Is your cursor flashing rapidly, making your day-to-day computer operations difficult? When using Windows 10, the cursor or mouse pointer is usually a solid arrow or other form that doesn’t flash. In applications such as Microsoft Word, the pointer changes to a vertical bar that flashes to indicate your position on the page. However, a flashing/flashing/flashing pointer may indicate a problem with the mouse driver, antivirus software, or some other issue. This flashing cursor can be very uncomfortable to the eyes and can make it difficult and annoying to perform computer operations. If you’re experiencing this type of issue on your device, here are some ways to fix the mouse cursor flickering issue on Windows 10.
Content Catalog
- How to Fix Cursor Flickering on Windows 10
- The reason why the cursor problem is flickering in Windows 10
- Method 1: Restart Windows/File Explorer
- Method 2: Update the video driver
- Method 3: Update your keyboard and mouse drivers
- Method 4: Disable the connected biometric device
- Method 5: Disable the HP Pass Simple feature in your Windows 10 PC
- Other tips to fix mouse cursor flickering in Windows 10
How to Fix Windows 10 Cursor Flickering Issue
The reason why the cursor problem is flickering in Windows 10
Usually, users who connect a fingerprint scanner to a PC are most affected by this issue. Other users affected by this issue include those using unauthorized software or drivers. In addition to these two, there are many more reasons why the cursor flickers in Windows 10, and here are a few potential ones.
After receiving multiple reports from users and conducting our own testing, we came to the conclusion that the issue was caused by a variety of factors:
- Windows Explorer: Windows Explorer is the default file manager in Windows, and it is responsible for all file and desktop operations. You may notice some strange things, such as the cursor flashing when it is in the wrong state.
- Mouse and keyboard drivers: Mouse and keyboard drivers are the main components that allow the operating system and hardware to communicate. If these are corrupted or outdated, you may experience a number of issues, including not being able to log in and flickering your mouse.
- Video drivers: The key components that provide instructions and signals to the display for display are the video drivers. If they’re corrupted or outdated, you may experience various issues, such as mouse flickering.
- HP Simple Pass: While it may seem unrelated, HP Simple Pass is associated with cursor difficulty and flickering. Disabling the program is perfect for it.
- Biometric devices: Biometric devices are known for their usefulness and ease of use when logging into a device or network. However, they can occasionally collide with the system, leading to many such issues.
- Antivirus: If not updated, some antivirus software can become cumbersome and cause the cursor to flicker in Windows 10.
Let’s discuss the various solutions on how to fix the mouse cursor flashing issue in Windows 10.
Method 1: Restart Windows/File Explorer
Workaround for Windows 10 cursor flickering: As mentioned earlier, Windows 10 is the default file manager in Windows Explorer. It has also been developed to include additional features related to file management, music and video playback, app launch, and more. Windows Explorer also includes the desktop and taskbar.
With each new version of Windows, Windows Explorer has improved its look, feel, and functionality. Starting with Windows 8.0, Windows Explorer has been renamed to File Explorer. Restarting it may help resolve the flickering cursor issue. Here’s how to restart it in Window 10:
1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.
2. Right-click on Windows Explorer and select End Task.
3. From the File menu of the Task Manager window, select Run New Task.
4. Enter explorer.exe in the new task window and click OK.
If you don’t try the following methods to update your video drivers and mouse and keyboard drivers, this simple fix can fix the issue.
Method 2: Update the video driver
How to Fix Windows 10 Cursor Flickering? A video driver issue can cause the pointer to flicker or disappear completely. Check that your hardware and operating system’s graphics drivers are up to date. A video card maker website is a great place to start solving the problem.
Microsoft DirectX drivers are updated regularly, so make sure you have the latest version installed. Also, make sure it’s compatible with your system.
Here’s how to manually update your video drivers:
1. To access the WinX menu, press the Windows + X keys at the same time.
2. Go to Device Manager.
3. Expand the tabs labeled Sound, Video, and Game Controllers.
4. Right-click on the video in the Computer Sound, Video, and Game Controllers section. Then, select Update Driver.
5. Repeat the same process for the graphics card.
6. Restart your computer and check if the cursor flickering issue has been resolved.
Method 3: Update your keyboard and mouse drivers
Workaround for Windows 10 cursor flickering: Pointer flickering can be caused by corrupted or outdated mouse and keyboard drivers:
- Verify that the drivers you installed on your computer are compatible and have been updated recently.
- Find information on the manufacturer’s website about hardware and software issues with the apps you use on your device.
- Your pointer may flicker when there’s a problem with your mouse or keyboard battery, especially if you’re using wireless hardware. Replace the battery to fix this issue.
Once you have verified and corrected the above issues, proceed with the following steps to manually update the drivers:
1. Press the Windows + X keys at the same time to access the WinX menu.
2. Select Device Manager.
3. Expand the tab titled “Mouse and Other Pointer Devices.”
4. Right-click on each entry under Mouse and Other Referring Devices and select Update Driver.
5. Restart your computer and check for cursor flashing issues.
Method 4: Disable the connected biometric device
How to Fix Windows 10 Cursor Flickering? Biometric devices have compatibility issues with the Windows 10 operating system and legacy device drivers. If you have a computer with a biometric device and you are experiencing this issue, one of the best ways to fix this issue is to simply disable the biometric device.
Note: Removing the biometric device will make it useless, but the mouse pointer will work fine.
To turn off a biometric device connected to your computer, do the following:
1. Press the Windows + X keys at the same time to open the WinX menu.
2. Go to Device Manager.
3. Expand the Biometrics tab.
4. Right-click on the biometric device and select Disable.
5. Restart your PC to apply the changes.
This should resolve any issues that may arise due to conflicts between your device’s operating system and your biometric device.
Method 5: Disable the HP Pass Simple feature in your Windows 10 PC
Windows 10 cursor flashing workaround: For HP users who connect their biometric devices to their PCs, HP SimplePass is the culprit. SimplePass is an HP program for biometric devices. It enables customers to operate biometric devices using HP computers while also giving them control over the functionality of biometric devices. However, the app may not work properly on Windows 10 and cause cursor flickering issues.
If you’re an HP user and you’re experiencing this issue while installing HP SimplePass on your system, you can resolve the issue by simply disabling one of these features. The steps to do so are:
1. Open the HP Simple Pass.
2. From the top right corner of the window, click the Settings button.
3. Under Settings, uncheck the LaunchSite option.
4. Click the OK button to disable this feature to correct the flashing cursor issue.
Other tips to fix mouse cursor flickering in Windows 10
- Problems with CSS code or scripts running in the browser can produce a flashing cursor in the web browser. To fix this, visit websites that don’t use CSS or JavaScript and check if the cursor is flashing there.
- Antivirus software may cause the cursor to flicker by interfering with the driver software. For information on product failure and troubleshooting, visit the manufacturer’s website.
We hope you found this guide helpful and that you were able to fix the mouse cursor flickering issue in Windows 10. If you find yourself struggling along the way, please contact us with a comment and we’ll help you.
