No matter how robust your tech device is, there are always some minor problems that keep showing up.
Although it’s irritating, it’s something that’ll always be there because it’s quite impossible to make the devices 100% perfect. However, this doesn’t mean that the problems cannot be fixed.
Such is the case with an issue with Mac devices. You must have noticed that sometimes while using your Mac device, the mouse cursor disappears suddenly. It’s a very random thing and can happen out of nowhere.
If you’ve been looking for a solution, you’ve ended up at the right place. This post will look at the fix for this and some of my favorite tools to tackle this problem.
Major Downsides of Cursor Disappearing on Mac
Besides being incredibly irritating, the cursor disappearing issue on Mac devices can waste a lot of your time. This is especially when you’re in the middle of an important work, such as editing a video or delivering a presentation.
If you’re a new Mac user, there’s a chance you might spend a lot of time trying to solve the problem, and in that process, you’d not only get frustrated but also spend your precious time on it.
To be real, nothing good comes out of this issue, but it’s also important to realize that minor issues like this are common among electronics, and as long as we have a fix for it, I think we’re good to go.
Main Reasons Behind the Issue
As I said before, this issue can occur randomly and without any known reason. However, there are a few things that could be causing it. Some of them are:
#1. Low Memory on Your Device
If you’re using the base model of the Mac or someone who stores a lot of data on it, there’s a high possibility that your device is running low on storage.
On the other hand, if there are many things going on on your screen and you have too many tabs open, your device is functioning on low memory. As a result of too much RAM usage, your mouse cursor is being compromised.
Some users have reported this issue using heavy-duty apps like Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro.
Also read: Ways to Free up Memory/RAM on a Mac
#2. Multiple Monitors Are Active
Mac devices are known for their robust functionalities, and one of the amazing features is the ability to sync with multiple monitors. If you’re currently doing that, try disconnecting it and then see if the cursor reappears.
Using multiple monitors causes the Mac screen to be arranged improperly. Or there’s a possibility the cursor is on another monitor.
#3. Third-Party Apps Are Interfering
Not the most effective reason, but there’s a chance some third-party apps can interfere with how your Mac works, and that might be causing your cursor to go under hiding. Next time your cursor disappears, pay attention to the apps you’re using at that moment.
Now, coming to the real portion of this post, you must be waiting for it. Let’s jump into the solution to this problem without delaying any further.
There are multiple solutions to it, so I recommend trying them all until it fixes the problem.
Shake Your Mouse
This is the easiest way to determine where your mouse cursor hides. Slide your finger quickly through the trackpad or shake your mouse if you’re using an external one. This will make the cursor visible and possibly make it bigger as well.
Restart Your Mac
The old way of fixing things, restarting any device, almost always solves the problem. You can do the same with your Mac. Just restart the device to see if the issue gets fixed because, over time, our devices can build up these minor issues if it hasn’t been turned off for a long time.
Check the Battery of the Connected Mouse
If your mouse has an internal battery attached, you can try checking if it’s low on charge. Either replace it or charge your wireless mouse. If you’re using a USB mouse, you can try unplugging it and then plugging it in.
Use System Preferences
There are a few system settings that you can alter to ensure your cursor doesn’t disappear.
#1. Increasing the Cursor Size
When you go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Accessibility > Display > Pointer, you can change the pointer size to make your cursor larger.
This will improve the visibility of your mouse.
#2. Zoom the Cursor
Do you want to be able to temporarily zoom your cursor size? You can do that by going to Apple menu > System Preferences > Accessibility > Zoom, and select ‘Advanced’ and going to the Controls tab. From there, select Hold Control+Option to temporarily toggle zoom.
#3. Shake
As discussed earlier, you can increase the cursor size temporarily when you quickly shake your mouse or move your finger across the trackpad.
To do this, head over to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Accessibility > Display > Pointer and enable the Shake mouse pointer to locate.
Once you enable these preferences, you’ll be a step ahead of this issue whenever it happens the next time.
Alternatively, you can ask Siri to increase it by pressing Command + Space and saying, “Hey Siri, increase the cursor size”.
Close the Running Apps
There might be apps that could suppress the mouse cursor on your Mac. To identify them, keep an eye on those apps whenever this issue occurs. For some, it might be heavy video editing apps or even games.
As soon as you identify them, close them to fix the problem.
Also read: Easy Ways to Uninstall Apps on Mac
Check Hot Corners
While hot corners help a lot during our day-to-day workflow and make things convenient, there’s a chance it might be playing a role in disappearing your cursor.
If you have them enabled, you can try disabling them by going to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver.
Go to the Screen Saver tab and choose Hot Corners. Finally, disable any of the actions that were enabled.
Right Click
When you right-click the trackpad or your external mouse, the screen will open a small window. As a result, you’ll be able to locate it immediately.
Tools to Use When Cursor Disappears
By the time you figure out the solution to the problems, it’s a good idea to use a third-party app to replace your mouse temporarily. Here are some of the best ones.
#1. Remote Mouse
A very handy app, Remote Mouse, basically turns your iPhone and iPad screen into a trackpad to use as an external mouse for your Mac computer.
It’s like having a wireless remote control to replace your mouse, keyboard, and touchpad.
Here are some additional features of this app:
- Use volume buttons as a remote control
- Set a password for the connection
- Power options like shutdown, sleep, restart, and more
- Voice typing
- Various shortcuts
- Gyro sensor support
Remote Mouse can be synced via Bluetooth and WiFi.
#2. Mobile Mouse Server
Surf the web, browse photos, and totally control your Mac with Mobile Mouse Server. It’s a very useful app that can be downloaded on Apple devices to be used as a mouse.
It has a gyroscope to translate your hand motions into mouse movements instantly. You can also use it as an alternative to your computer’s trackpad.
#3. Remote Trackpad
As long as your Mac and iPhone are connected to the same WiFi, you can use Remote Trackpad as a keyboard and trackpad.
All you need to do is, download the app on both devices and scan the QR code with your iPhone camera within the app. That’s about enough to start using your screen as the mouse for your Mac.
Final Words
The large user base of Mac devices contributes to the fact that we can find solutions to most problems easily, and the cursor disappearing issue is one example of it. The above fixes will help solve the problem for you in a jiffy.
Next, check out the Mac terminal commands to make your life easy on an Apple computer.
