Mouse Cursor Flickering on Windows 10

Anonymous
2019-08-02T14:10:38+00:00

This is a really annoying problem. 

Two things seem to be happening. First is the mouse cursor is flickering. It's as if it's having an anxiety attack. The flicker can also interfere when trying to click on icons, although most of the clicking feature seem to work okay most of the time.

The second thing I noticed is that down at the bottom of the screen is a big circle that has an arrow in it. This arrow flickers in rhythm with the cursor. 

I have tried every suggestion I can find on the internet, including those from this forum. I've deleted device drivers for both the mouse and video card and the intel driver, changed screen resolution, tried changing mouse settings, tried changing the settings of my video drivers,  I tried changing the performance settings, I changed the boot up settings in my Bios. I tried starting up without my usual start up programs. Nothing stopped the flickering.

I use a USB mouse, so I tried different USB ports. I also tried a wireless mouse. The flicker did not stop in either case. I think it's a problem with the Windows update. I had this problem some months back, but it stopped. Then I updated a few days ago and the mouse flickering started up again.

I did notice that while in my Bios the cursor did not flicker. While in Windows 10, as I am now the mouse cursor does flicker.

Help.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2019-08-11T14:34:07+00:00

Solved! (I think...)

I spent hours yesterday trying to find the solution to this problem, trying stuff at random and search the internet for ideas. Nothing worked, but I was reading about one person who said his touch pad was causing his flickering problem. I don't have a touch pad, but I do have a touch monitor. In fact I have two monitors, one touch and one is not, which may or may not having anything to do with it.

Anyway, the touch screen monitor was the problem. The first way to solve this, in my situation, was to go to Device Manager > Human Interface Devices > HID-compliant touch screen, right click and disable the device. This worked immediately.

However, as I realized later, the far easier solution is to reach around to the back of the monitor and unplug the usb cord that connects the monitor's touch screen functionalities to the computer. This too caused the flickering mouse cursor to stop. 

Very frustrating problem if you don't know the solution. But when you do it is easy. Hope this helps someone.

Was this answer helpful?

1100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

90 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-07-31T19:57:22+00:00

    I have the same problem but have a touch screen laptop and use touch frequently, so if I touch the circle and move the pointer up onto the screen then the circle goes away and the mouse works fine, so there is something confusing the system because it thinks the mouse is on the tool bar waiting to be moved.   So disabling the driver wouldn't work for me unless I wasn't going to use touch again.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2020-08-08T14:17:49+00:00

    I have a touch screen and your suggestion worked immediately. Thanks for your  help.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2020-08-13T15:27:42+00:00

    I found that on my Surface 4, Windows 10 is installing Human Interface Devices with multiple instantiations.   I can eliminate the flickering mouse issue by uninstalling one of the multiple "HID-compliant touch screen" devices in device manager.  There is no rhyme or reason to which one eliminates the flickering; sometimes the first, sometimes the second.  I have found you can eliminate both and Windows may re-instantiate one after a period of time. 

    The flickering may occur when working with PDF files.  It seem to get re-instantiation when applications like Adobe  or MS edge are utilized to view PDFs.   

    There are many other HIDs being installed multiple times.  It seems redundant and may be creating other problems when Windows instantiates these drivers multiple times as evidenced with this flickering mouse issue that appears to be caused by multiple "HID-compliant touch screen" drivers.  Why does Windows instantiate these devices multiple times?  Does PDF compatible applications cause the duplicative instantiation of this "HID-compliant touch screen" driver?

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2020-08-25T02:40:49+00:00

    Thanks for the tip

    Had the problem today for the first time after I cleaned my touch screen. 

    Switched off the computer and wiped it with a static duster and that solved the problem. 

    be careful when cleaning the touch screen.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments