Mouse acceleration is a pesky little setting that hinders some players and benefits others.
It’s applied by default on Microsoft Windows computers and has the knack of coming back when you least expect it.
For most users, mouse acceleration won’t make much of a difference. But for those with a keen interest in first-person shooters—no matter if it’s Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch, or VALORANT—it can be a real nuisance.
When mouse acceleration is applied, your cursor in-game will move in accordance with how fast you move your mouse on your mousepad, regardless of your sensitivity settings. This allows more room for inconsistency, diminishing your muscle memory, and potentially throws off your aim.
The settings won’t nessecarily make you a bad player, but in most circumstances, it’s generally best to avoid.
Disabling mouse acceleration is simple. All you have to do is head to the Control Panel on your computer, select Hardware and Sound, and choose Devices and Printers. From there, find your mouse from the menu and click the Pointer Options tab in the Mouse Properties window.
Finally, uncheck the box next to Enhance pointer precision, click Apply, and finally OK. This will take immediate effect and should automatically apply to your games.
