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On Ubuntu Desktop’s default GNOME session, Settings does not usually offer a color picker for the ordinary mouse pointer. It lets you change the pointer’s size; to change its color or style, select a different cursor theme or install one. These instructions focus on Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 with GNOME; other Ubuntu flavors use different controls.
Change the pointer size in Settings
If your main goal is making the pointer easier to see, start with Ubuntu’s built-in size control:
- Open Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Under Seeing, select Cursor Size.
- Choose a size.
The change normally takes effect immediately. It changes the pointer’s size, not its color. Ubuntu’s accessibility documentation describes the current controls; wording can vary slightly by release and updates.
Change pointer color with a cursor theme
In GNOME, the pointer’s color and design come from its cursor theme. Depending on the Ubuntu release and installed packages, options may include Yaru, DMZ-White, DMZ-Black, or Redglass. These names are examples, not a guaranteed list: the theme must be installed, and derivatives may use different defaults.
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Use GNOME Tweaks
GNOME Tweaks is a separate utility and may not be installed already. Install and open it with:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gnome-tweaksIn Tweaks, open Appearance and choose an installed option under Cursor. Labels can differ between versions. If there is no Cursor control, use the terminal method below or install a cursor theme first.
Use the terminal with gsettings
First check the current theme and size:
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-sizeSet the theme by its installed directory name. For example:
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gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme 'Redglass'Redglass is only an example; the command will not make an unavailable theme appear. To change size from the terminal, use a value such as:
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gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-size 48Use these commands in your own desktop session, without sudo. They change the current user’s GNOME settings, and require a GNOME session with its D-Bus environment. See the GNOME guide to gsettings and dconf.
To see theme directories that may be available, run:
find ~/.local/share/icons /usr/share/icons -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 -type d 2>/dev/nullUse the theme folder’s exact name for the setting. A theme shown under a different display name on a download page may have a differently named directory.
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Install a custom cursor theme
For a theme you have downloaded, a per-user installation is usually the simplest to undo and does not modify system files:
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- Download an archive from a source you trust, then inspect its contents. Do not run an unknown installation script.
- Extract it. A valid theme directory normally contains a
cursorsfolder and anindex.themefile. - Copy the theme directory—not an extra enclosing folder—into
~/.local/share/icons/. - Select it in Tweaks or activate it with
gsettings.
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/icons
cp -r ThemeName ~/.local/share/icons/
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme 'ThemeName'Replace ThemeName with the actual directory name. The expected layout is:
~/.local/share/icons/ThemeName/cursors
~/.local/share/icons/ThemeName/index.themeIf you see a repeated folder, such as ThemeName/ThemeName/cursors, the archive may have been extracted or copied with an extra level of nesting. A system-wide installation can go under /usr/share/icons/, but that requires administrative privileges and affects all users. Per-user installation is preferable for most people.
Fix a theme that does not appear or only works in some apps
- Check the name and location. Confirm that the selected theme’s directory exists under
~/.local/share/icons/or/usr/share/icons/and containsindex.themeandcursors. A setting can store a name even when no matching theme is installed. - Refresh applications. Close and reopen an affected app. If the pointer remains unchanged elsewhere, log out and back in.
- Expect some differences between apps. GTK, Qt, Electron, Wine, and other applications may handle cursors differently. Flatpak apps may not immediately inherit every host theme change, and some apps draw their own pointers. A theme working in one app does not guarantee it will work identically everywhere.
- Consider display scaling. Some themes have low-resolution artwork that can look blurry or oddly sized on high-DPI displays. Increasing the cursor size can help visibility but cannot add detail to the theme artwork.
Do not confuse the pointer with other cursors
The desktop mouse pointer, the text insertion cursor, and the magnifier crosshair are separate controls. GNOME Terminal’s text cursor is adjusted in its profile preferences; changing it does not recolor the mouse pointer. Ubuntu’s magnifier documentation covers separate crosshair and color-filter controls, which also do not recolor the ordinary pointer. Keyboard cursor blinking is another distinct feature, documented here.
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Ubuntu flavors use different controls
The GNOME settings and gsettings instructions above are for the default Ubuntu Desktop session, not every Ubuntu flavor. On Kubuntu with KDE Plasma, look in System Settings under Appearance or Colors & Themes for Cursors. Xfce, MATE, Cinnamon, and other desktops have their own theme settings and may not use GNOME’s cursor preference.
Restore the default pointer
If you know that Yaru is the default theme in your session, select it directly:
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme 'Yaru'To return the theme and size to their schema defaults instead, run:
gsettings reset org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
gsettings reset org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-sizeA schema reset uses the default for that desktop and installation; it is not guaranteed to select Yaru on every Ubuntu derivative or customized setup.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enter a hexadecimal color for the Ubuntu mouse pointer?
Not in the standard GNOME Settings interface. Choose a cursor theme with the color you want, or use a custom theme whose artwork provides it.
Does changing cursor size change its color?
No. Cursor Size changes the pointer’s size. Its color and design come from the selected cursor theme.
Do cursor themes work on Wayland?
They can work in the GNOME desktop, but behavior may vary between native Wayland apps, XWayland, toolkits, and sandboxed applications. Some apps use their own cursor.
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How do I change the pointer in Kubuntu?
Use KDE Plasma’s System Settings and look under Appearance or Colors & Themes for Cursors. GNOME Tweaks and the GNOME gsettings commands are not the universal method for Kubuntu.
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