Enable Cursor Blinking in Ubuntu for Better Accessibility

You can enable keyboard cursor blinking in Ubuntu to make it more accessible if you struggle to see the text insertion point.

Cursor blinking is a feature that makes the cursor flash, helping users with visual impairments easily locate where text will appear.

For example, if you’re using Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and find the default static cursor difficult to track, activating this blinking animation can significantly improve your typing experience.

You can easily toggle cursor blinking on or off directly within Ubuntu’s system settings, often found within the Accessibility options, right next to other visual aids like larger mouse pointers.

How to turn on or off cursor blinking in Ubuntu Linux

As mentioned, if you struggle to see the keyboard cursor in a text field, you can make it blink to help you locate it.

Here’s how to do that.

Ubuntu Linux keeps most of its settings in one place. You can manage everything from system configurations to creating new users and updates within the System Settings panel.

Alternatively, click on the System menu in the top-right corner of your desktop’s top bar.

From the System menu, select Settings, as shown in the screenshot below.

In the Settings app, click on the Accessibility tile to open that section.

In the System Settings > Accessibility panel, look under Typing and select Cursor Blinking, which is highlighted below.

In the Cursor Blinking window, toggle the Cursor Blinking button to the On position to enable it.

To disable it, move the button to the Off position.

Once enabled, use the Speed slider to adjust how quickly the cursor blinks.

And that’s it! You can now close the Settings app.

Conclusion:

• Enabling cursor blinking can be helpful for users with poor vision, making it easier to locate the keyboard cursor in a text field.
• Ubuntu Linux offers a centralized location for adjusting accessibility settings, including the cursor blinking feature.
• Users can easily toggle the cursor blinking on or off and adjust the blinking speed according to their preferences through the System Settings panel.
• This accessibility feature, along with others like increasing the mouse pointer size and enabling the pointer locator, aims to improve the user experience for individuals with visual challenges.