How to Enable or Disable Pen Cursor in Windows 11
Pen cursor in Windows 11 is a small on-screen target that appears when your stylus is close to the screen.
You can easily turn this pen cursor on or off within Windows 11 settings to better suit your drawing or writing style.
Many touch-enabled Windows 11 devices use this feature to provide visual feedback when using a stylus. Disabling it can help reduce distractions, especially for tasks like note-taking or detailed drawing.
Go to Settings Bluetooth & devices Pen & Windows Ink Expand Additional pen settings and check or uncheck the box next to Show cursor to enable or disable it. This setting controls the visual indicator that appears when your stylus is near the screen.
Enable or Disable Show Pen Cursor in Settings
- Open Settings by pressing
Win+I. - Click on Bluetooth & devices on the left side. Then click on Pen & Windows Ink on the right side. (see screenshot below)
To turn the pen cursor on or off in Windows 11, open the Settings app. Navigate to Bluetooth & devices, then select Pen & Windows Ink. You’ll find an option to show or hide the pen cursor, helping you pinpoint where your pen is pointing.
- Click on Additional pen settings to expand it.
- Check the box (to turn on) or uncheck the box (to turn off) next to Show cursor. What happens? The pen cursor will appear or disappear when you use your pen.
- You can now close Settings.
Option Two
Enable or Disable Show Pen Cursor Using Registry
For advanced users with administrator rights, changing the pen cursor via the Registry offers another method. This involves using the Windows Terminal app and specific commands to adjust settings known as registry keys, which determine whether the pen cursor appears or is hidden.
Open the Windows Terminal app. A command needs to be entered here. This command utilizes registry keys (think of them as settings for Windows) to control the pen cursor's behavior. The available commands are listed below:
To enable both 'Show visual effects' and 'Show cursor' (default):
This is the default setting.
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Cursors" /v PenVisualization /t REG_DWORD /d 35 /f
To disable both 'Show visual effects' and 'Show cursor':
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Cursors" /v PenVisualization /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
To disable 'Show visual effects' but keep 'Show cursor' on:
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Cursors" /v PenVisualization /t REG_DWORD /d 32 /f
To enable 'Show visual effects' but turn off 'Show cursor':
Summary
This guide covered two methods for controlling the pen cursor in Windows 11: through Settings or by using the Registry.
How do I change the pen cursor in Windows?
If you're looking to change the actual look of your pen cursor (like its shape or color), you'll need to go into Mouse Properties. Open Settings, search for 'Mouse', then find the 'Pointers' tab. From there, you can browse through different pointer styles.
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Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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