
4. Repeat until each role you care about is mapped, then use Reset on any role that looks wrong.

• Keep custom cursor files in a permanent folder. Moving or deleting them can break your scheme.
• If a cursor looks wrong, reopen that exact role in the Pointers list (for example Text Select or Busy) and reassign it with Browse.
• You usually do not need giant cursor size. A better color plus a small size bump is often enough.

• Microsoft Support. "Change mouse pointer size and color."
• Microsoft Support. "Change mouse settings."