Turn off mouse acceleration on your Mac

Why it happens

Pointer acceleration makes the pointer travel further when you move the mouse quickly, so you can cross a big screen with a small flick. That feels handy for everyday use but unpredictable for games, drawing and design, where the same hand movement should always move the pointer the same distance. With acceleration off, the pointer moves in a straight line with your hand.

How to fix it

1. Connect your mouse first. The Mouse page only shows its settings while a mouse is connected.

2. Choose Apple menu > System Settings and click Mouse in the sidebar.

3. Click Advanced near the bottom of the page and turn off Pointer acceleration. Click Done.

   Mouse›Advanced›Pointer acceleration

4. The pointer may now feel slow. Drag Tracking speed on the Mouse page until the pace suits you. It now stays the same however fast you move.

   Mouse›Tracking speed

Still not fixed?

1. No Mouse item in the sidebar, or no Advanced button? Check the mouse is connected and switched on. A Bluetooth mouse should show as Connected in Bluetooth settings.

   Bluetooth

2. Using a trackpad? This switch is only for a mouse. Trackpad settings have Tracking speed, but no separate switch for acceleration.

3. If the pointer still speeds up, check whether your mouse came with its own settings app from the maker. It can override your Mac's setting, so turn acceleration off there too, or remove the app.

4. If the setting turns itself back on after a restart, or the pointer jumps and stutters, try another mouse to rule out the hardware. If it happens with every mouse, contact Apple Support.