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Introduction
Mouse acceleration is a setting that affects how fast your cursor moves on the screen based on the speed at which you move your physical mouse. While some people prefer the added speed and responsiveness that mouse acceleration provides, others may find it disorienting and prefer a more consistent cursor movement. If you’re one of the latter and you’re using a Mac, you might be wondering how to get rid of mouse acceleration. In this blog post, we’ll explore different methods and techniques to help you achieve a smoother mouse movement on your Mac.
It’s important to note that the steps and methods mentioned in this article are specifically for Mac users. Windows users may have different options and settings to adjust mouse acceleration.
Why You Need to Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration
There are several reasons why you might want to disable mouse acceleration on your Mac:
- Increased Precision: Mouse acceleration can make it challenging to perform precise movements, especially when working on tasks that require pixel-perfect accuracy, such as graphic design or video editing. Disabling mouse acceleration can help improve your precision and overall productivity.
- Consistency: Mouse acceleration can cause your cursor to move at different speeds depending on the speed of your physical mouse movement. This inconsistency can be frustrating and make it more difficult to develop muscle memory for precise cursor positioning.
- Gaming performance: In games, where precise and quick cursor movements are crucial, mouse acceleration can adversely affect your performance. By disabling mouse acceleration, you can have more control over your in-game movements.
Method 1. How to Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration via System Preferences
You can adjust mouse acceleration settings directly from your Mac’s System Preferences. Here’s how:
- Open the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select "System Preferences" from the drop-down menu.
- In the System Preferences window, click on "Mouse."
- Go to the "Tracking Speed" section and drag the slider all the way to the left to set it to "Slow."
- To completely disable mouse acceleration, you can also uncheck the box that says "Scroll direction: natural" to reverse the scrolling direction.
- Close the System Preferences window, and the changes will take effect immediately.
Pros:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Easy and straightforward process to adjust mouse acceleration settings. | 1. Mouse acceleration is not completely disabled, only adjusted to a slower speed. |
| 2. Settings can be easily accessed and modified through System Preferences. | 2. Limited options for customization compared to third-party software. |
| 3. No additional software installation required. | 3. The system-wide changes may affect other users on the same Mac. |
Method 2: How to Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration via Terminal
If you prefer using Terminal commands, you can disable mouse acceleration using the command-line interface. Here’s how:
- Open the Terminal application from the Utilities folder, which can be found in the Applications folder.
- Once the Terminal window is open, enter the following command and press Enter:
defaults write .GlobalPreferences com.apple.mouse.scaling -1 - Next, enter the following command and press Enter:
defaults write .GlobalPreferences com.apple.trackpad.scaling -1 - Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
Pros:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Enables you to disable mouse acceleration completely. | 1. Requires using the Terminal application and Terminal commands. |
| 2. Provides greater control and customization options. | 2. The changes made through Terminal affect the entire system, not just your user account. |
| 3. Does not require any third-party software. | 3. May not be as user-friendly for beginners. |
Method 3: How to Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration via Third-Party Software (SmoothMouse)
If you prefer a more user-friendly approach or want additional customization options, you can use third-party software like SmoothMouse to disable mouse acceleration on your Mac.
SmoothMouse is a free software that provides advanced control over mouse acceleration settings. Here’s how to use it:
- Visit the official SmoothMouse website and download the latest version of the software.
- Open the downloaded SmoothMouse.dmg file.
- Double-click on the SmoothMouse.pkg file to start the installation process.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to install SmoothMouse.
- Once installed, open the SmoothMouse application from the Applications folder.
- In the SmoothMouse preferences, adjust the "Tracking Speed" and "Acceleration" sliders according to your preferences. Moving both sliders to the left can help achieve a more consistent cursor movement.
- Close the SmoothMouse preferences window, and the changes will take effect immediately.
Pros:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Provides more advanced control and customization options for mouse acceleration. | 1. Requires downloading and installing third-party software. |
| 2. User-friendly interface for adjusting settings. | 2. May not work with the latest macOS versions. |
| 3. Can be easily disabled or uninstalled if desired. | 3. The software may not receive regular updates or support. |
Method 4: How to Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration via Terminal and PlistBuddy
If you want to fine-tune your mouse acceleration settings using Terminal commands, you can use a combination of Terminal and PlistBuddy. PlistBuddy is a command-line tool that allows you to edit the preferences plist files. Here’s how to use it:
- Open the Terminal application.
- Enter the following command and press Enter to navigate to the relevant directory:
cd ~/Library/Preferences/ - Enter the following command and press Enter to open the com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist file with PlistBuddy:
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist - Within PlistBuddy, enter the following command and press Enter to add a new preference:
Add :IOHIDFPointingDevice key - Enter the following command to specify the desired mouse acceleration value (set it to 0 to disable mouse acceleration completely) and press Enter:
Set :IOHIDFPointingDevice MouseAcceleration key - Save the changes by entering the following command and pressing Enter:
Save - Quit PlistBuddy by entering the following command and pressing Enter:
Quit - Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
Pros:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Provides fine-tuned control over mouse acceleration settings. | 1. Requires using Terminal commands and PlistBuddy. |
| 2. Allows for advanced customization and experimentation. | 2. Can be intimidating for users unfamiliar with Terminal and command-line tools. |
| 3. No third-party software installation required. | 3. Editing plist files incorrectly can potentially cause issues with your system. |
What to Do If You Can’t Get Rid of Mouse Acceleration
If you’re unable to get rid of mouse acceleration using the methods mentioned above, here are some alternative solutions you can try:
- Updated drivers: Make sure your mouse drivers are up-to-date. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers specifically designed for your mouse model.
- Mouse sensitivity: Adjusting the sensitivity settings in combination with the mouse acceleration settings might help achieve the desired cursor movement.
- Mouse software: Some gaming mice come with their own software that allows for more advanced customization options, including the ability to disable mouse acceleration. Check if your mouse has any accompanying software that can help you achieve the desired settings.
- Consult an expert: If all else fails, reach out to Mac support forums or contact Apple’s official support for further assistance and guidance.
Bonus Tips
Here are three bonus tips to further enhance your mouse experience on Mac:
- Mouse pad: Consider using a mouse pad to enhance the tracking accuracy of your mouse, especially if you’re using an optical or laser mouse.
- Acceleration profiles: Some third-party software, like SmoothMouse, allows you to set different acceleration profiles for specific applications or tasks. Experiment with different profiles to find what works best for you.
- Mouse sensitivity shortcut: You can assign a keyboard shortcut to adjust mouse sensitivity quickly using third-party software or built-in macOS features, allowing you to switch between different sensitivity settings on the fly.
5 FAQs
Q1: How can I tell if mouse acceleration is enabled?
A1: One way to test if mouse acceleration is enabled is by performing consistent mouse movements at different speeds. If the cursor moves faster or slower than expected based on the physical mouse movement, mouse acceleration is likely enabled.
Q2: Can I adjust mouse acceleration for specific applications?
A2: Adjusting mouse acceleration settings through System Preferences or Terminal will apply the changes globally across all applications. However, certain third-party software, like SmoothMouse, allows you to set different acceleration profiles for specific applications.
Q3: Will disabling mouse acceleration affect my trackpad settings?
A3: Disabling mouse acceleration only affects the behavior of your mouse and does not interfere with the trackpad settings. You can adjust trackpad settings separately through System Preferences and customize them according to your preferences.
Q4: Can I enable mouse acceleration after disabling it?
A4: Yes, you can enable mouse acceleration again by following the same steps mentioned in the methods above and adjusting the settings accordingly.
Q5: Are there any downsides to disabling mouse acceleration?
A5: While disabling mouse acceleration can provide more consistent cursor movement, some users might find it challenging to adjust to the lack of acceleration initially. It may take some time to build muscle memory for precise movements with disabled mouse acceleration.
Final Thoughts
Getting rid of mouse acceleration on a Mac can greatly enhance your cursor control and precision, whether you’re working on professional tasks or playing games. In this blog post, we explored various methods, including adjusting settings through System Preferences, using Terminal commands, installing third-party software like SmoothMouse, and fine-tuning settings with Terminal and PlistBuddy.
Remember to test different methods and settings to find what works best for you. If you encounter any issues or have specific requirements, consider reaching out to Mac support forums or consulting an expert for further assistance. Happy mousing!