How to Hide Your Mouse Cursor While Typing: Full Guide

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Plus, learn about the "hide pointer while typing" setting in Windows

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: July 15, 2026 Fact Checked

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• About the "Hide Pointer While Typing" Setting
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• Hiding Pointer While Typing (PC)
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• Hiding Pointer While Typing (Mac)
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In Windows, you may have seen a setting called "Hide pointer while typing." If you've enabled this setting, however, you've likely noticed that it doesn't really do anything. In this article, we'll explain why this is, plus how to actually hide your cursor while typing in Windows. We also cover a few ways to hide the cursor while typing on a Mac. Keep reading to learn more.

Hiding the Cursor While Typing

In Windows, the "hide pointer while typing" setting doesn't actually hide the cursor; it gives programs the option to hide your pointer, but most don't support this feature. To hide the cursor in Windows, you'll need a third-party utility. On macOS, this functionality is built in.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Does the "Hide pointer while typing" setting work?

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1. 
   The "Hide pointer while typing" setting in Windows is a little misleading. When you edit your mouse settings in Windows, you'll see the option to hide your pointer while typing. However, instead of hiding your pointer while typing, it sets the "Mouse Vanish" parameter's value, which just gives the apps on your computer the ability to hide your pointer while you type. In theory, apps would use this parameter to hide the cursor while you type if the setting is enabled, but few programs actually use this parameter.

   • Some Microsoft programs, including Notepad and Word, hide your pointer while typing, regardless of whether or not this setting is enabled. Other Microsoft programs, such as Microsoft Edge, won't hide your pointer while typing, even if the setting is enabled.
   • While Microsoft hasn't officially said why this feature still exists even though many programs don't use it, users online speculate it's due to legacy compatibility in case an old program does use it.
   • Many Windows users use a third-party tool to hide their pointer while typing. Learn how to use one of these tools below.
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Hide Pointer While Typing (Windows)

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1. 
   1
   Download the Windows Cursor Hider utility. To do so, go to the Windows Cursor Hider GitHub page. You'll see some text that says "You can either get the latest executable from here…". Click on the "here" link to download the Windows Cursor Hider tool.

   • This utility is an AutoHotkey executable file, but you don't need AutoHotkey to use it.
2. 
   2
   Double-click the Windows Cursor Hider EXE file. This should be in your Downloads folder or wherever you saved the file.

   • You'll likely get an error message when you try to run the file. To run it, click More info, then Run anyway.
3. 
   3
   Start typing. Once you start typing in any program, you'll see that your pointer disappears. To get it to appear again, simply move your mouse.
4. 
   4
   Stop the EXE file. If you decide that you don't want to run the EXE file anymore, you can stop it by doing one of the following methods:

   • System tray:
     • Click on the arrow in the system tray, which is in the bottom-right corner of your screen, in your taskbar.
     • Right-click the green "H" icon. When you hover this icon, it should say "Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe."
     • Click Exit.
   • Task manager:
     • Right-click the taskbar and click Task Manager.
     • Use the search bar at the top to search for "Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe".
     • Right-click on Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe.
     • Click End task.
5. 
   5
   Make the EXE file run when you start up your computer. If you want your computer to run this EXE file at startup, you must add it to your startup folder. Here's how to do this:

   • Open File Explorer and navigate to where you've got the Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe file saved. This may be your Downloads folder if you didn't specifically pick a folder.
   • Press ⊞ Win+R to open a Run dialog.
   • Type shell:startup and press ↵ Enter.
   • Right-click the Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe file and click Copy.
   • Click the File Explorer window with the Startup folder opened.
   • Right-click in the blank space and click Paste.
   • If asked to provide administrator permission, click Continue.
   • To stop this program from running at startup, go back to the Startup folder and delete the copy of the Hide Mouse Cursor on Idle.exe file.
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Section 3 of 3:

How to Hide Pointer While Typing (Mac)

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1. 
   1
   Use a built-in shortcut. On a Mac, your cursor should automatically be hidden when you start typing. However, if it's not, you can try using a built-in shortcut. There's no official shortcut on Apple's website to hide your pointer, but some Redditors on /r/Mac have suggested using the following shortcuts:

   • Tap the up arrow twice.
   • Press F8 or Fn+F8
2. 
   2
   Use a third-party tool. If the built-in shortcuts aren't working and your pointer still isn't being hidden when you type, try using a third-party tool like Cursorcerer. Cursorcerer is a small Mac utility that adds a keyboard shortcut to hide and display the cursor. It won't make your cursor disappear automatically when you start typing, but you can turn it off if it's bothering you. Here's how to use it:

   • Go to Cursorcerer's webpage.
   • Click the Download button.
   • Unzip the Cursorcerer file.
   • Double-click the "cursor.prefPane" file to add Cursorcerer to your Mac settings.
   • Press Ctrl+⌥ Option+K to toggle the cursor on and off.
     • Go to your Mac settings to adjust the cursor toggle hotkey and the amount of time the cursor must remain idle before automatically hiding.
     • To remove Cursorcerer, go to ~/Library/PreferencePanes and delete Cursorcerer.
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