Best Cursor Size for Software Demo Videos
What pixel size should your cursor be for screen recordings? Recommendations by resolution, plus highlight effects and platform-specific advice.
The default system cursor is optimized for personal use — not for viewers watching a compressed video on a laptop screen. Here's how to size and style your cursor for maximum clarity in demo recordings.
Default cursor sizes are too small
A standard macOS cursor is about 32×32 pixels. On a 1080p recording viewed at 720p (common on laptops), that cursor becomes effectively 16×16 pixels on screen — barely visible, especially against light UI backgrounds.
Most professional demo videos use cursors that are 1.5-2x the system default.
Recommended sizes by recording resolution
| Recording Resolution | Cursor Size | How to Set |
|---|---|---|
| 1920×1080 | 48-56px | ~150-175% system scale |
| 2560×1440 | 56-64px | ~175-200% system scale |
| 3840×2160 (4K) | 64-80px | ~200-250% system scale |
On macOS: System Settings → Accessibility → Display → Pointer Size. On Windows: Settings → Accessibility → Mouse Pointer → Size slider.
Visibility vs. distraction
There's a ceiling. A cursor that's too large becomes the focal point of every frame, distracting from the UI itself. Signs your cursor is too big:
- It covers button labels when hovering
- It overlaps with dropdown menus
- Viewers comment on the cursor rather than the feature
The rule of thumb: the cursor should be clearly visible in peripheral vision but not dominating direct focus. If you can spot it instantly in a thumbnail of your video, it's the right size.
Color and contrast
Size alone doesn't solve visibility on all backgrounds. Consider cursor color:
- Dark UI (dark mode): Use a white or light cursor with a dark outline
- Light UI: The default black cursor with a white border works well
- Mixed UI: A cursor with a contrasting outline (inverted or bordered) handles both
macOS offers a "shake to locate" feature that temporarily enlarges the cursor — make sure this is disabled during recordings, as the random size changes look glitchy.
Click highlight effects
Beyond sizing, adding a visual indicator on click dramatically improves comprehension. Options:
Ripple effect: A brief expanding circle on click. Subtle and widely understood. Most screen recording tools (OBS, ScreenFlow, Camtasia) offer this as a built-in option.
Spotlight/halo: A soft glow around the cursor at all times. Keeps the cursor visible without changing its size. Works well for rapid-click sequences.
Yellow circle: The classic presentation cursor highlight. Effective but can look dated in modern product contexts.
Best practice: use a click ripple (appears only on click) rather than a constant highlight (always visible). The intermittent effect draws attention exactly when it matters.
When to hide the cursor entirely
Not every product video needs a cursor. Consider going cursor-free for:
- Animated product walkthroughs (UI elements highlight themselves)
- Mobile app demos (no cursor exists on phones)
- Cinematic product videos for marketing pages
- Feature announcements where the UI changes are the focus
Product animation tools can demonstrate interactions through element highlighting, zoom effects, and UI state transitions — communicating "this was clicked" without an actual cursor being present.
Platform-specific gotchas
macOS cursor smoothing: macOS applies acceleration to the cursor that can make it appear to "float" at high sensitivity. Lower your tracking speed for recordings.
Retina scaling: If you're recording at 2x on a Retina display and downscaling to 1080p, your cursor will be halved in the output. Account for this by doubling your intended size during recording.
Browser cursors: Some web apps override the system cursor with custom CSS cursors. These won't be affected by your system-level size changes. Check your app's cursor behavior before recording.
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