How to Fix Windows 10 Mouse Lag (2024)

> Windows

Mouse lag in Windows 10 can be extremely annoying. Menus and other items stop responding, the scroll bar pauses unexpectedly, the mouse pointer freezes, you have to click two or three times to select things — the list goes on. Keep reading to see how to fix those issues and other problems caused by a lagging mouse.

How to Fix Windows 10 Mouse Lag

The fastest way to resolve this behavior is to start with the hardware (the mouse). Then, work your way through each of the components and applications that work together to make your mouse function properly.

1. Troubleshoot your mouse. Whether it's trying a different USB port, replacing the batteries, cleaning it, or scrolling on a different surface, the mouse itself should be examined before moving on to these software-focused suggestions.

   If you're using a laptop's touchpad, give it a good wipe to remove any small debris that could be interfering with the scrolling function.

   See Also

   [Windows 11/10] How to Adjust Mouse/Touchpad Cursor Speed | Official Support | ASUS USA

2. Check your surroundings for radio interference. If you recently installed a wireless printer or a mic or speakers, interference could be at play; we've seen mice skip around on the screen due to this. The easiest solution here would be to turn off those devices when you don't need them or switch to a wired mouse.

3. Restart your PC. A reboot is a common practice for all kinds of tech issues and is easy enough to do that it should be one of your first attempts.

4. Reconnect the HDMI cable, if you're using one. Believe it or not, we've seen users fix mouse problems in Windows 10 by simply wiggling the HDMI cable a little or reattaching it.

5. Turn off USB selective suspend. This setting is on by default and could be the reason the USB port your mouse is plugged into isn't working properly.

   It's easy to turn off: Enter powercfg.cpl from the search bar and select the item in the results. Then, go to Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings > USB settings > USB selective suspend setting. Switch the setting to Disabled and press OK.

6. Install the latest drivers for your computer. Whether it's a basic mouse or something more advanced with lots of buttons and functions, it still requires a driver to work properly.

   We've seen mouse issues arise from outdated graphics card drivers, so be sure to update those, too.

   If you just updated the driver right before the mouse lag issue started, rolling back the driver is a quick way to test if the driver is to blame. If that works, either leave the driver alone or reinstall the latest version.

7. Change the mouse speed and sensitivity. Your mouse might feel laggy to you if you're used to a different setting.

8. Toggle the Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them option off or on in Settings > Devices > Mouse. This solution works for some people when the feature is on, and for others when it's off! Just tap the toggle to switch it on or off to see if this fixes your mouse lag.

9. Turn off touchpad delay. If you're on a laptop, Windows might be delaying mouse movements. This can be a useful option unless it's causing your mouse to lag.

   Go to Settings > Devices > Mouse & Touchpad, then set Touchpad to No delay.

10. Disable Cortana. Some users report fixing their mouse lag by simply turning off the virtual assistant.

Causes of Why the Mouse Lags in Windows 10

Mouse lag is one of the most common Windows 10 issues users face. This is because a lot of things can contribute to the problem. Anything from a driver update, misconfigured mouse settings, or a bad battery can be the source.