Change Mouse Sensitivity Mac
Fine-tune mouse sensitivity on your Mac through System Settings, Terminal, and third-party tools. Convert macOS tracking speed values to DPI equivalents and cm/360° for gaming.
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling 1.0 macOS Tracking Speed Explained
The macOS tracking speed slider uses a value from 0.0 to 3.0 that controls a non-linear acceleration curve applied to mouse input.
macOS does not use a simple linear multiplier like Windows. The tracking speed value controls a multi-segment acceleration function. At low tracking speed values (0.0–0.5), cursor movement is heavily decelerated — slow movements produce very little cursor travel. At high values (2.5–3.0), fast movements produce significantly amplified cursor travel.
The default tracking speed value is approximately 0.6875 (varies by macOS version). At this value, macOS applies moderate acceleration — slow, precise movements track accurately, and fast movements get a speed boost. The acceleration behavior is independent of hardware DPI — a 400 DPI mouse and a 1600 DPI mouse both experience the same acceleration curve, but the 1600 DPI mouse starts with 4× the raw counts.
Slow Range (0.0–0.5)
Cursor moves noticeably slower than raw sensor output. Useful for high-DPI mice (3200+) where raw speed is too fast for precision work. Approximate multiplier: 0.2×–0.5×.
Medium Range (0.5–1.5)
Comfortable daily-use range. Moderate acceleration applied. Most Mac users settle in this range. Approximate multiplier: 0.5×–1.5× depending on movement speed.
Fast Range (1.5–3.0)
Cursor moves significantly faster than raw output. Suited for low-DPI mice (400–800) on large or multi-monitor setups. Approximate multiplier: 1.5×–4.0× during fast movements.
Disabling Mouse Acceleration on macOS
macOS enables mouse acceleration by default. Disabling it requires Terminal commands or third-party software.
Mouse acceleration on macOS makes the cursor move proportionally more pixels when you move the mouse quickly than when you move it slowly. The same 3 cm of physical travel produces different cursor distances depending on the speed of your hand. This behavior is controlled by the com.apple.mouse.scaling preference.
Terminal Method
Sets the mouse scaling to -1, which disables the acceleration curve entirely. Cursor movement becomes linearly proportional to physical distance. Log out and log back in for the change to apply.
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1LinearMouse App (Free)
Download LinearMouse from GitHub. It provides a graphical toggle to disable acceleration, set custom sensitivity per connected device, and configure separate settings for trackpad and external mouse.
Verifying Acceleration Status
Returns the current scaling value. If the output is -1, acceleration is disabled. Any value from 0.0 to 3.0 means acceleration is active with that scaling applied.
defaults read -g com.apple.mouse.scalingAdjusting Sensitivity for External Mice on Mac
macOS treats the Apple Magic Mouse, USB mice, and Bluetooth mice differently. Sensitivity must be configured for each device type.
USB Wired Gaming Mouse
Connect the mouse via USB. Open System Settings → Mouse → adjust Tracking Speed. If the manufacturer provides macOS software (Logitech G HUB, Razer Synapse), set hardware DPI through the software. The macOS tracking speed slider adjusts the software multiplier on top of the hardware DPI.
Bluetooth Mouse
Pair via System Settings → Bluetooth. The Tracking Speed slider adjusts identically to USB mice. Bluetooth mice typically have higher input latency (7–15 ms) compared to USB (1 ms), which can affect perceived sensitivity during fast movements.
Apple Magic Mouse
The Magic Mouse has a fixed internal DPI of approximately 1300. Sensitivity is controlled exclusively through the macOS Tracking Speed slider. Multi-touch gestures (swipe, scroll, zoom) are configured separately in System Settings → Mouse.
macOS Sensitivity vs DPI Relationship
The effective cursor speed on macOS is the product of hardware DPI and the macOS tracking speed multiplier.
macOS does not expose an 'Effective DPI' value. But the relationship can be estimated: Effective Cursor Speed ≈ Hardware DPI × macOS Tracking Multiplier × Acceleration Factor. With acceleration disabled (scaling = -1), the acceleration factor is 1.0, and cursor speed is directly proportional to hardware DPI.
Effective DPI (no acceleration) ≈ Hardware DPI × Tracking Speed MultiplierEstimated Effective DPI at Different Tracking Speed Values (800 DPI Mouse)
| tracking Speed | est Multiplier | effective Dpi |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.2× | 160 |
| 0.5 | 0.5× | 400 |
| 1.0 | 1.0× | 800 |
| 1.5 | 1.5× | 1200 |
| 2.0 | 2.2× | 1760 |
| 2.5 | 3.0× | 2400 |
| 3.0 | 4.0× | 3200 |
Values are estimates. The actual macOS multiplier is non-linear and speed-dependent when acceleration is enabled.
Gaming Sensitivity Configuration on macOS
Setting up competitive gaming sensitivity on Mac requires 4 specific configuration steps.
1. Set Hardware DPI
Open Logitech G HUB, Razer Synapse, or SteelSeries Engine on macOS and set your DPI to a native step (400, 800, 1600, or 3200). Save to onboard memory for consistency across devices.
2. Disable Acceleration
Run 'defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1' in Terminal. Log out and back in. Verify with 'defaults read -g com.apple.mouse.scaling' — output should be -1.
3. Set Tracking Speed to Mid-Range
After disabling acceleration, the Tracking Speed slider in System Settings still adjusts the base multiplier. Set it to the middle position for a neutral starting point.
4. Enable Raw Input in Games
In each game's settings, enable Raw Input or Direct Input. This bypasses the macOS tracking speed and acceleration entirely, reading sensor data straight from the hardware driver.
Terminal Commands for Mouse Sensitivity on Mac
macOS Terminal provides 6 commands for reading and writing mouse sensitivity parameters.
Read Current Sensitivity
Displays the current tracking speed / acceleration value. Default is approximately 0.6875.
defaults read -g com.apple.mouse.scalingSet Custom Sensitivity
Sets the tracking speed to 1.5. Values range from 0.0 (slowest) to 3.0 (fastest). Changes take effect after logout/login.
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling 1.5Disable Acceleration
Disables the acceleration curve. Cursor speed becomes linearly proportional to physical mouse distance at all speeds.
defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1Read Scroll Speed
Shows the scroll wheel sensitivity value. Separate from tracking speed. Useful when configuring both cursor and scroll behavior.
defaults read -g com.apple.scrollwheel.scalingReset to Default
Removes any custom sensitivity setting, restoring macOS default behavior. The System Settings slider will control sensitivity again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about adjusting mouse sensitivity on macOS, tracking speed values, and acceleration settings.
01How do I make my mouse faster on Mac without changing DPI?
Open System Settings → Mouse → increase the Tracking Speed slider toward 'Fast'. This raises the software multiplier applied to your mouse's hardware DPI output. The hardware sensor continues reporting the same raw counts per inch; macOS simply maps them to more cursor pixels.
02Why does my gaming mouse feel sluggish on macOS?
macOS applies a deceleration curve to slow mouse movements by default. A gaming mouse set to 400–800 DPI feels noticeably slower on Mac than on Windows because macOS further reduces cursor speed at low velocities. Increase hardware DPI to 1600+ or disable acceleration via Terminal ('defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1').
03Can I set different sensitivity for my mouse and trackpad on Mac?
Yes. macOS treats external mice and the built-in trackpad as separate devices. System Settings → Mouse controls external mouse sensitivity. System Settings → Trackpad controls the trackpad. Third-party apps like LinearMouse provide even more granular per-device settings.
04What tracking speed value equals 1:1 raw input on macOS?
There is no native 1:1 raw input setting in macOS System Settings. The closest approach is to disable acceleration by running 'defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1' in Terminal. After disabling acceleration, the Tracking Speed slider at its default position provides approximately 1:1 mapping.
05Does macOS mouse sensitivity affect game sensitivity?
It depends on whether the game uses raw input. Games with raw input enabled (like CS2 on Mac) bypass macOS tracking speed and acceleration entirely. Games without raw input (most indie titles and browser games) are affected by the macOS tracking speed setting.
06How do I match my Mac mouse sensitivity to my Windows setup?
Disable acceleration on both platforms. Set the same hardware DPI on both. On Windows, set pointer speed to notch 6 (1.0× multiplier). On macOS, set tracking speed to the default position with acceleration disabled. Use the same in-game sensitivity values. Your cm/360° should now match.
07Does the macOS tracking speed setting survive OS updates?
The GUI tracking speed slider setting persists through macOS updates. The Terminal command 'defaults write -g com.apple.mouse.scaling -1' (to disable acceleration) can be reset by major macOS version upgrades (e.g., Ventura to Sonoma). Re-run the Terminal command after upgrading macOS.
08Can I use macOS Shortcuts to toggle between sensitivity profiles?
Yes. Create a macOS Shortcuts workflow that runs a Terminal command to set different com.apple.mouse.scaling values. Assign keyboard shortcuts to each workflow. This lets you switch between a low-sensitivity gaming profile and a high-sensitivity productivity profile instantly.