How do I turn off mouse acceleration on my Mac?
How do I turn off mouse acceleration on my Mac?
I have been having difficulty with the precision of my mouse on my Mac. It seems like the cursor movement is not as predictable as I would like, especially when I try to make small, precise adjustments. I’ve heard that this might be due to something called “mouse acceleration” that is enabled by default on macOS. Mouse acceleration changes the speed of the cursor based on how quickly I move my mouse, and while this might be beneficial for some, it doesn’t suit my needs. I want to understand the steps involved in turning off mouse acceleration on my Mac, as I believe this could help achieve better control and consistency in my cursor movement. How do I go about disabling this feature so that I can have a more stable and reliable mouse performance?
4 Answers
You can turn off mouse acceleration on a Mac through the Terminal. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Open the Terminal app. You can find it in Applications > Utilities.
2. Type the command: defaults write .GlobalPreferences com.apple.mouse.scaling -1 and press Enter.
3. Restart your system to apply the changes. This command effectively disables mouse acceleration by setting it to a negative value.
If you’re comfortable with using Terminal and looking for a robust solution, follow this method:
1. Launch the Terminal application found in Applications > Utilities.
2. To verify current settings, use: defaults find .GlobalPreferences com.apple.mouse.scaling.
3. Disable acceleration with: defaults write .GlobalPreferences com.apple.mouse.scaling -1.
4. Finally, log out and back in or restart your Mac to make the changes take effect. This approach ensures thorough deactivation of mouse acceleration, leading to a more precise cursor movement.
For users who prefer not to use Terminal commands, there’s a somewhat effective alternative in System Preferences.
1. Go to System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2. Click on Mouse or Trackpad.
3. Adjust the tracking speed slider to the lowest setting. Although this doesn’t completely disable acceleration, it does reduce the effect, which might be enough for certain users looking for improved accuracy.
I found an easier method using third-party apps perfect for those who aren’t tech-savvy. Tools such as SteerMouse or Smooze provide intuitive interfaces to adjust mouse settings. Here’s what I did:
1. Download and install SteerMouse or Smooze.
2. Open the application and navigate to the mouse settings.
3. Disable mouse acceleration with just a toggle. These apps offer much user-friendly control over mouse acceleration and sensitivity settings.