How to Change Mouse DPI on Windows & Mac

By Musab Mehmood, Founder & Editor · Last updated: October 8, 2026

DPI lives in the mouse, not in Windows or macOS — so you change it in the mouse manufacturer's software, not in your operating system settings. The Mouse pointer speed slider in Windows is a software multiplier, not DPI, and changing it is the wrong tool for this job (see why pointer speed is not DPI).

Below are concrete click-paths for every major brand's software, plus how to switch DPI on the fly with the on-mouse button and what Mac users should do. If you have not decided what to change to yet, read best DPI for gaming first — and after changing, measure your new setting to confirm it took effect.

Before you change anything: set the baseline

Two OS-level settings interact with DPI, and both should be locked down before you touch anything else:

1. Windows pointer speed → 6/11. Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Mouse → Mouse pointer speed → middle notch. This is the 1:1 mapping: one sensor count moves the cursor one pixel. Any other notch multiplies counts (skipping pixels) or discards them.
2. Pointer acceleration → off. In the classic Mouse Properties → Pointer Options tab, uncheck "Enhance pointer precision." Full steps are in our mouse acceleration guide.

With those two locked, DPI and in-game sensitivity become the only variables — which makes every change you make predictable and every measurement meaningful.

Change DPI in Logitech G Hub

1. Open Logitech G Hub and click your mouse on the home screen.
2. Click Sensitivity (DPI) in the left sidebar.
3. You will see the DPI stages as a row of values (defaults are often 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200). Click a stage to edit it, or drag the slider.
4. Type your desired DPI — common gaming choices are 400, 800, or 1600. G Hub allows fine increments, so any value in your sensor's range works.
5. The active stage is highlighted in blue; click a different stage to switch, or press the DPI button on the mouse to cycle stages.
6. Settings save to the active profile automatically. If your mouse has onboard memory mode enabled, the profile (including DPI stages) is written to the mouse and works on any computer.

Change DPI in Razer Synapse

1. Open Razer Synapse and select your mouse at the top.
2. Go to the Performance tab.
3. Under Sensitivity, you will see the DPI stages. Click a stage to select it, then adjust the slider or type an exact value.
4. Razer lets you toggle stages on and off — disable the ones you never use so the DPI button only cycles through your real choices.
5. Changes apply instantly and are stored in the active profile.

Change DPI in Corsair iCUE

1. Open Corsair iCUE and click your mouse device.
2. Select DPI in the left panel.
3. You will see up to five DPI stages with enable toggles. Click a stage's value to edit it.
4. Set your preferred DPI per stage. iCUE also offers a separate Sniper DPI stage — a temporary low-DPI mode while a button is held, popular with FPS players for long-range shots.
5. The Default toggle marks which stage is active on profile load; the DPI button cycles through enabled stages.

Change DPI in ASUS Armoury Crate

1. Open Armoury Crate and select your mouse under Devices.
2. Go to the Performance section.
3. Under DPI, you will see four stages. Click a stage and set the value with the slider or by typing it.
4. Armoury Crate also exposes angle snapping and lift-off settings on the same screen — leave angle snapping off for gaming (it "corrects" your lines into straight paths, which fights your aim).
5. Stages are stored per profile; the DPI button cycles through them.

Change DPI in Glorious Core

1. Open Glorious Core and select your mouse.
2. Open the DPI settings panel.
3. Adjust the DPI stages — Glorious mice typically offer several customizable stages plus per-stage LED color coding, so you can tell which stage is active at a glance.
4. Save to the onboard profile so the settings travel with the mouse.

Using a different brand? The pattern is the same everywhere: open the vendor's software, find the DPI/Sensitivity/Performance section, edit the stages, save. If your mouse has no vendor software at all, it is almost certainly a fixed-DPI office mouse (usually 800 or 1000 DPI) that cannot be changed.

Switch DPI with the on-mouse button

Once your stages are configured, you rarely need the software again. The DPI button — usually right behind the scroll wheel — cycles through your enabled stages with each press. Many mice confirm the switch with an LED color change or an on-screen notification.

Typical uses:

• FPS players: a low-DPI stage for precise aiming and a high-DPI stage for fast turns or vehicle sections.
• Desktop work: a high-DPI stage for whipping across ultrawide or multi-monitor setups, a low-DPI stage for pixel-precise photo or video editing.

Pro tip from the competitive scene: most pro players disable every stage except one or two. Fewer stages means you can never land on a surprise sensitivity mid-round — a misclicked DPI button has lost real matches.

Changing DPI on a Mac

macOS has no built-in DPI setting — System Settings → Mouse → Tracking speed adjusts a software multiplier, exactly like Windows pointer speed, and does not touch the sensor. Mac users have three options:

1. Vendor software for Mac. Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse, and SteelSeries GG all have Mac versions that expose the same DPI settings. This is the full solution.
2. The on-mouse DPI button. Works without any software — cycle the factory presets (check the manual for the values).
3. Change it on a Windows PC once. If your mouse has onboard memory, configure the DPI stages on any Windows machine, save to the mouse, and the settings persist when you plug it into your Mac.

What DPI should you switch to?

The setting is only half the equation — the other half is what you pair it with. Quick orientation:

• Competitive FPS: 400–1600 DPI is where the vast majority of pro players live. Your eDPI (DPI × in-game sensitivity) is what actually determines crosshair speed — see pro eDPI ranges for Valorant, CS2, and Apex.
• Desktop/productivity: 800–1600 DPI for 1080p/1440p; 1600–2400 DPI for 4K, where lower DPI makes crossing the screen a workout.
• After changing: give yourself several days before judging. Aim is muscle memory, and muscle memory needs repetitions, not minutes. Change DPI or in-game sensitivity — never both at once — so you can tell what actually helped.

Once you have settled on a value, run it through our DPI analyzer to confirm the mouse is actually delivering what the software claims, and check consistency with the deviation test.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change DPI on Windows 11?

Windows 11 cannot change your mouse DPI; the Mouse pointer speed slider is a software multiplier, not DPI. Install your mouse manufacturer's software (Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse, Corsair iCUE, ASUS Armoury Crate, or Glorious Core), open the DPI or Sensitivity settings, and set the value there. It is stored in the mouse itself.

How do I change DPI on a Mac?

macOS has no built-in DPI setting. Change DPI in your mouse vendor's Mac software, or press the on-mouse DPI button to cycle presets. The macOS tracking speed slider only changes the software multiplier, not the sensor's DPI.

Can I change DPI without installing software?

Yes, if your mouse has a DPI button behind the scroll wheel: pressing it cycles through the factory presets. You cannot set a custom value without the vendor software, and basic office mice without a DPI button have fixed DPI that cannot be changed at all.

What DPI should I change to for gaming?

Most competitive FPS players use 400 to 1600 DPI, then tune in-game sensitivity to taste. Your effective sensitivity (DPI × in-game sensitivity, called eDPI) matters more than the raw DPI number. See our best DPI for FPS guide for pro ranges.

Why did my mouse feel different after changing DPI?

Changing DPI changes how many counts per inch the sensor reports, so the same hand movement now moves the cursor a different distance. Give yourself a few days to adapt, and avoid changing DPI and in-game sensitivity at the same time so you know which change caused what.

Does changing DPI in software damage the mouse?

No. DPI is a normal user setting stored in the mouse's onboard memory or a software profile. Changing it as often as you like is completely safe and does not wear out the sensor.

How do I reset my mouse DPI to default?

Open your vendor software and look for a reset or restore-defaults option in the DPI settings, or create a fresh profile. Most gaming mice default to 800 DPI. If your mouse has onboard memory, resetting the profile restores the factory stages.

Should Windows pointer speed be 6/11 for gaming?

Yes. The 6/11 notch is the 1:1 setting where one sensor count moves the cursor one pixel. Higher notches skip pixels and lower notches discard real input, both of which hurt precision. Set pointer speed to 6/11 and do all sensitivity tuning with DPI and in-game sensitivity.