A mouse is a key peripheral in a computer system, which every user uses it for input. Allowing you to swiftly perform all the functions on your system. Whether your mouse is too fast for your savor or far slower than you need it to be, adjusting the mouse DPI is likely the solution to all these problems. Fortunately, to make it more feasible and increase mouse sensitivity to user actions, you can tweak specific settings easily.
So now we are going to learn how to fine-tune your mouse DPI. Explaining in detail the different methods, that will enable you to customize your mouse sensitivity to your personal preferences. Follow any of the below methods that seem feasible in your specific situation. But first, allow me to expound what DPI even is.
What Is Mouse DPI?
DPI indicates the mouse sensitivity in the number of dots per inch. To improve the performance of your mouse it’s essential to set your mouse DPI appropriately. DPI measures the sensitivity of the mouse, setting it can have a significant impact on your game playing or photo editing performance.
You can instantly change the pointer speed by changing the DPI for fastidious tasks. Some mice have higher DPI capabilities, especially gaming ones. While the normal mouse ranges about 1,600 DPI the high-end gaming mice can have over 16,000 DPI sensitivity.
This means with higher the DPI the higher is the mouse sensitivity, and faster the speed of the pointer. You can exploit multiple customization options to improve mouse sensitivity by accessing the mouse properties.
The ultimate usage of the DPI comes to play when working on different sizes of screen. Allowing you to make tiniest and farther movements without stretching your arm to lengths every time you’d want to move your cursor. Besides DPI tweaking is not only for gamers. It can be of potential use for Graphic designers, architects to immensely benefit from only adjusting mouse sensitivity.
Often we don’t even see what we’re missing until we explore the new prospects. Let us dive into finding how to change your mouse DPI settings.
How To Change Mouse DPI In Windows 7,8 And 10.
Windows 7,8 and 10 have some inherent ways through which you can customize your mouse sensitivity, also there are high-end external mice available that have proprietary settings to modify mouse sensitivity. You can also change the number of lines that will be scrolled with each wheel movement besides the mouse speed and the related settings.
Change Mouse DPI With DPI On-The-Fly Button
The most straightforward way instead of any tweaking inside the settings, menus or Windows registry editor, your optimal choice should be to use the DPI on-the-fly button on your mouse body. Though you won’t find the button on all the mice, only the high-end gaming peripherals most probably include the button. Which can be used to switch between different sensitivity settings. Important to note here is that these buttons can adjust to 1,000 DPI per click which can potentially not work for your needs.
Though changes made from the mouse DPI button will be temporary and will be overwritten once you log off from your computer or in case remove the mouse. For a permanent change in settings, you’d need to follow the other methods.
Step 1: Locate the DPI button on your mouse, which is mostly on the top adjacent to the scroll wheel.
Step 2: Press the button to change your mouse’s DPI.
Step 3: You will get a notification on your monitor screen telling you about the DPI change or you’ll be displayed the exact new DPI settings depending on the mouse software settings.
That was pretty easy and quick, isn’t it? Though you don’t need to worry if your mouse doesn’t have a DPI switch. You can still change your mouse DPI through the following methods. Go and check below.
Change Mouse DPI In The Mouse Settings Windows
Another common and not a very complex way to change your DPI settings is through the mouse settings.
Step 1: Press the Windows menu button and search Control Panel or right-click the Windows menu icon and click Control Panel.
Step 2: Inside the Control Panel search for Mouse, select the mouse to open Mouse Properties.
Step 3: Now in the Mouse Properties window go to Pointer Options tab.
Step 4: The motion section has the selector to adjust the pointer speed. Drag the slider to increase or decrease the speed according to your needs.
Step 5: In the same section uncheck the box named Enhance pointer precision.
Recommended: Pointer precision produces abrupt movements in the mouse pointer. Moving the pointer to varying lengths depending on how fast you move your mouse. An undesirable feature for a gamer.
Step 6: Test the movements once you have changed the pointer speed to check if it works for you.
Step 7: Once you make sure you have adjusted the pointer speed properly, click Apply to save the changes and then press OK to close the window.
Change Mouse DPI In The Mouse Settings MacBook
Step 1: Open the Apple menu. From the menu list, click and open the System Preferences.
Step 2: In the System Preferences window find and open the Mouse or Trackpad settings depending on if you are using a MacBook laptop or an iMac.
Step 3: Now in the Point & Click tab you can modify the Tracking speed to adjust it to your needs. The same steps go for an iMac with the selection of Mouse option and adjustment of pointer speed appropriately.
Step 4: Ensure to test the changed settings before you apply the new settings. Exit the System Preferences window to save the changes.
Edit Registry for Maximum Pointer Speed
Step 1: Press Windows + R and type Regedit in the textbox, press return.
Step 2: Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse maneuvering through the left pane tree structure.
Step 3: Inside the mouse pane you need to find the MouseSpeed registry and open it by double-clicking. Change the Value data to 2 from 1 and press OK.
Step 4: Now double-click MouseThreshold1 and change the Value data to Zero (0).
Step 5: Do the same for MouseThreshold2 and set value to zero (0).
Step 6: Exit the registry editor and reboot.
Improving Performance Further
Eventually, everyone doesn’t want or need a higher mouse sensitivity. There are some other ways as well to improve the performance of your mouse.
Start by checking your mouse driver, if your mouse cursor is performing weirdly. You can install software to check for driver updates or you can directly update the drivers inside the device hardware settings.
You can also opt for a high polling rate mouse. The polling rate defines the time interval a mouse reports to your machine, so a lower polling rate mice will eventually lag even if the DPI sensitivity is set to the maximum.
Nonetheless, not everyone needs a powerful mouse to perform daily tasks. To deduce which qualities out of the above mentioned you’d prefer your mouse to have, and make your choice accordingly.
Daniel Levi is the Senior Editor at LaptopsGeek. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Arizona State University and boasts over 15 years of experience in laptop reviews. With his extensive knowledge and expertise, Daniel provides invaluable insights into the world of laptops, ensuring that LaptopsGeek readers stay informed about the latest advancements in technology.