Why Does My Arrow Disappear On My Laptop?

Your cursor usually vanishes due to settings, drivers, app behavior, or display layout; the quick steps below bring it back.

Losing the mouse pointer mid-task feels like hitting a wall. Good news: the cause is usually predictable, and the fix rarely takes long. This guide groups the most common triggers and shows clear moves you can run on Windows and macOS, including keyboard-only tricks for those moments when the arrow is gone altogether.

Arrow Disappears On Laptop: Quick Causes And Fixes

Scan this table, then jump to the matching section for step-by-step instructions.

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fast Fix
Arrow vanishes while typing	“Hide pointer while typing” turned on	Open Mouse Properties → Pointer Options, uncheck that box; see the Windows steps below
Gone after wake or screen flicker	Display driver hiccup	Press `Win`+`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`B` to reset graphics; link in Windows section
Missing only in Chrome, Word, or a player	Hardware acceleration or app hides the pointer over video	Toggle hardware acceleration; move the mouse to wake the pointer over full-screen video
Off-screen on a dual display	Display layout places a monitor above or to the side	Open Display settings, arrange monitors, or press `Win`+`P` to pick a mode
Tiny or blends with background	High DPI scale or low contrast pointer	Increase pointer size or change color; macOS can “shake to locate”
No response from touchpad	Touchpad disabled or driver issue	Use keyboard to open Touchpad settings, enable it, or reinstall the driver
No response from USB mouse	Power, port, or wireless dongle issue	Replug, try another port, swap battery, or bypass the hub
Only one site or web app	Browser extension or canvas effect	Try an Incognito window, disable extensions, or switch browsers

Why The Cursor Keeps Vanishing On Laptops

On Windows, the pointer can be hidden while you type, reset by graphics issues, or pushed onto another display. Apps may hide it over video to reduce distraction. On macOS, the pointer can shrink or fade into a bright background, and some apps hide it until you move the mouse or trackpad. Both systems can misplace the pointer on multi-monitor setups.

Disappears Only When Typing

Windows has a setting that hides the pointer during text entry. That helps writers who dislike a blinking arrow near the caret, but it confuses many users.

Windows

Press Win, type mouse, and open Mouse settings, then choose Additional mouse options.
Open the Pointer Options tab.
Clear the box labeled Hide pointer while typing, then select OK.
While you’re there, turn on Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key to find the arrow fast. Microsoft explains that control here: mouse settings.

macOS

macOS usually hides the pointer only inside apps that demand focus while typing. If the arrow is hard to spot, make it larger or use a shake gesture to magnify it briefly in the moment.

Gone After Waking Or A Screen Blink

When the screen blinks or a laptop wakes, the graphics stack can lose track of the pointer. Windows includes a shortcut that rebuilds the display path without a reboot.

Press Win+Ctrl+Shift+B. You should hear a beep and see a quick flash.
If the arrow returns, you’ve confirmed a graphics driver issue. Install the latest GPU and chipset drivers from your laptop vendor.
If the screen stays blank, move the lid slightly or attach an external display with HDMI or USB-C and try again. Microsoft lists the shortcut on its support page for blank screens: reset graphics.

Only In A Specific App

Browsers and media tools often hide the pointer over video or during playback. That’s by design. Move the mouse, touch the trackpad, or tap a key to bring it back. If the arrow vanishes inside one app even while idle, try these tweaks:

Toggle hardware acceleration in the app. In Chrome, go to Settings → System → Use hardware acceleration when available, then relaunch.
Disable extensions or use an Incognito/private window to test.
Switch renderers if the app offers software vs GPU modes.
Update or reinstall the app when an update mentions graphics or input fixes.

Pointer Off-Screen On Multiple Displays

If you recently docked a laptop or added a monitor, the pointer might be roaming across a display that isn’t where you expect.

Press Win+P and pick Duplicate or Second screen only to confirm where the arrow goes.
Open Display settings and drag the monitor thumbnails so their edges match your desk layout. Align tops to stop invisible steps that trap the pointer.
Turn on a high-contrast pointer or a thicker outline so it stands out while you sort the layout.

Tiny Pointer On A 4K Panel

On very high DPI screens, a one-pixel pointer can look faint. Increase its size or change color until it’s easy to see.

Windows: Settings → Accessibility → Mouse pointer and touch. Pick a larger size or a bright color.
macOS: System Settings → Accessibility → Display → Pointer. Adjust size or enable the shake gesture.

Touchpad Or Mouse Not Responding

A disabled touchpad or a flaky USB port can make it seem like the arrow is gone when the real issue is input.

For a laptop touchpad, check for a function key icon (often Fn+F6, F7, or F9) that toggles it.
Open Settings with the keyboard, search for Touchpad, and make sure it’s on. If it’s missing, reinstall the vendor driver.
For a USB mouse, move the dongle to a different port, avoid unpowered hubs, and replace the battery on wireless models.

Cursor Disappears On My Laptop During Typing: What To Do

Windows: Full Walkthrough

Find the arrow fast: press Ctrl to trigger the locator ring if you enabled that option on the mouse settings page.
Stop hiding while typing: open Mouse Properties → Pointer Options, clear Hide pointer while typing, select OK.
Reset graphics: press Win+Ctrl+Shift+B. If that helps, install fresh GPU drivers from the vendor support page.
Check display layout: press Win+P to test modes, then arrange monitors under System → Display.
Adjust size and color: open Settings → Accessibility → Mouse pointer and touch, set a larger pointer or a bold color.
Test apps: toggle hardware acceleration in the app, disable extensions, and relaunch.
Update drivers: in Device Manager, update touchpad and display drivers, then restart.

macOS: Full Walkthrough

Enlarge on demand: shake the mouse or wiggle a finger on the trackpad to inflate the pointer.
Make it easier to spot: open System Settings → Accessibility → Display → Pointer, then raise the size or change colors. Apple outlines these options under pointer visibility.
Check app behavior: move the mouse or tap the trackpad when a movie hides the pointer. If one app keeps losing it, restart the app, then the Mac.
Display layout: open System Settings → Displays, confirm arrangement and scaling.
Update software: install the latest macOS update, then update any third-party drivers or utilities that touch the mouse or display.

Fixes For Popular Apps

Google Chrome

When the pointer goes missing only inside Chrome, the GPU path is often the reason. Open the menu, pick Settings, choose System, and toggle Use hardware acceleration when available. Relaunch the browser and test a tab with video. If the arrow still vanishes on a site, try an Incognito window to bypass extensions. A clean profile also helps: create a new Chrome profile, sign in, and test before you add extensions back.

Microsoft Word And Office

If the arrow disappears while typing in Word, the Windows mouse option is almost always the trigger. Clear Hide pointer while typing in Mouse Properties, then reopen Word. If Word keeps grabbing input and the arrow fails to return, turn off add-ins, switch to Safe Mode by launching Word with the Ctrl key held, and test a blank document. Update Office from Account → Update Options to pick up recent fixes.

Media Players And Games

Apps that fill the screen tend to hide the pointer after a second of inactivity. That is normal. Nudge the mouse or tap a key to bring it back. For games, run a borderless window mode while you test display scaling and GPU drivers. If the arrow drifts to another screen during a game, disable the second display or pin the pointer inside the window if the game offers that setting.

Advanced Checks When The Arrow Still Won’t Stay

Windows

Safe Mode test: hold Shift while selecting Restart, pick Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings, then press 4 for Safe Mode. If the pointer behaves here, a driver or startup app is the likely cause.
New user profile: create a fresh local account and sign in. A clean profile rules out per-user tweaks and third-party tools.
Clean boot: run msconfig, hide Microsoft services, disable the rest, and restart. Re-enable items in batches until the culprit reveals itself.
Reinstall device drivers: remove the touchpad and display entries in Device Manager, check the box to delete driver software when offered, then install the package from your laptop maker.

macOS

Safe Mode test: on Apple silicon, shut down, press and hold the power button until startup options appear, select your volume, hold Shift, then choose Continue in Safe Mode. On Intel, hold Shift at boot.
New user profile: add a user in System Settings → Users & Groups, sign in, and test.
Login items: remove third-party input or display tools from Users & Groups → Login Items, then reboot and retest.

Keyboard-Only Rescue Shortcuts

If the pointer is gone and you still need control, these keys keep you moving.

Task	Windows	macOS
Reset graphics path	`Win`+`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`B`	Press the power button to sleep, then wake
Open Settings	`Win`+`I`	`Cmd`+`Comma` in many apps, or use Spotlight
Search system menus	`Win`, type your query	`Cmd`+`Space` for Spotlight, type your query
Cycle displays	`Win`+`P`	`Ctrl`+`F2` to move focus to menus, then Displays
Find the pointer	Press `Ctrl` if locator ring is enabled	Shake the mouse or wiggle on the trackpad
Close the active app	`Alt`+`F4`	`Cmd`+`Q`
Switch apps	`Alt`+`Tab`	`Cmd`+`Tab`
Open Accessibility options	`Win`+`U`	`Cmd`+`Option`+`F5`

Display, Driver, And App Tweaks That Stick

These habits prevent a repeat:

Pick a visible pointer style. On Windows, choose a bold color or a thicker outline. On macOS, set a larger size and keep the shake gesture on.
Keep graphics and touchpad drivers current. Install driver bundles from your laptop maker instead of generic packages when possible.
Plan your desk layout. Place external monitors on the desk the same way you arrange them in settings, edge to edge with aligned tops.
Be mindful of app modes. Full-screen video and presentation views often hide the pointer until you move it.
Enable the locator ring on Windows. It’s a small toggle but a big time saver.

Tip: add a desktop shortcut to Mouse Properties so the Pointer Options tab is one click away. Right-click the desktop, create a shortcut, use target main.cpl, then pin it to Start for quick access whenever the arrow vanishes or flickers.

You can also map a keyboard shortcut to Mouse Properties by pinning main.cpl to the Start menu, then launching it with the Windows key and typing ‘mouse’ when the pointer hides during work.

With the settings tuned and a few shortcuts memorized, the mouse arrow stops being a mystery. You’ll know why it vanished, how to bring it back in seconds, and how to keep it from disappearing again.