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Are you wondering how to change the mouse speed of your Ubuntu Linux-based computer? You have come to the right place – this guide offers multiple methods to achieve that.
Option 1: Change Mouse Speed via GUI
One way to change the mouse speed of your Ubuntu Linux-based computer is through the settings in the graphical user interface. The subsequent procedures and screenshot images demonstrate how to achieve that.
- Click the Show Applications button on the Ubuntu dock. Then, type “settings” in the search field and left-click the Settings icon from the search result.
- When the Settings window opens, select Mouse & Touchpad among the menus on the left pane.
- In the Mouse & Touchpad page, use the Mouse Speed slider in the Mouse category to change the speed of your mouse. Basically, moving the slider right increases your mouse’s speed, while moving the slider left decreases its speed.
Option 2: Change Mouse Speed via Terminal
Interestingly, there is a command that you can use to change the mouse speed of your Ubuntu computer through the terminal. To achieve that, carefully observe the procedures provided below.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Right-click any free space on your Ubuntu desktop, then left-click Open in Terminal from the displayed options. You can also use the Ctrl + Alt + T keyboard shortcut to launch the terminal in Ubuntu.
- When the Ubuntu terminal opens, input the command below to change the speed of your mouse. However, replace “value” in the command with a number between -1 and 1, with -1 being the slowest and 1 being the fastest.
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.mouse speed value
For example, if I want to change my mouse’s speed to the fastest speed, below is what the command should look like.
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gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.mouse speed 1
Frequently Asked Questions
The speed at which the mouse pointer glides across the screen is known as mouse sensitivity. Thus, with increased sensitivity, a mouse cursor will more quickly and with less effort.
Mickey per second is a unit of measurement for a computer mouse’s speed and movement direction. Interestingly, it is named after the famous cartoon character Mickey Mouse because of the shape of a computer mouse.
Generally, a higher Mickey per second value means that a mouse cursor will move quickly across the screen for a given amount of physical mouse movement. Besides, the directional movements of Mickey per second are called the horizontal mickey count and vertical mickey count.
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Follow the steps below to change the mouse speed of your Ubuntu computer.
a) Click the Show Applications button on the Ubuntu dock.
b) Then, type “settings” in the search field and left-click the Settings icon from the search result.
c) When the Settings window opens, select Mouse & Touchpad among the menus on the left pane.
d) In the Mouse & Touchpad page, use the Mouse Speed slider in the Mouse category to change the speed of your mouse. Hence, move the slider right to increase the mouse’s speed or move the slider left to decrease its speed.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteYes, mouse acceleration is available in Ubuntu and other distributions of the Linux operating system. Mouse acceleration is a feature that allows the cursor to move faster or slower depending on how quickly you move the mouse.
This makes it easier for users to move the mouse pointer over a long distance.
However, mouse acceleration can make getting precise mouse movements a bit challenging.
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- Compact Mouse: With a comfortable and contoured shape, this Logitech ambidextrous wireless mouse feels great in either right or left hand and is far superior to a touchpad
- Durable and Reliable: This USB wireless mouse features a line-by-line scroll wheel, up to 1 year of battery life (2) thanks to a smart sleep mode function, and comes with the included AA battery
- Universal Compatibility: Your Logitech mouse works with your Windows PC, Mac, or laptop, so no matter what type of computer you own today or buy tomorrow your mouse will be compatible
- Plug and Play Simplicity: Just plug in the tiny nano USB receiver and start working in seconds with a strong, reliable connection to your wireless computer mouse up to 33 feet / 10 m (5)
- Better than touchpad: Get more done by adding M185 to your laptop; according to a recent study, laptop users who chose this mouse over a touchpad were 50% more productive (3) and worked 30% faster (4)
A computer mouse is a handheld input device that controls a cursor in a computer’s GUI (graphical user interface). This cursor is used for pointing, moving, and selecting objects on the computer.
Conclusion
Adjusting the speed of your Ubuntu computer’s mouse effectively improves your overall experience when using the computer. Moreover, there are several ways to change the speed of your mouse in Ubuntu.
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However, this guide provided two methods to execute the task. To be more specific, we discussed how to change the mouse speed in Ubuntu through the setting in the GUI.
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I sincerely hope you found the procedures provided in this guide helpful and easy to follow. If you did, click on “Yes” beside the “Was this page helpful” question below.
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To find other helpful Linux guides, visit our Linux how-to page.
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