So your laptop mouse cursor just vanished. No warning, no error message, just gone. Whether you’re using a trackpad or an external mouse, it’s a weird kind of panic. But don’t worry. This is usually easy to fix, and we’re going to walk you through it step by step.

Here are the quickest ways to bring your cursor back from the void.

1. Try the Obvious First: Reboot

Yeah, we know. But it works.

If your cursor disappeared suddenly, a quick reboot can reset whatever bugged-out glitch caused the issue. Hold your power button and restart the laptop.

If your keyboard works:

• Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then use arrow keys to restart from the menu.

If your keyboard doesn’t respond either:

• Hard shut down by holding the power button for 5–10 seconds. Then turn it back on.

2. Using a USB Mouse? Unplug + Replug

Unplug your USB mouse and plug it back in. Try a different USB port if you can.

If the cursor still doesn’t show:

• Plug the mouse into another device to see if it works there.
• Try another mouse on your laptop.

If the replacement works, your original mouse is the issue. Time for a new one.

3. Using a Touchpad? Check if It’s Disabled

Many laptops let you disable the trackpad with a keyboard shortcut, accidentally hitting it is surprisingly common.

Try these key combos:

• Fn + F5
• Fn + F6
• Fn + F9
• Fn + F7 (varies by manufacturer. Look for a touchpad icon)

Still nothing? Head to your settings manually:

• Press Windows + I to open Settings
• Go to Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad
• Make sure it’s turned on

4. Restart Windows Explorer

If your mouse isn’t showing but the rest of Windows is working, the issue might be the interface itself.

Try this:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
• Use the arrow keys to find Windows Explorer
• Press Enter, then Tab to highlight “Restart”
• Press Enter again

Your screen may flash for a second, that’s normal.

5. Check Device Manager

Let’s make sure Windows still sees your mouse.

• Press Windows + X, then hit M for Device Manager
• Use arrow keys to go to Mice and other pointing devices
• Expand the section with Right Arrow
• See any red “X” or yellow triangle? That’s your issue.

If it looks fine:

• Highlight the mouse > Press Shift + F10 (right-click menu) > Choose Uninstall device
• Reboot your laptop. Windows will reinstall it on startup.

6. Update or Roll Back Drivers

Drivers sometimes cause the problem, especially after a Windows update.

Back in Device Manager:

• Select your mouse or trackpad
• Press Shift + F10, then choose Properties
• Navigate to the Driver tab using arrow keys and Tab
• Try Update Driver or Roll Back Driver if available

Still broken? Consider downloading drivers from your laptop manufacturer’s site (HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc.).

7. Boot Into Safe Mode

If none of the above worked, boot into Safe Mode. This loads minimal drivers and can help isolate if the issue is hardware or software.

• Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter
• Under Boot > Boot options, check Safe boot
• Reboot your laptop

If the mouse works here, something else is interfering in normal mode, possibly a third-party app or driver.

Last Resort: System Restore or Reset

If things got this far, you might consider a System Restore to roll your laptop back to a time when the mouse worked. Or a full Windows Reset, if needed.

• Press Windows + S, type “System Restore”, and follow the steps.
• For reset: Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC

⚠️ Backup your data before doing this.

✅ Quick Recap

Fix	Description
Reboot	First thing to try, often solves it
Replug USB Mouse	Check connection and ports
Enable Touchpad	Function key combo or Settings
Restart Explorer	Resets interface if frozen
Device Manager	Check for driver or hardware errors
Update/Roll Back	Driver glitch? Roll it back
Safe Mode	Narrow down software conflicts
Reset	Last-resort solution

Final Thoughts

Losing your cursor is frustrating but it usually isn’t serious. Nine times out of ten, it’s a simple driver blip, a disabled touchpad, or a flaky USB port. Follow the steps above, and you’ll be pointing, clicking, and scrolling again in no time.

Got a weird fix that worked for you? Drop it in the comments. We love the creative ones.