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How to Check DPI on a Mouse? Check and Change your Mouse DPI in Easy Steps

Updated On May 8, 2023 | by Gaurav Kumar

If you have no idea what a DPI is, it stands for Dots Per Inch. DPI is basically a measurement for technical devices like a computer mouse, monitors, videos, images, etc. Methods of how to check DPI can be different for every device or print. 

Though the methods might be different, the use of DPI is the same for all. To check the sharpness or speed of an object, the DPI method is used. For example, a computer’s mouse DPI can determine how precisely a mouse is working. 

A mouse’s specification determines how good it is and what it can do for you. And a good mouse always makes stuff easy for you. Most users ignore their mouse specifications, especially checking or changing their Mouse’s DPI according to their needs. 

In case you have any doubts about how to check the DPI of your mouse, how to adjust the DPI, or anything. This article will help you guide through it. 

What is Mouse DPI?

Dots per inch, or DPI, is considered to be one of the most important features of a mouse. It is basically a frequency measurement of the speed at which a mouse cursor runs on a screen in relation to the distance a user is moving their mouse. 

DPI is mostly measured for the physical relationship only, and it doesn’t define how precise a mouse is or how accurate its sensors are. It depends on the user’s preference if they want to work with a high DPI or a low DPI mouse. To know why mouse DPI matters to users, especially professionals, read ahead. 

Why Does Mouse DPI Matter?

Why is mouse DPI essential? To explain this, let’s take an example according to one’s needs. If the user wants to paint or draw, a mouse with a higher DPI will make it more sensitive. In this case, a lower DPI mouse will work better as it will give the user more neat and precise movements. 

And in a case where the user is a gamer, a higher DPI mouse allows the user to move the cursor across the screen faster in smaller movements. Although if the user is trying to aim with a scope opened, he/she can do it more appropriately with a low DPI.

At present, there are a number of mouse companies that have come up with a concept of adjusting DPI with a click or a scroll of the mouse. Read and know how to install the drivers to access your DPI settings. 

Install the Mouse Driver

If you have an unbranded mouse, you will need to install the mouse drivers manually from the Windows manager to access the DPI settings. Follow the steps and install a driver – 

• Go to the Search box in the Taskbar, and search for Device Manager.
• Open the Device Manager.

  

• Find the device you want to update.

  

• Double-click the Device name.

  

• Select Driver. 

  

• Select Update Driver. 

  

In your final steps, you’ll need to follow the instructions, and you’ll be able to install your mouse driver. In case you can’t find your wired mouse in the device manager, plug it out and then plug it in again, or try a different USB port and see if it appears. 

For wireless hardware, search for the reset button on your wireless device. This will disconnect the device from the computer or laptop, then again connect it and check. Now see how to check your mouse’s DPI on different devices.

How to Check Mouse DPI on Windows 10 and 11?

There are two other options available to check the DPI of your mouse on Windows 10 & 11 if the manufacturer’s specifications option doesn’t work for you. Read along to learn how to check DPI on mouse. 

How to Check Mouse DPI from a DPI Analyzer? 

There’s a mouse DPI checker tool available for free on the internet. Mouse-senstivity.com provides this software to check your mouse DPI accurately. Follow the steps to proceed – 

• Take a piece of paper. 
• Draw lines in inches or cm.
• Use the paper as your mouse pad.
• Open the DPI analyzer.

  

• Scroll down the page, fill the Target Distance, and Configured DPI 

the column according to your page’s measurement.

• Set the units to cm or inches.
• Set the axis to X+ (for moving towards right) or X- (for moving towards left).

  

This will calculate the DPI of your mouse in a mostly accurate manner. Learn further how to check your mouse DPI from Paint.

How to Check Mouse DPI from Paint?

The second technique on how to check DPI of your mouse is Paint. Paint is a one-engaging DPI analyzer tool. Let’s see how to use it –

• Go to the Search Bar, and type Paint.

  

• Zoom the page to 100%.

  

• Select a Brush using the down arrow icon.

  

• Keep the mouse pointer in the of the page until you see Zero in the footer.
• Now, move the mouse from left to right.
• Keep a hold of the mouse and read the Value.
• Repeat the process 3-4 times and note down the values every time.

  

The average value that comes will be your mouse’s DPI. Your Windows mouse pointer might not give you accurate results, but it can provide you with a satisfactory conclusion. If you want to learn how to find DPI of a mouse on a MacBook, read ahead.

How to Check Mouse DPI on Mac?

Mac doesn’t allow you to check your mouse DPI directly. However, you can use a DPI Analyzer, or you can set your mouse’s DPI at a particular speed through the Mac settings. For this,

• Tap on the Apple icon.

• Select System Preference.

• Select Mouse.

• Click Point & Click.

• Drag the slider under the Tracking Speed.

Using this technique, you can set your Mouse to your preferred speed. And if you own a branded mouse, there is another way to find out the DPI of your mouse. Read further –

• Launch the browser on your Mac.
• Go to your manufacturer’s website.
• Install the Drivers.

You will need to dig up a little to see where the location of the downloaded drivers is. However, this concept is well-liked by the users as it gives them the flexibility to change their other mouse button settings as well. 

What is the Ideal Mouse DPI for Gaming?

Although, choosing the DPI range is a personal option. And every DPI has its own perks, like a mouse with DPI above 1,000 allows fast moves and is also helpful to move the cursor rapidly if you’re using a 4K monitor that is a screen size of 3840 × 2160 pixels.

On the other hand, a mouse with DPI lower than 1,000 will provide gamers full control over their screen, like shooting targets and opening scopes. 

Let’s be honest; there’s no such thing as the best DPI for gaming. If you are going to buy a mouse for your gaming computer, just keep in mind a few factors like your screen resolution, types of games you play, play styles, and in-game and Windows sensitivity settings. 

How to Change or Adjust Mouse DPI on Windows?

The DPI of a mouse can be changed or adjusted in a few steps. Nevertheless, some advanced mouse comes with a slider or button to adjust DPI in one press.  But if you have a regular wired or wireless mouse, hang on to the steps ahead.

• Go to the Search bar.

  

• Search and select Settings.
• Go to Devices.

  

• Go to Mouse.

  

• Under related settings, select Additional mouse options.

  

• Here mouse properties will open, and select Pointer options.

  

From here, you can adjust the speed of your mouse pointer and click Apply to save the changes. Now, learn about mouse acceleration.

What is Mouse Acceleration and How to Disable it?

The Mouse Acceleration feature was introduced specially for gamers, which would provide gamers with a better gaming experience and also for other regular users. It provides the control to users to move their mouse pointer from one side of the screen to the other faster with a mere movement. 

However, it didn’t go well with the gamers as they needed more precision while playing critical games aiming, and shooting. If you are also looking for a way to disable this feature, read along.

How to Disable Mouse Acceleration Feature on Windows?

It will take not more than a while to turn off mouse acceleration on Windows; follow the steps below:

• Go to the search bar, type Control Panel,
• Select Hardware and Sound,

  

• Under Devices and Printers, click on the Mouse.

  

• Go to the Pointer Options under the Mouse Properties,

  

• Under the motion column, untick the Enhanced Pointer Precision checklist.

  

After you complete the process, click Apply and OK, and you’re done with the process. 

How to Disable Mouse Acceleration Feature in MacBook?

Turning off mouse acceleration on MacBook is also as easy as it was for Windows. Hang on to the steps ahead.

• Go to the Mac Search bar.
• Search for Terminal.
• To disable mouse acceleration directly, give a command in the terminal – defaults write.GlobalPreferences com.apple.mouse.scaling -1
• You will need to log out and log in again to complete the process.
• Or, you can go to the Apple icon and search for System Preference,
• Click the Mouse option 
• Here, you won’t be able to disable the mouse acceleration completely but can adjust the speed under the Tracking Speed slider. 

Mouse acceleration doesn’t always have adverse effects; it sometimes helps users to work effectively and swiftly. It totally depends on the choice of the user and what speed the mouse fits their hands the best. 

Also Read –

Mouse Pointer Is Missing On Windows 10 And Chrome?

FAQs

Q1 – Which one is the best gaming mouse?

Razor Viper V2 Pro HyperSpeed Wireless Gaming Mouse is one of the best gaming mouse available in the market today. It costs around $149 and INR 13,699. 

Q2 – What is the highest DPI provided in a mouse?

There are a number of companies providing 26,000 DPI gaming sensor mouse, like Corsair Sabre RGB Pro Wireless, ASUS ROG Gladius III Wireless, and Logitech G Pro X Superlight.

Q3 – What is a normal DPI range of a mouse?

A normal DPI range of a mouse for regular use can be around 400-800. However, the range starts from 100 DPI and goes up to 26,000. 

Q4 – How to check the DPI of a mouse on Chromebook?

Checking mouse DPI on a Chromebook requires a few steps, follow –

• Go to the Status section in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
• Select Settings
• Select Devices
• Select Touchpad
• Go to the Sensitivity Section.

This process will navigate you to your mouse’s DPI speed. You can also slow or fast up your mouse’s speed according to your requirements. 

Q5 – Can we check the mouse DPI on Manufacturer’s Specification?

If you got yourself a branded mouse, you could always check for the list of details provided by your mouse’s manufacturer online. In the list of specifications, you can easily find your device model’s DPI. 

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