How to Make Your Own Custom Mouse Cursor on Windows

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An in-depth guide to making a custom mouse cursor in Windows 10 or 11

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: January 31, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Editing Your Cursor
|
• Converting Your Image
|
• Changing Your Cursor
|
• Video
|
• Q&A

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Do you want to make and use your own unique cursor on your computer? While the default cursor on Windows does the job, it's fairly plain. By customizing your cursor, you can choose something a lot more fun and personalized. You can use any photo or image you'd like to create this new cursor; you'll just need to edit and convert it to a .CUR file first. This wikiHow will show you how to make and apply a custom cursor for your Windows 10 or 11 computer.

Create a Mouse Cursor: Quick Steps

1. Create a PNG image with a transparent background that is about 32 x 32 pixels in an image editor (i.e., MS Paint).
2. Convert the .PNG file to .CUR using convertio.co.
3. Type "Mouse settings" into the Start menu.
4. Click Additional mouse options → Pointers → Browse → select your image → Apply.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Editing Your Cursor

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1. 
   1
   Open MSPaint. Paint comes pre-installed on all Windows computers. It comes with all the tools you need to edit an image of a mouse cursor, remove the background, change the canvas size, and save it as a PNG. You can find the MS Paint icon in the Windows Start menu. It has an icon that resembles a blue painter's palette.

   • Alternatively, you can use other image editing programs, such as Photoshop, GIMP, Pixlr, or an online image editor.
2. 
   2
   Open the image you want to use as a cursor. You should use an image that is relatively square (the default mouse cursor size is 32 x 32 pixels, though it can be larger). Use the following steps to open an image in MS Paint:

   • Click File in the menu bar at the top.
   • Click Open.
   • Select the photo you want to use.
   • Click Open.
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3. 
   3
   Remove the image background. The newest versions of MS Paint can automatically detect and remove an image background. This will work best if the image has a relatively plain a consistent background. To remove a background, click the Remove Background icon. It’s in the "Image" panel at the top. It features an icon resembling a person against a striped background. This will separate the background and foreground into separate layers.
4. 
   4
   Turn off the background layer. To do so, click Layers at the top of the screen. This will display the Layers in a panel to the right. Click the eyeball icon in the background layer. This will disable the background layer. You should see a checkerboard pattern representing the background.

   • At this point, you may notice that some remaining parts of the background are still visible around the edges. You can zoom in and use the eraser tools to clean it up.
5. 
   5
   Resize the image to the size of a mouse cursor. The average size of a mouse cursor is about 32 x 32 pixels. If you want a larger mouse cursor, you can create one that is 48 x 48 or 64 x 64 pixels. Use the following steps to resize the image:

   • Click the image resize icon in the "Image" panel at the top. It has an icon that resembles a picture with an arrow pointing out of the corner.
   • Click the radio option next to "Pixels."
   • Enter "32" next to "Vertical" and "Horizontal."
   • Click Ok.
6. 
   6
   Save the image as a PNG. Use the following steps to do so:

   • Click File.
   • Click Save as.
   • Select PNG Image.
   • Enter a name for the image in the field next to "Filename."
   • Click Save.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Converting Your Image

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1. 
   1
   Go to convertio.co/png-cur in a web browser. Convertio is a free online image converter. You'll need to convert your .png image into cursor format (.cur).
2. 
   2
   Click Choose Files. This is the large button at the center of the screen.

   • Make sure to avoid clicking any surrounding ads
3. 
   3
   Select your image. Use the pop-up window to locate the image you created in the previous section. Select it, and click Open.
4. 
   4
   Click Convert. This will convert your image to .cur format. It should only take a few moments to complete the conversion.
5. 
   5
   Click Download. This is the blue button to the left of your image file.

   • The .cur file will be downloaded to your computer.
   • In most cases, this will be found in your Downloads folder. If desired, you can move the file to another folder by clicking and dragging it.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Changing Your Cursor

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1. 
   1
   Open the Start

   

   menu. On Windows 10 and earlier versions, this will be located at the bottom left corner of the screen. On Windows 11, this will be at the bottom center of the screen.
2. 
   2
   Type mouse settings. Results will load as you type.
3. 
   3
   Click Mouse settings. This will open the mouse options in the Settings menu.
4. 
   4
   Click Additional mouse options. This will be underneath the Related settings header. This will open Mouse Settings in Control Panel.
5. 
   5
   Click the Pointers tab. This is the top tab, to the right of Buttons.
6. 
   6
   Click Browse…. This is below the Customize box. Make sure the Normal Select mouse option is highlighted.

   • Alternatively, double-click Normal Select to open the Browse window.
7. 
   7
   Select your mouse image. Find your saved .cur image from the previous section. Click it, and then click Open.
8. 
   8
   Click Apply. This is the button at the bottom-right corner. Your cursor will change into your new image.

   • Click OK to close the window.
   • If you want to change the cursor back to its default, return to the Pointers menu and click Use Default.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  Can I use Microsoft Photos or Paint instead of Gimp?

  

  Community Answer

  Of course, you can! Right-click on a photo in your computer. Click "Properties" in the drop-down menu. In the "General" tab, click the "Change" button. Then choose any program you want the photos to open with.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 30 Helpful 14
• Question

  How do I know if the files I download in this process are safe?

  

  Paul Schofield

  Community Answer

  On most computers these days it will warn you beforehand if the download can cause problems with your computer. If this doesn't show up, then you will be safe to initiate the download process.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 25 Helpful 13
• Question

  It doesn't say download in the digitalcoding part. How do I do that?

  

  Expora9

  Community Answer

  You need to scroll down after converting the image on digitalcoding.com.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 32 Helpful 4

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