Stop the blinking text cursor on your Mac

Why it happens

The thin line where your typing goes, called the insertion point, blinks so it's easy to spot. For some people the blinking pulls their eyes away from the words or gets tiring after a while. macOS has a switch that keeps it steady in apps that follow it.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and click Accessibility in the sidebar.

2. Click Motion and turn on Prefer non-blinking cursor.

   Accessibility›Motion›Prefer non-blinking cursor

3. Click into any text box, for example in Notes, and check that the line stays still.

Still not fixed?

1. If an app that was already open still blinks, quit it with Command-Q and open it again.

2. Some apps draw their own cursor and ignore this switch. Look in that app's settings for a cursor or caret option.

3. If other movement on screen bothers you as well, turn on Reduce motion in the same Motion section.

   Accessibility›Motion›Reduce motion

4. If the cursor still blinks everywhere with the switch on, restart your Mac. If that doesn't help, contact Apple Support.