How to Change Your Mouse Cursor
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I used to be addicted to cursors. In fact, back in the day I would create them. Heck… people sometimes even paid me to create them! What is a cursor you ask? And how can you change it? Elementary, my dear Watson.
A cursor is that little pointer thingie on your screen when you move your mouse. They are simply an icon that is turned into a cursor using software designed for tha treason. In Windows, you can change it with relative ease. Simply go into your Control Panel, select the Mouse icon, and then click on the Pointers tab. From there, you can use the drop-down box to choose a few different pre-installed cursors from Microsoft.
Of course, these aren’t very exciting cursors. If you want to make your own, well that isn’t hard either. For creating the icons, I suggest using Icon Workshop. They have a free 30-day trial, and the Cursors program itself is a steal at only $14.00. You can choose from hundreds of presets in their gallery, or upload your own images. It’s an easy matter of drag and drop.
Once you have created your icon, you will need to turn it into an actual cursor. You can do this with my favorite program for this: CursorXP from the folks at Stardock. There is a free version, as well as a Pro version. However, most people will only need the free version, as it does quite a lot. Don’t let the name fool you, it works for Vista, as well. Not only can you use CursorXP to create your cursors, you can also use it to add cool effects to them, as well. There are effects such as explosions, ripples, and plasma. All in all, this is a very cool way and simple way to create your own customized cursor that will make all of your friends jealous.
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36 Comments
Windows Vista Torrent
November 19th, 2007
at 1:26pm
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Tyler S. Miller
November 21st, 2007
at 3:26am
What is iPhone JailBreak? - Nov 19, 2007 - chris@pirillo.com (Chris Pirillo)How to Change Your Mouse Cursor - Nov 19, 2007 - chris@pirillo.com (Chris Pirillo) Top 5 iPod Ideas - Nov 19, 2007 - chris@pirillo.com (Chris Pirillo) Beauty and the Geek Video - Nov 19, 2007
Scott
November 21st, 2007
at 5:50am
Actually it is called a mouse pointer. A cursor is the vertical bar used in an editor to indicate the position the next letter will appear when typed.
sjc1963
November 21st, 2007
at 7:05am
I’ve been using the same cursor since Windows 3.1. I had used it in 95, 98SE, ME, XP, and even in the short time I used Vista. Now I have it converted over to Ubuntu. Its a nice big 3D type cursor.
Here is a link to a PNG of it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/sjc001/plugL.png
SuperRu
November 21st, 2007
at 6:18pm
sjc 1963 I’ve been using that same cursor since 3.1 too. LOL
sjc1963
November 22nd, 2007
at 3:23am
Where did you get it from, SuperRu?
Brandon
November 23rd, 2007
at 10:39pm
cool blog. i always get bored with my mouse cursor. im probably going to change mine like now. keep the cool blogs comming! :)
kbj76
November 30th, 2007
at 9:32am
Nice. Anything to customize our computers, is very helpful.
MrBrightside159
December 1st, 2007
at 2:52am
nice vid but ur such a geek
MacNerd1239
December 1st, 2007
at 8:57am
Great Video Chris. Thanks for posting!
123pako123
December 2nd, 2007
at 5:18am
CONTROOOL THE MOUSe, well i mean, control panel , the mouse XD
fcutrechtjojo
December 9th, 2007
at 7:15pm
lol i just downloaded runescape cursor lol
TurtleProductionz
December 10th, 2007
at 4:27am
dur da dur noooo go to my site it tells you how to get it on vista! omg.
xxpurecodyxx
December 14th, 2007
at 12:23pm
how do u get ur cursor to flash ormake a lil color around the cursor when u click
88luda88
December 18th, 2007
at 6:39am
omfg dude never checked ur control panel :s what kinda tech peeps are you :s
mohammedbaboor
January 2nd, 2008
at 2:30am
uh it’s the recorder.. duurrr
trevmister8
January 8th, 2008
at 7:50am
Well I like the cursors from starcraft. Like the normal cursor then when you scroll over a unit it changes to one I think is rly cool. Is there a way to use those cursors?
kaliniteeffusion
January 19th, 2008
at 6:55am
What screensaver are you using on the left hand monitor?
bladesofury2
February 1st, 2008
at 2:13am
yes!!i got a gold cursor!!!
Dion101dixie
March 3rd, 2008
at 7:20am
idk.
curemymind
March 13th, 2008
at 5:03pm
check out my vista colored cursors for xp
on the about video is the download for the colored cursors and i show u how to install it
itssaly
March 14th, 2008
at 7:51pm
u cute little nerd!!!
seribii
March 25th, 2008
at 11:57am
i got a naruto cursor
unstableET
March 31st, 2008
at 1:35pm
you helpfull nerd!
wannabeers
April 13th, 2008
at 1:21am
I saw people with something around their cursor, idk how it’s called
but I want it too, but don’t know how to get and aply it =(
here’s a vid of some1 with such a thing around
wannabeers
April 13th, 2008
at 1:23am
watch?v=ozSthrhxa4E&feature=related
archerjake
April 19th, 2008
at 7:41am
do u get eny viruses from it?
bostjanjaksa
April 22nd, 2008
at 1:42am
coursers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TehRealDoctor
April 26th, 2008
at 7:38am
yea a program called camtasia studio 5 the screen recording one its only a effect when your recording you cant see it till after you made the recording somethuing like thaT
1ssbb1
April 27th, 2008
at 11:07am
totallyfreecursors,com has tons of free cursors that you can add to almost any website
holonboy
April 30th, 2008
at 10:05am
sometimes………
Fullmetalliod
May 14th, 2008
at 11:34am
just want to know if there is a plug in to make a .cur or a .ani file in adobe photoshop?
Blur
June 29th, 2008
at 4:37am
Hi I know this post is way old but…
Using VISTA…when I change my mouse curosor in the control pannel.. After I restart it goes back to the default one… Why does it not remember which one I selected.
Any way to fix this or work around this…
Thanks
Vlasta
August 26th, 2008
at 11:32pm
When talking about changing your cursor, you should mention the Change Cursor ( http://www.rw-designer.com/change-cursor ) utility. Just right-click a cursor file and pick the role from context menu. And by the way, AxCursors is way too outdated (9 years old!) Get RealWorld Cursor Editor which is not only free, but also has more functions.
Hugo
February 26th, 2009
at 11:50am
BULLSHIT !
theM
May 1st, 2009
at 7:18am
Back in the day you used to create them? Back in the day there was no CursorXP. Tell us how you made them then; that would be more helpful.