How to Speed Up the Touchpad Mouse
A laptop’s touchpad is highly customizable, and it enables a mobile professional to get work done without needing a flat surface for an attachable mouse. By default, Windows 7 sets the touchpad and button speed at a medium setting, which may prove too slow for your needs. If you’re not satisfied with your touchpad’s speed, you can adjust the pad and button sensitivity in the Mouse applet in the Control Panel.
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1.
Click the Windows "Start" button and select “Control Panel.” Type “mouse” (without quotation marks) in the Search field at the upper-right corner of the window.
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Click “Mouse” when it appears in the search results on the left.
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Click the “Buttons” tab and move the “Double-click speed” slider under to the right until you’re satisfied with your double-click speed. You can test out the speed by double-clicking the folder icon to the right of the slider. The folder opens and closes in response to double-clicks.
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Click “Apply” to make the changes permanent.
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Click the “Pointer Options” tab and move the “Motion” slider to the right until your touchpad cursor operates at the speed you like. The Enhance Pointer Precision features increase cursor accuracy during slow movements. Check the box to enable this function.
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6.
Click the “Apply” button.
References
Tips
- While not directly impacting touchpad speed, the “Snap to” option, located in the Pointer Options tab, immediately forces your mouse cursor over the default button in a Windows dialog box, which may save you time. For example, if you get a pop-up window with “OK” and “Cancel” buttons, the mouse cursor will “snap” to the “OK” button when you move the cursor over the text box.
- Cleaning your touchpad regularly also improves speed and performance, because skin oils and debris can slow response time. You can clean the touchpad with alcohol wipes or a damp cloth. Just make sure the laptop is powered down first, and remove the battery. Wait for the touchpad to dry completely before plugging everything back in.
Warnings
- Slow mouse responsiveness can result from a malware infection or may occur if your laptop’s resources are maxed out. For example, if you have insufficient memory or if your processor is operating higher than 50 percent of its capacity, your mouse may not function properly.
Writer Bio
A writer and proofreader since 2006, B. Steele also works as an IT Help Desk analyst, specializing in consumer and business user tech support. She earned a B.A. in English and journalism from Roger Williams University. Steele also holds certifications as a Microsoft-certified desktop support technician, Microsoft-certified IT professional, Windows 7 enterprise support technician and CompTIA A+ IT technician.