In this post, we will see how we can improve the accuracy of the Mouse and move the Mouse pointer using Keyboard, one pixel at a time in Windows 11/10. There may have been times when you may have ever struggled to move your mouse cursor exactly by one pixel while you were selecting a rectangular region of a picture, or when you were drawing a precisely horizontal or vertical line in a drawing tool. In such scenarios, it becomes imperative to control the accuracy of the mouse.
How to move Mouse Pointer with Keyboard in Windows 11/10
To move the mouse using the keyboard, open Control Panel > Ease of Access > Make the mouse easier to use.
Here check the Turn on Mouse Keys check-box.
Click on Set up Mouse Keys.
You can configure the Mouse Keys to your specifications. If you Turn on Mouse Keys, you can toggle the Mouse Keys on and off with Alt+Shift+Num Lock, using the left Alt+Shift. Click Apply > OK.
You can now use the arrows on the number pad to move the mouse.
After you turn on Mouse Keys, you can use the numeric keypad to move the mouse.
| To move the mouse pointer | Press |
|---|---|
| Up and to the left | 7 |
| Up | 8 |
| Up and to the right | 9 |
| Left | 4 |
| Right | 6 |
| Down and to the left | 1 |
| Down |
2 |
| Down and to the right | 3 |
Before you use Mouse Keys to click items on your screen, you must first select which mouse button you want to be the active button: the left button, the right one, or both.
| To | Press |
|---|---|
| Select the left mouse button | The forward slash (/) |
| Select both buttons | The asterisk (✲) |
| Select the right mouse button |
The minus sign (-) |
After you choose a button, you can click items on your screen.
| To | Do this |
|---|---|
| Click an item | With the left button selected as your active button, point to the item, and then press 5 |
| Right-click an item | With the right button selected as your active button, point to the item and then press 5 |
| Double-click an item |
With the left button selected as your active button, point to the item and press the plus sign (+) |
You can use the numeric keypad to press and hold the active mouse button and to release it. This is helpful if you want to drag an item.
| To | Do this |
|---|---|
| Drag an item | Point to the item and then press zero (0) |
| Drop an item |
Point to the location where you want to move the item and then press the decimal point (.) |
Using these settings you can improve the accuracy of the Mouse by making it move slower and thus you will be able to even move it one pixel at a time!
TIPS:
- You can use the numeric keypad to press and hold the active mouse button and to release it. This is helpful if you want to drag an item.
- To change options like how quickly the mouse pointer moves and whether your computer makes a sound when you turn on Mouse Keys, in the Ease of Access Center, under Control the mouse with the keyboard, click Set up Mouse Keys.
Move the Mouse one pixel at a time using the Settings app in Windows
Another way to move the mouse using the keyboard one pixel at a time is by using the Settings app of Windows 11/10. There is a dedicated section for it. You need to activate the Mouse Keys and then you can use the number pad (or numeric keypad) to move the mouse cursor. Here are the steps:
- Open the Settings app of Windows 11/10. Use Win+I hotkey or another option you prefer
- Select the Accessibility category from the left section. For Windows 10 users, you have to click on the Ease of Access settings
- Under the Interaction section, click on the Mouse option
- Turn on the Mouse keys button.
After this, options related to Mouse Keys will be activated. You can set options like:
- Show/hide the Mouse Keys icon on the taskbar
- Adjust the Mouse keys speed for moving the mouse pointer and the Mouse keys acceleration for selecting the speed to start and stop the mouse pointer. There are separate sliders available for these options
- Hold the Shift key to slow down cursor movement speed and the Ctrl key to speed up, etc.
Once the options are set, use the number pad to move the mouse. The number pad won’t work for typing numbers, instead, the number keys (4, 6, 8, 2, etc.) will be used to move the mouse cursor to left, right, up, down, diagonally up, diagonally right, selecting the left mouse button, right mouse button, etc.
Read: How to use Windows computer without keyboard or mouse
Move mouse one pixel at a time
There is one freeware that lets you move your mouse pointer one pixel at a time. It is called …. Move mouse one pixel at a time!
When you run this tool, you will see its icon in the notification area. By default, you can move your mouse cursor by pressing the right Windows key + one of the Arrow keys. By clicking on the icon in the taskbar, you can open the configuration dialog in which you can customize the key combination. The options are:
- Right Windows + Arrow keys
- Right Windows + Control + Arrow keys
- Control + Alt + Arrow keys
- Shift + Control + Arrow keys
- Numeric Pad 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 keys
The developer states that some key combinations may not work in a specific environment. In such a case, you should choose another combination.
I checked it on my Windows 11 and it appeared to work fine. Download it here if you’d like to check it out.
That’s it.
While on the subject, you might want to read this interesting post on Useful Mouse Tricks For Windows Users.
How can I use a mouse with a keyboard in Windows 11?
For using a mouse with a keyboard in Windows 11 computer, you can use the Mouse Keys feature. This can be done using the Ease of Access Center and the Settings app. Both options are covered in this post. Check the steps to enable Mouse Keys and then you can move the mouse cursor, perform left and mouse clicks, etc., with keyboard keys.
How do I move the cursor with a keyboard?
If you want to move the mouse cursor with a keyboard on Windows 11/10 computer, then it can be done by turning on the Mouse Keys. Once it is done, you can use the number pad for moving the mouse pointer. This post contains the built-in options and keys needed to move the mouse cursor using a keyboard with step-by-step instructions.
How do I change my mouse pointer to a laser pointer in Windows 11?
If you want to change your mouse pointer or cursor to a laser pointer on Windows 11/10 computer, then you can download a cursor scheme that includes a laser pointer and install it. You can also use some other best free mouse cursors and pointers available for Windows 11/10 to change and install different mouse pointers.
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