Windows makes it easy for you to customize the mouse pointers to your liking. For example, you can change the mouse pointer size and color if you don’t like the default ones. But, what if you don’t want others to change your mouse pointers? How do you restrict access to the mouse pointer settings?

We’ll show you the two different ways of blocking access to these settings. But first, let's check out how you can easily open the mouse pointer settings.

How Do You Open the Mouse Pointer Settings?

An Illustration of Questions and Ideas

There are several methods you can use to access the mouse pointer settings. Some of them include using the device settings and the Control Panel:

Use the Device Settings

Here’s how you can open the Mouse pointer settings using the device settings:

  1. Press Win + I to open the system settings.
  2. Select Devices from the options.
  3. Select Mouse on the left-hand side pane and then click Additional mouse options on the right.
  4. In the next window, navigate to the Pointers tab to access the Mouse pointer settings.

Use the Control Panel

Here’s how you can open the Mouse pointer settings using the Control Panel:

  1. Type Control Panel in the Start Menu search bar and select the Best match.
  2. Click the View by drop-down menu and select Small icons.
  3. Select Ease of Access Center from the menu items.
  4. Click the Make the mouse easier to use option. From there, you should see the mouse pointer settings on the next screen.

Now, how do you restrict other users from accessing these settings? Let’s find out.

1. Use the Local Group Policy Editor to Disable the Mouse Pointer Settings

Person typing on a Windows laptop

You can configure tons of system settings using the Local Group Policy Editor (LGPE). However, the tool is only accessible on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

Fortunately, you can apply some tricks to enable the LGPE on Windows Home. So, if you’re using Windows Home, you’d need to ensure that you’re able to access the LGPE first before proceeding. Alternatively, you can skip to the next method.

Otherwise, here’s how you can disable the mouse pointer settings using the LGPE:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type gpedit.msc and press OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
  3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.
  4. Double-click the Prevent changing mouse pointers option.
Using the Local Group Policy Editor to Disable the Mouse Pointer Settings

In the next window, select the Enabled option. From there, press Apply and then press OK. Restart your computer when you complete these steps.

If you want to re-enable the mouse pointer settings, here’s what you can do:

  1. Apply the previous steps and double-click the Prevent changing mouse pointers option.
  2. Select either the Disabled or the Not Configured option.
  3. Press Apply, press OK, and then restart your device.

2. Use the Registry Editor to Disable the Mouse Pointer Settings

The Registry Editor is another brilliant tool that helps you configure various system settings. However, you should be careful when using this tool because it has sensitive keys. To be on the safe side, back up the Registry first before you get started.

Now, here’s how you can disable the mouse pointer settings using the Registry Editor:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box.
  2. Type Regedit and press OK to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft > Windows > Personalization.
  4. Right-click on a blank space on the right-hand side and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  5. Name the value as NoChangingMousePointers and then press Enter.
Using the Registry Editor to Disable the Mouse Pointer Settings

Double-click the NoChangingMousePointers value and set its Value data to 1. Click OK and then close the Registry Editor. Finally, restart your PC to save these changes.

If you want to re-enable the mouse pointer settings, follow these steps:

  1. Apply the previous steps and double-click on the NoChangingMousePointers value.
  2. Set the Value data to 0 and then click OK.
  3. Close the Registry Editor and then restart your device to save these changes.

No One Will Change Your Mouse Pointer Settings Again

Tired of the people who keep changing the mouse pointer settings on your device? Simply apply any of the methods we’ve covered! From there, you can start exploring tips on how you can download custom mouse pointers for your device.