How to turn off pointer acceleration and slow the pointer on a Mac
On a Mac the pointer moves further for a fast movement than for a slow one of the same length. That is pointer acceleration. It helps cross a big screen quickly, but it makes the pointer harder to predict, and a quick shake throws it further than you meant.
The short answer: turn off System Settings › Mouse › Advanced… › Pointer acceleration, then set System Settings › Mouse › Tracking speed to a speed you can control. For a trackpad, the slider is System Settings › Trackpad › Point & Click › Tracking speed.
How do I turn off mouse acceleration on a Mac?
- Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
- Choose Mouse in the sidebar.
- Click Advanced… and turn off Pointer acceleration.
- Move the mouse slowly and quickly over the same distance: the pointer now travels the same way both times.
How do I slow down the pointer?
Drag Tracking speed to the left, in Mouse or in Trackpad › Point & Click. With acceleration off, tracking speed alone decides how far the pointer goes, so you may want it a little faster than before. Scrolling has its own speed: System Settings › Accessibility › Pointer Control › Mouse Options… or Trackpad Options….
Does turning off acceleration help with a tremor?
It makes the pointer predictable: the same movement always takes it the same distance, which makes aiming easier to learn. A tremor is a fast movement, so with acceleration on it can move the pointer further than a slow movement of the same size would. Turning acceleration off removes that boost. It doesn't remove the shake itself.
Why not just set the tracking speed very low?
A very slow pointer also shakes less on screen, because every movement is smaller. But it slows down every move you make on purpose just as much, and crossing the screen can take several strokes. A tremor filter works differently: it takes out the fast back-and-forth of the shake and leaves the slower movement you mean at its normal speed. How to steady a shaky pointer explains how.