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Make the Mouse Pointer on Your Mac Bigger

Stop hunting for it. Enlarge your mouse pointer

By Tom Nelson Tom Nelson Writer Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 6, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad It's not you. Your Mac's mouse or trackpad cursor is getting smaller. It's not your eyesight that's causing the problem; it's the large, high-resolution displays that have become the norm. With the current Mac laptops and desktop iMac models sporting Retina displays, the mouse pointer is getting harder to see as it scurries across your Mac's screen. However, there are a couple of ways to make the Mac pointer larger so that it's easier to spot. Information in this article applies to all versions of OS X and macOS through macOS Big Sur (11), except as noted.

Accessibility Preference Pane

The Mac has long included a system preferences pane that allows Mac users with vision or hearing difficulties to configure the computer's graphical interface elements to meet their needs. This includes the ability to control the display's contrast, zoom in to see details of smaller objects, display captions where appropriate, and provide a voiceover. It also controls the cursor size, so you can adjust the size to one that works better for you. If you occasionally hunt for the mouse or trackpad cursor, the Accessibility preference pane is the place to change the cursor size. After you set a size in the preferences, the cursor stays that way until you change it again.

Enlarge the Cursor Size Permanently on a Mac

Make the cursor pointer just the right size for your eyes. Launch System Preferences by selecting System Preferences from the Apple menu or by clicking its icon in the Dock. In the System Preferences window, click Accessibility in OS X Mountain Lion through macOS Big Sur. (Select Universal Access in OS X Lion and earlier.) Click Display in the sidebar in the Accessibility preference pane that opens. Select the Cursor tab. (In OS X Lion and earlier, select the Mouse tab.) Drag the slider next to Cursor Size to adjust the size of the pointer. You can dynamically see the mouse pointer resize as you drag the slider. When the cursor is a size you like, close the System Preferences.

Enlarge the Cursor Temporarily With Shake to Find

Wait, there's more. In OS X El Capitan, Apple added a feature to dynamically resize the cursor temporarily when you have difficulty finding it on your display. With no official name given by Apple for this feature, it's referred to as "Shake to Find." This feature helps you locate the cursor on the screen when it's hard to see. Shaking the mouse back and forth or moving your finger on the trackpad to and fro causes the cursor to enlarge temporarily, making it easy to spot on your display. When you stop the shaking motion, the cursor reverts to its original size, as set in the Accessibility preference pane. To activate Shake to Find, place a check mark in the box next to Shake mouse pointer to locate in the Accessibility preference pane. It's located above the Cursor size slider. With the check box filled in, give the mouse a shake or shake your finger across the trackpad. The faster you shake, the larger the cursor becomes. Stop shaking, and the cursor returns to its normal size. A horizontal shake works best for increasing the cursor size.

Shaking and Cursor Size

If you use OS X El Capitan or later, you may find that you don't need to enlarge the cursor. The Shake to Find feature may be all you need. It's a trade-off between the two: more shaking or a larger cursor. Give it a try; you're bound to find the combination that best suits your needs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Right-Click on a Mac How to Turn off Mouse Acceleration on Mac How to Update Your MacBook Pro How to Hide or Show the Mac's Dock How to Fix a Lost Mouse on a Mac How to Use Disk Utility in macOS How to Use Zoom, Apple's Built-In Screen Magnifier How to Update Your MacBook Air Laptop How to Use Your Mac's Display Calibrator Assistant Set up a Gmail Account Using the Mac's Mail Application How to Use a Multi-Button Mouse With Your Mac Configure Your Mac's Trackpad to Meet Your Needs How to Use Hot Corners on a Mac How to Change Mouse Speed or Sensitivity What Is macOS? How to Resize Your Mac's Windows Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies