The mouse is the most important element for controlling a computer. It is she who helps to conveniently launch all the applications of interest, find the necessary files and positions. And if the mouse starts to freeze, the user experiences a lot of inconvenience. Fortunately, in most cases it is possible to easily deal with the causes of such a problem and quickly restore the performance of the controls.
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Why does the mouse cursor freeze
A frozen mouse cursor on a computer can be associated with a variety of problems. It makes sense to carefully study all aspects, and then proceed to the consistent implementation of all methods to restore the normal operation of the control.
One of the most obvious options seems to be a dead battery in a wireless mouse. Regardless of which interface the manipulator works through (USB receiver or Bluetooth), it receives energy from a battery or accumulator. And if the battery runs out, it simply will not be able to transfer the required amount of energy to the electrical appliance, which will cause the mouse to freeze, jerk or turn off completely.
Regarding wireless devices, it is also worth considering the distance to the signal receiver. Often, antennas are connected to the back of the computer, and the system unit itself is placed under the table. This configuration creates unstable reception on some mice.
On wired mice, the cause of the problem may be due to cable wear. Moreover, it is most often impossible to visually determine defects, since the changes relate to internal connections and contacts. In this case, it is worth connecting another mouse to the same port and checking its performance.
There are a number of other factors that cause the mouse cursor to freeze:
- contamination of the lens responsible for positioning;
- work on a transparent or mirror surface;
- mechanical damage to the device;
- a malfunctioning or outdated hardware driver;
- software conflict;
- unintentional inclusion of additional functions.
Problem Solving Methods
There are many ways to restore the normal operation of the computer mouse and eliminate all sorts of freezes. It is not always possible to accurately identify the cause of the problem. Therefore, it is recommended to sequentially perform each of the methods described below, each time checking the functionality of the manipulator.
System reboot
As soon as the first problems with the freezing of the mouse cursor appear, you should immediately restart the computer. It is possible that the problem is related to a single software or system error, which will automatically disappear after a restart.
Here it is worth preparing for the fact that a non-working mouse will not allow a normal reboot. In this case, the keyboard will come to the rescue.
Sequencing:
- On your keyboard, press Alt + Tab to minimize all active windows and go to the desktop.
- Press the Alt + F4 keys.
- In the window that opens, select the “Reboot” item from the proposed list using the arrow buttons.
- Press Enter to activate the procedure.
Device check
Although the most common cause of a mouse freezing on a computer is a software problem, it is important to make sure that the hardware you are using is working properly. The check will not take much time and will not require any special skills.
On wired models, you need to carefully inspect the cable for possible cracks, breaks or other mechanical defects. Such damage affects the stability of the signal transmission and may well cause freezes.
In addition to the cable, it is also worth inspecting the lower part of the manipulator itself. The scanner area must be clean and intact. Scratches, chips and other defects can interfere with the normal passage of the beam and cause a lot of problems.
Reducing the load on the system
On some systems, the mouse starts to twitch and freeze due to excessive processor load. A weak computer or laptop simply cannot cope with the tasks, which leads to problems with peripheral equipment.
It is recommended to open the Task Manager and check how busy the processor is in certain situations. Usually, the problem manifests itself when installing complex software, archiving files, unpacking updates. You can open the Task Manager through the context menu of the right mouse button when you click on the Start button or the taskbar.
If the system is loaded at 100%, it may be worth considering using less demanding software or a future system upgrade (replacing the processor, adding RAM, etc.).
Connecting to a different port
Equally important are ports and plugs. It makes sense to reconnect the device to another USB port, since such an action often helps to quickly solve all problems. In some cases, it is even advisable to purchase an adapter to connect a modern mouse to a PS / 2 port. It is this connector that often eliminates all problems with the cursor freezing.
Modern computers use universal USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports to connect peripheral equipment. The latter are distinguished by a higher signal transmission rate and are marked in blue. In any case, it is recommended to sequentially connect the mouse to different ports, checking its performance. It happens that high-speed USB 3.0 connectors do not allow a particular model of the manipulator to work normally, while there are no problems with standard USB 2.0 ports.
Applying the “Troubleshooter”
The Windows operating system comes with a pre-installed utility to solve various hardware problems. The troubleshooter collects information about the operation of peripheral devices, identifies problems, and at a basic level offers a solution. Working with it does not require special knowledge, since it is enough just to follow the instructions in the tool itself.
Placement of a special mat on the table
The stable operation of the mouse is closely related to the parameters of the surface on which it slides. An uneven, dirty, transparent or mirrored table is not suitable for modern laser manipulators. The optical scanner simply does not get the right flat surface to clearly follow the movements of the hand.
The way out will be a special rug placed directly under the arm. Such products provide the proper level of comfort and slip during operation.
Driver update
Frequent mouse freezes may well be the result of outdated software. Here you need to install all the necessary updates, paying special attention to the drivers of peripheral devices.
Work algorithm:
- Go to Device Manager on your computer.
- Find the HID compliant mouse item in the list.
- Right-click on it and select “Update Driver”.
Up-to-date software is automatically installed without any user intervention without any problems. If this does not happen, you should go to the website of the manufacturer of a particular device and download the latest drivers from there yourself. Once the distribution is downloaded, the elements can be installed in the same way as standard programs.
Setting the power supply of the controllers
The operating system is able to control the power supply to specific USB ports using drivers. If incorrect parameters are set in the power supply settings, the equipment connected to these connectors will be unstable.
To check the desired settings, do the following:
- On the keyboard, press the key combination Win + R, opening a window for entering commands.
- Enter devmgmt.msc and confirm the operation with the Enter key.
- In the “USB Controllers” branch, find the position “USB Root Hub”.
- Right-click on it and select “Properties”.
- In the Power Management tab, uncheck the box next to “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.” Confirm the changes with the “OK” button.
This must be done for each USB hub.
Checking the performance of the video card
A periodically twitching or freezing mouse is not always associated with the manipulator itself or its drivers. Sometimes the problem is related to the video card, which is responsible for displaying the cursor on the monitor.
To update the video card driver, you need to do the following:
- Open “Device Manager” in any convenient way.
- Open the “Display Adapters” tab.
- Right-click on the name of the desired graphics adapter.
- Select “Update driver” from the context menu.
You can also download the driver version of interest from the official website of the video card manufacturer.
Cleaning your computer from “garbage” and viruses
Mouse freezing can be caused by an excessive accumulation of temporary files, various “garbage” and unnecessary applications on the computer. The operation of peripheral devices is affected by conflicts between various programs, as well as malware that has entered the system.
It is recommended to clean hard drives of unnecessary files using specialized programs, and also check the entire computer for viruses with antivirus software. It is advisable to always have an antivirus in the system configured for regular scanning.
Operating system rollback
If the operating system is severely damaged, many components may not function properly. And it will be possible to deal with the problem that has arisen only by rolling back to the last workable restore point. Here, the utilities built into the OS will come to the rescue, allowing you to quickly restore system files.
A fairly radical solution seems to be a complete reinstallation of the operating system. However, before that, it is important to make sure that the mouse itself, all connectors on the computer, and other related equipment are working.