Mouse Keeps Freezing on Windows 7/8/10?

It’s summer break, and you’re trying to relax by playing your favourite video game or streaming that new movie on Netflix — except your mouse keeps freezing! It might even lag, jump, or disappear entirely. Many users have suffered from this problem, and it can be pretty frustrating to deal with. So, this article will assist you in troubleshooting the issue and quickly fixing your mouse problems so that you can once again get your work done quickly.

Table of Contents

Check for any mechanical malfunction

If you’re on a laptop and working with a touchpad, check if there are any dents or external damage to the tracking area because sometimes this is the
Checking Battery Status
the reason why your mouse keeps freezing. And if you find some, take your device to the nearest authorized repair shop to get it looked at.
If you’re on a PC or using an external mouse, ensure that the mouse’s battery is fully charged in case of a wireless device. You can also try ultimately replacing the battery if you find it discharging quickly.

Visit: Battery of Wireless Mouse

3. If you use a wired mouse, examine the USB port on your Windows device and the USB cable itself to check for any physical damage, wear or tear. You may try to use a different USB port and cable and see if that solves the problem.

4. You can also try using your external mouse on another laptop or PC to see if the issue persists.

Modify the settings for your mouse

On Windows 7/8, make your way to the Control Panel, and left-click on the Mouse icon. A window with Mouse Options should open; left-click on Pointer Options. On Windows 10, navigate to Settings. Left-click on Devices, and under the Mouse category, left-click on Additional Mouse Options displayed on the top right; then left-click on Pointer Options.
Modify the mouse settings
Uncheck the box next to ‘Hide pointer while typing‘ and apply the new settings.
Close all programs and reboot your Windows device. If this also doesn’t work, you may also try disabling ‘Enhance pointer precision‘ under Pointer Options and rebooting the system again.

Troubleshoot other possible causes

If you’ve modifies the settings of our mouse and still, the mouse keeps freezing, then you should troubleshoot.

Go to the Control Panel, and left-click on the Troubleshooting icon. If you can’t find it, search for ‘Troubleshooting.’
Left-click on ‘Hardware and Sound,’ and then in the Device category, left-click on the ‘Next‘ button for ‘Hardware and Devices.’
Troubleshooting other problems
A scan will begin to identify any issues, and a dialogue box will appear to apply fixed—press Enter.
Close all windows and reboot your Windows device and check if your mouse keeps freezing issue has stopped or not.

Reinstall or update your Device Drivers

Sometimes when people don’t update the drivers of their mouse then also their mouse keeps freezing.

Visit: Update Mouse Drivers

Press Windows key + X and choose Device Manager from the menu that appears. Then, you may right-click on the Start button to access this menu.
Right-click on your mouse under ‘Mouse and other pointing devices‘ and choose ‘Uninstall device.’ Confirm ‘Uninstall‘ on the dialogue box.
You may receive a prompt to restart your computer—press Enter.
Suppose you’re not prompted or don’t want to restart your computer, press Tab and Enter. Then, with the help of Arrow keys, navigate the toolbar in Device Manager and press Enter to select ‘Scan device for hardware changes. You can also hold F5 on your keyboard to start the scan.
Once this is done, windows will then reinstall the drivers for your mouse. This might solve the problem.
If the issue persists, locate your mouse again and right-click on it; if you get an option to ‘Update driver,’ click on it and follow the on-screen guide to finishing the update process.
Updating Mouse Drivers
Alternatively, you can also go to the device manufacturer’s website and check for updated drivers. Make sure only to choose drivers compatible with your version of Windows, and then download and update them manually.

Check for Malware, Adware, or Viruses

On Windows 7/8, use the installed Antivirus Program to scan for any malware or malicious programs which may be affecting your device. If there isn’t any program installed, you can download free software such as Avast Antivirus or Bitdefender or purchase a subscription to a Norton Antivirus or Kaspersky Internet Security program.
Checking for Virus
On Windows 10, you may search for Windows Security in the Start menu, and perform a search for viruses or adware and take necessary actions to secure your device so that your mouse does not keep freezing anymore.

Some other miscellaneous ways

Sometimes, Realtek HD Audio Manager may be causing issues with your mouse’s functionality. To disable it, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to access the Task Manager. Go to the Startup tab there, locate Realtek HD Audio Manager, and right-click on it, and choose ‘Disable.’ Reboot your computer and check if the problem reappears.
Many users report disabling Cortana in Windows 10 can solve this problem as well.
Sometimes, the issue may be caused by ATI Catalyst drivers. Press Windows key + R to open the Run window, type ‘services. MSC and press Enter. Locate the ATI Hotkey Peller service and double-click on it. Under the Properties window, change the ‘Startup type‘ to ‘Disabled.’ Apply the settings, close all windows and reboot the system.
Temporarily disconnect other USB peripherals, such as a USB flash drive or printer, and check if the issue disappears.

Hopefully, these steps will resolve any issues if your mouse keeps freezing, and you can make a swift return to a lag-free life!

Tony Polanco

Tony, computing writer at Automaticable, covers laptops, tablets, Windows, iOS. Off-duty, he indulges in comics, gaming, speculative fiction, and excessive Twitter use. Non-nerdy side includes rocking out at concerts and hitting NYC bars.

Mouse Keeps Freezing on Windows 7/8/10? – Ways to Fix