Have a Surface Pro 3? Make sure 'Enhance pointer precision' is enabled

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

In my review of the Surface Pro 3 I gave some praise to the new trackpad found on the updated Type Cover. It's made with a new material, tiny glass beads, and it is significantly larger than the previous version. Still, you'll want to make sure you're getting the most out of it, and that means making sure the settings are correct.

One of those is turning on 'Enhance Pointer Precision.' Some users are reporting that they do not have this enabled by default on a fresh start, including myself after doing a hard-reset last night on my Surface Pro 3. That's a shame because that function helps the mouse cursor slow down to grab check and dialog boxes and on-screen buttons. If you're using the trackpad often, you'll want at least to give this setting a try to see if it makes things better as it usually does.

To see if you have it enabled, just do this:

  1. Type 'Change mouse settings' on the Start screen
  2. Make sure you choose the one with the mouse icon, not the gear icon
  3. Choose tab 'Pointer options'
  4. Under 'Motion' make sure 'Enhance pointer precision' is checked on

There is no need to reset as the option takes effect immediately. As a word of caution, if you use a separate mouse on occasion, this can have a side effect of causing mouse acceleration, making your mouse zoom fast all over the screen.

Even if you had this setting enabled, it's good to tinker with these settings until you find something you're comfortable with on your new Surface Pro 3. Of course, these settings will work on any Windows device, so feel free to use on them too.

Did you have 'Enhance pointer precision' enabled on your new Surface? I didn't, so I'm curious if others experienced the same, and if you knew about this option. Sound off in comments!

Via: Reddit

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

34 Comments
  • Does the trackpad settings app work on Surface Pro 3? Or is that RT only? Freakin' thing still doesn't work on Surface 2 w/ Type Cover.
  • This tip is just for kol
  • I know that's right, ;-)
  • I can't find the settings on my WIN 8.1 desktop!!
  • Just follow the instruction. You will SURELY find it
  • If you're a gamer do not turn this setting on. Enhanced pointer precision adds acceleration to mouse movements. This means the faster you move the mouse the faster the cursor moves, rather than having a speed that's consistent with your own movement speed. It can be nice for desktop use but meh, I would recommend keeping it off.
  • Now I remember..I tried that setting ages ago..Didn't workout while I was playin Black-Ops-II..Surely not for gamers @Shadow 024!!
  • It does not lol. That's a separate control. Kill the myth, kill it now
  • Totally agree, turning off that option is the first thing i do after reinstalling Windows. I like to have control on my mouse, but with the acceleration enabled I usually need 2 try to get on the designed spot, especially when using large screen and having to click a far point
  • Yeah. I turned this on yesterday along with increasing my pointer speed as I found it a bit too slow.
  • Scumdog - the trackpad settings app does *not* work for me on my Surface Pro 3. My old touch cover works great though. Is anyone else waiting on their preordered Type Cover from Best Buy? My preordered Surface Pro 3 arrived yesterday, and is friggin awesome BTW, but I'm still waiting on the type cover.
  • Same boat here, got the surface but no type cover. Sort of half a laptop. Ran to local Best Buy and found some in stock, so I will return the other when it gets here. Going on a trip and couldn't wait for delivery. Bit miffed they sent them to stores and backordered those that pre-ordered.
  • this function is basically mouse acceleration. it's great for touchpad but you want this disabled when using a real mouse, especially when playing games with a mouse.
  • I find it very handy for a mouse as well. It means I can have the pointer speed very fast but still move slowly when I need to. Though I do agree about turning it off for games.
  • India being excluded for the Surface Pro 3. Shame on you MS...
  • I had to enable on mine. Daniel, which reset option did you do? Did you then have to re download updates/firmware? What caused you to reset?
  • The middle one, remove everything and reinstall. Had a few quirks that I wanted to get rid of. Firmware was already enabled, but yes, I had to download I believe 31 updates.
  • Ok, thank you. Did it correct your quirks? I have noticed a few as well.
  • I think so, but too early too tell. One rare one was the wireless connection driver would completely fail.
  • Hmm, I have that exact issue, but really don't want to reset. I've got it all set up the way I want it. My wifi shows it's connected with full bars, but it doesn't work. I have to go in, disconnect from the network and reconnect. This is a bug and I really hope Microsoft issues a fix. Anyone else having this issue?
  • I had the same issue on Surface Pro 2. I think it's definitely a driver/firmware issue with the God-forsaken Marvell chipset they use for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I wish they used an Intel chipset instead.
  • It was already enabled on the SP3 I purchased today at Best Buy. However, as someone else said, BB had no type pro covers available - 
  • Daniel off topic . Is the red type cover more burgundy and I think you own a cyan one as well so wondering if it gets dirty too easily. Trying to decide which color to get. Thanks
  • Just got burgundy last night, so haven't had much chance to test for that.
  • you'd think it would know you're using a trackpad and not a mouse so this setting would be for the trackpad only.
  • They must have changed the function specifically for use with a digitizer. I know before (win7 and earlier) it just turned on mouse acceleration,
  • Thanks for the tip. But haven't get the device yet and super excited for it :D Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Mine was checked already.
  • Nice, loads of bonus points for correctly describing the enhance precision as a deceleration control. Spent years screaming at the screen when people describe it as an acceleration feature ><
  • I shouldn't have read these comments lol Enhance precision DOES NOT enable acceleration. It works alongside the acceleration features such as mouse input curve values, but it is strictly a deceleration feature.
    It will affect input and move away from true 1:1 ratios so it can affect gaming accuracy, but then who has even bothered to tweak the old 4:3 settings to modern screen sizes anyway, take that into account if your a gamer. Happy tweaking.
  • Great tip. Made a big difference. Thanks for posting this.
  • it was already enabled on my new surface pro 3
  • Mine was already set. Just picked up mt surface pro 3 today
  • Mine was not checked.  Just checked it and seems OK with both mouse and track pad.  Off topic question - anyone find a sweet case to hold the Surface Pro 3, charger, pen, 2 dongles and a few other odds and ends? I also don't want the pocket to look like a wart is growing off the side of the case!  Looking for something just big enough.  I don't want a 5 lb case for a 2 lb device!