Jump around! Jump up, jump up and get down! Jump!

But What Do You Do When The Cursor Jumps While Typing

Jumping sure is fun when you’re out playing or dancing around to a favourite song… but not so much when your cursor jumps while typing and you need to finish a report. Here at Little Computer People, we want to share with you our quick computer fix tips on how to take care this little problem and prevent you from becoming overly frustrated.

This is a common problem for laptop users, and if you don’t know what’s going on – it can feel like you´re losing your mind! Yes. Imagine it’s like your computer just went on amphetamines or something similar.  Here you are working like you usually do, and when you are right in the middle of typing something important, suddenly, the cursor seems to move of its own volition to random places on the page. Now imagine what it feels like to those of us who aren’t excellent typers, we who have to look at the keyboard to find the right letters. So if your cursor starts jumping and you’re not paying attention to the screen when this happens you may find you´ve inserted words, phrases, or even a whole sentence in the completely wrong place. This jumping cursor problem is frustrating for everyone though, even expert typers. It’s annoying to have to move the cursor back to the appropriate place only to find it jumps again a few seconds later.

Believe us, you are not going crazy, and many people have seen that cursor jump while typing a time or two. This is a problem that occasionally happens, so we want to help you figure out what is causing the problem and how to fix it.

#1 Cause – A Sensitive TouchPad

Nearly every time the cursor jumps while typing, the source of the problem is the laptop’s touchpad. On a desktop, it could be an old keyboard causing the issue.

On a laptop though, this is the little square below the keyboard that acts as the mouse for the computer. You move your finger on it to tell the cursor where to go, however, on some machines it can be super sensitive. You may think you aren’t touching the touchpad while typing, but then you might be brushing it ever so slightly with your palm, a bracelet, or clothing, or watch, or….. see where I´m going here? Anything in contact with the touchpad then tells your laptop to move the cursor. Your computer isn’t acting crazy, it’s doing exactly what you TOLD it to do.

The Solution

There are many ways to fix this issue, you just need to decide which one is best for you.

A good thing to do when the cursor jumps while typing is to disable the touchpad. To do this you go into your Settings or Control Panel section under Mouse Properties and turn it off completely. Now what? This solution involves connecting a regular mouse to your laptop. Great option if you only use your laptop in one place, not so great if you want it to be portable and won’t always be working on a flat surface.

• Connect an external keyboard. This solution once again requires lugging around extra equipment, decreasing the portability of your laptop. However, this does solve the problem of typing above the touchpad and accidentally touching it.
• Type more carefully. Hold your hands in a different position, angle, or simply higher so they are less likely to brush the touchpad. Not ideal for typing, but if you realize the issue is your watch or bracelet then remove the item before beginning work.
• Decrease the sensitivity of the touchpad. This works with some operating systems, but not on others. Check to see if yours has this option. It will be found in Settings or Control Panel under Mouse Properties. From here you are looking for Touchpad or Touch Sensitivity. There will be a sliding scale to make your device more or less sensitive depending on what you need… then test it out, adjusting until you have the sensitivity level that works for you.
• Download something to help. There are a few products out there that are free and do what you want. TouchFreeze, Touchpad Pal, and Touchpad Blocker are three such programs that disable the touchpad while typing is in process.

#2 Cause – Virus Infiltration

Viruses do weird things, and an indication that your computer may be compromised is a jumping cursor.

The Solution

Move your cursor to the lower right-hand side of your bottom toolbar. Click the arrow facing in an upward direction. Check to see if you have an antivirus icon. By moving your cursor over each icon, you can see the name of each. Click your antivirus icon twice  and select “Scan” or “Run Antivirus.” If you don’t have an antivirus program installed on your computer you need to install a good antivirus program. Call us as at either of our Little Computer People computer repair shops (Richmond or Sydney) and we will help you find an antivirus solution.

#3 Cause – Dust Infiltration

Dust can be the culprit of many things when it comes to computers. But if your laptop cursor is jumping around it could be that dust has gotten stuck under the buttons.

The Solution

Come by one of our computer repair shops or stop by a local electronics store and purchase a can of compressed air. Turn off your laptop and give your keyboard a good blowout. A 30 to 40-second blowout can do wonders for your computer performance. Turn on your computer to see the cursor still jumps while typing.

The Problem is with My Desktop

Sometimes a jumping cursor can happen on a desktop.

The Solution

In this case, the solution is to check your mouse. If it is a wireless mouse replace the batteries and see if that fixes the problem. If not, reach around the back of the computer and disconnect the mouse. Replace with a new mouse.

If the problem occurs when you hit certain keys on the keyboard, you may need to replace the keyboard or do some dusting with that can of compressed are.

That’s It…

Hopefully,  you won’t have to suffer through a jumping cursor much longer. If you’ve tried these tricks and you´re still having issues with your computer, don’t hesitate to contact us at Little Computer People. We are here to help!