Mouse Cursor is erratic and jumps around in EXCEL

Glen Lesnick 5 Reputation points
2026-01-25T23:09:42.9466667+00:00

I have a Windows 11 Hp Omnibook X Flip Laptop and using MS 365 EXCEL. I am working on a large Excel file originally create in 2018 with Office 2016. The cursor bouncing around the screen is maddening and nothing I can do with regards to debug or online repairs has solved the problem. I have "OPTIMIZED" the spreadsheet deleted all excess formatting, rolled back the Excel file version to one recommended online, as well as many other things to no avail.

Very disappointing that this bug has made 8 years of work unusable.

I went through all the fixes recommended here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4956689/mouse-cursor-is-erratic-and-jumps-around-in-excel

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. AI answer

    2026-01-25T23:09:49.68+00:00

    If your mouse cursor is erratic and jumping around in Excel, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can consider:

    1. Check for Hardware Issues: Sometimes, the issue may be related to the mouse itself. Try using a different mouse or check if the touchpad settings are causing interference.
    2. Update Drivers: Ensure that your mouse and touchpad drivers are up to date. You can check for updates through the Device Manager in Windows.
    3. Disable Touchpad: If you are using a laptop, disabling the touchpad while using an external mouse can help prevent erratic cursor movements.
    4. Excel Options: Check Excel's advanced options. Sometimes, settings related to hardware acceleration can cause issues. You can try disabling hardware acceleration in Excel by going to File > Options > Advanced and unchecking the option for hardware graphics acceleration.
    5. Repair Office: If the problem persists, consider repairing your Office installation. You can do this through the Control Panel by selecting Microsoft 365 and choosing the repair option.
    6. Recreate the File: If the file itself is corrupted, try copying the data to a new Excel file to see if that resolves the issue.

    If none of these solutions work, you may want to reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

    References:

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