Fix Mouse Cursor Disappearing on a 240 Hz Monitor in Windows 11

When you connect a 240 Hz monitor to Windows 11, the mouse cursor may vanish when you move it across certain areas of the screen or after the system wakes from sleep. This problem occurs because Windows 11 hardware cursor rendering can conflict with the high refresh rate signal, causing the cursor to not draw on screen correctly. In this article, you will learn the root cause of the disappearing cursor on high-refresh-rate displays and the exact steps to restore cursor visibility.

Why the Cursor Disappears on a 240 Hz Monitor in Windows 11

Windows 11 uses a hardware cursor by default. The hardware cursor is a separate overlay drawn directly by the graphics driver, not by the desktop compositor. This design keeps cursor movement smooth and responsive even when the system is under load.

At a 240 Hz refresh rate, the monitor updates the image 240 times per second. The graphics driver must synchronize the hardware cursor overlay with each refresh cycle. Some monitor models, especially those using Display Stream Compression or specific DisplayPort versions, have a timing mismatch between the pixel clock and the cursor overlay signal. This mismatch causes the cursor to disappear intermittently or completely.

The problem is more common on monitors that support 240 Hz only through overclocking or via a specific cable type. Monitors that require DSC to reach 240 Hz at 4K resolution are particularly prone to this issue. The cursor disappears because the hardware cursor buffer is not flushed correctly during the vertical blanking interval at the highest refresh rates.

Steps to Make the Mouse Cursor Visible Again on a 240 Hz Monitor

1. Lower the monitor refresh rate to 144 Hz or 120 Hz
   Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to System > Display > Advanced display. Under Choose a refresh rate, select 144 Hz or 120 Hz. The cursor should reappear immediately. This is the fastest test to confirm the refresh rate is the cause.
2. Enable pointer trails to force software cursor rendering
   Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse. Click Additional mouse settings. In the Mouse Properties window, go to the Pointer Options tab. Check the box next to Display pointer trails. Move the slider to Short. Click Apply and OK. The cursor now renders through software and stays visible.
3. Increase the mouse pointer size
   Open Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch. Under Pointer size, select the middle or largest option. This action forces Windows to redraw the cursor using a software path, which bypasses the hardware cursor conflict.
4. Change the pointer scheme to a solid large scheme
   Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse > Additional mouse settings. In the Pointers tab, under Scheme, select Windows Black (large) or Windows Inverted (large). Click Apply and OK. A different pointer scheme can reset the cursor rendering mode.
5. Disable hardware-accelerated cursor in the graphics driver
   Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it CursorBlinkRateSoftware. Set its value to 1. Restart your PC. This registry key forces the cursor to render through software.
6. Update or roll back the graphics driver
   Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Expand Display adapters. Right-click your graphics card and select Properties. Go to the Driver tab. If the cursor disappeared after a recent update, click Roll Back Driver. Otherwise, click Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. A driver version that matches your monitor firmware can fix the timing issue.

If the Cursor Still Disappears After Applying the Fixes

Cursor disappears only in full-screen games or videos

Some games override the Windows cursor settings. Open the game’s video settings and disable full-screen optimizations. Right-click the game executable, select Properties > Compatibility, and check Disable full-screen optimizations. Also set the game to borderless windowed mode instead of exclusive full-screen. This keeps the Windows cursor layer active.

Cursor disappears after the monitor wakes from sleep

This is a display power management signaling issue. Open Settings > System > Power & battery. Under Screen and sleep, set both On battery and Plugged in to Never for Turn off my screen. Alternatively, press Win + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver without restarting. This key combo reinitializes the display driver and often brings back the cursor.

Cursor disappears when using a specific cable or adapter

A DisplayPort 1.4 cable that lacks proper certification can cause signal degradation at 240 Hz. Replace the cable with a VESA-certified DisplayPort 2.0 cable or an HDMI 2.1 cable if your monitor supports it. Do not use passive adapters to convert from HDMI to DisplayPort for 240 Hz output. Use the native cable type that matches both your GPU and monitor ports.

Refresh Rate vs Cursor Rendering: Quick Reference

Item	240 Hz (Hardware Cursor)	240 Hz (Software Cursor)
Cursor rendering method	GPU overlay via driver	Desktop compositor via CPU
Cursor visibility at 240 Hz	May disappear intermittently	Always visible
Performance impact	None	Slight increase in CPU usage during cursor movement
Fix method	Lower refresh rate or change cable	Enable pointer trails or registry key
Best for	Competitive gaming where every frame matters	General use and productivity at 240 Hz

You can now restore the mouse cursor on your 240 Hz monitor by lowering the refresh rate, enabling pointer trails, or increasing pointer size. If the cursor issue returns after a driver update, use the rollback option or reapply the registry key for software cursor rendering. For persistent cases, a certified DisplayPort 2.0 cable ensures clean signal transmission at 240 Hz.