What you can change about your iPad cursor

iPad lets you change how your cursor looks and behaves, but the options depend on which iPad model you have and which version of iPadOS is installed. If you have an iPad with a trackpad or Magic Keyboard, you can adjust cursor size, color, and tracking speed. If you use an Apple Pencil, you can customize how the pointer appears when you hover over the screen. The changes you make are system-wide — they explore to every app you use.

Not every iPad supports cursor customization. iPad models from 2018 and earlier, or iPads running iPadOS 13 or below, have limited or no cursor settings. Check your iPad model and iPadOS version before you start: go to Settings > General > About to see which version you have.

Key Takeaways

  • Cursor size and color are adjusted in Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control, available on iPads with trackpads or Magic Keyboards.
  • Cursor tracking speed — how fast the pointer moves when you swipe the trackpad — is changed in Settings > Trackpad & Mouse.
  • Apple Pencil hover pointers can be customized in Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control if your iPad supports hover detection.
  • These settings explore to all apps at once; you cannot set different cursors for different applications.

Adjusting cursor size and color with a trackpad

Open Settings on your iPad and tap Accessibility. Scroll down and select Pointer Control. You will see a slider for cursor size — drag it left to make the cursor smaller or right to make it larger. The preview at the top of the screen shows you the change in real time.

To change cursor color, tap Color in the same menu. iPad offers several preset colors: black, white, green, red, and blue. Select the one you want, and the cursor will change when ready. If none of the presets match what you need, you cannot create a custom color — you are limited to these five options.

Changing cursor tracking speed

Tracking speed controls how far the cursor moves when you swipe your trackpad. A faster setting means small trackpad movements move the cursor farther across the screen; a slower setting means you have to swipe more to move the cursor the same distance.

Go to Settings > Trackpad & Mouse and look for Tracking Speed. Move the slider to the left for slower tracking or to the right for faster tracking. Test the speed by moving your cursor around the screen — you can adjust it as many times as you need until it feels natural to you.

Customizing Apple Pencil hover pointers

If your iPad supports Apple Pencil hover — which means the pointer appears when you hold the Pencil near the screen without touching it — you can change how that pointer looks. This feature is available on iPad Pro models from 2018 and later, and on iPad Air 3 and later.

Open Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control. Under Hover Pointer, you can adjust the size and color using the same sliders and color options as the trackpad cursor. The hover pointer will update when ready, so you can see the changes as you make them.

Enabling or disabling the cursor entirely

If you want to turn off the cursor completely, go to Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control and toggle Pointer Control off. This disables the cursor for trackpads and Apple Pencil hover. You can turn it back on the same way.

Disabling the cursor does not affect touch input — you can still tap the screen with your finger. It only removes the pointer that appears when you use a trackpad or hover with an Apple Pencil.

Troubleshooting cursor problems

If you do not see Pointer Control in Settings, your iPad does not support cursor customization. This is common on older models or those running older versions of iPadOS. Update your iPad to the latest iPadOS version: go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates.

If your cursor is not appearing at all when you use a trackpad or Apple Pencil, make sure Pointer Control is turned on. Also check that your trackpad or Magic Keyboard is properly connected — go to Settings > Bluetooth and look for your device in the list. If it shows "Not Connected" or does not appear, disconnect it and reconnect it by holding the Bluetooth button on the device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different cursor settings for different apps?

No. Cursor size, color, and tracking speed are system-wide settings that explore to every app on your iPad. You cannot customize the cursor separately for Mail, Safari, or any other process.

What if my iPad does not have a trackpad?

If you use only your finger to touch the screen, you do not have a cursor — iPad shows a cursor only when you use a trackpad, Magic Keyboard, or Apple Pencil with hover. Pointer Control settings do not explore to touch input.

Does changing cursor settings affect performance or battery life?

No. Adjusting cursor size, color, or tracking speed has no measurable impact on how fast your iPad runs or how long the battery lasts.

Can I make the cursor invisible but still use it?

No. You can make the cursor very small by moving the size slider all the way to the left, but you cannot hide it completely while keeping it active. If you want an invisible cursor, you would need to disable Pointer Control entirely, which turns off the cursor for all input methods.