Why does the cursor disappear while typing?

[neeraj verma006]

after upgrading to windows 10 i'm facing issue with typing. cursor stops blinking and gets disappear frequently , very difficult to type even a single word .

 

[gpobernardo]

Hello and welcome to Windows Central with your first post! :smile:

What device are you referring to? If a PC, are you referring to the typing cursor or the mouse/touchpad cursor?

If you're referring to the mouse/touchpad cursor, the disappearance of it depends on where you're typing. For example, right now while typing here in Microsoft Edge, my mouse cursor didn't disappear; however, if I head over to Notepad and begin typing there the cursor would disappear - nonetheless, as soon as I move the mouse or touch the touchpad the cursor re-appears instantly and it doesn't seem to affect my typing.

 

[JassV]

Hey all,
I am getting the exact same issue. When typing in ANY app the text cursor just disappears and gets annoying. Even whilst typing into this text box I've had issues. It's only occured since upgrading to Windows 10.

I have Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro

Thanks

Jass

 

[joyfl1]

Same exact problem here. I have a Lenovo ideapad.

 

[jlavrenz]

I have the exact same issue on my laptop too (also a Lenovo if that makes a difference). It's driving me crazy, makes my computer nearly unusable because I can't type anywhere unless I move extremely slowly or keep clicking my cursor back into the field after every few keystrokes.

Any thoughts on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated. I never had any issues prior to "upgrading" to Windows 10.

 

[Steve Thackery]

I have the exact same issue on my laptop too (also a Lenovo if that makes a difference). It's driving me crazy, makes my computer nearly unusable because I can't type anywhere unless I move extremely slowly or keep clicking my cursor back into the field after every few keystrokes.

Hang on, that's a separate issue. The cursor jumping to somewhere else (other than where you want to type) is an age old problem on laptops and is caused by the heel of your thumb brushing the touchpad as you type.

What will happen now is that you will vigorously deny it! (Don't worry, everybody does. :smile However, next time you are typing, pay particular attention to your thumbs and you will see I'm right. Alternatively, shield the touchpad with a piece of cardboard and the problem will disappear.

This problem irks me so much I always disable the touchpad on machines if they have a touch screen. That cures it, for sure.

(By the way, it occurs to me that W10 might increase the sensitivity of the touchpad. Possible, do you think?)

 

[kingmansnyper25]

Hi,

I have the same problem. While typing the 'typing cursor' (this thing '|') disappears from the text box. It does not move anywhere else on the screen (just disables the typing) I have to re-click the text box with the mouse cursor, which is in text box as it was when I enabled the typing.

I'm 100% sure I'm not touching the mousepad while typing as my wrists are in the air to test this theory.

Sometimes the cursor disappears after 1 letter and sometimes after a few words, and everywhere in between. Makes typing frustrating.
Can't remember when this problem started, if I updated prior to the problem or not.

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks

 

[Saad1990]

I too face this problem frequently. While typing the cursor disappears or doesn't work at all (lag).

 

[Steve Thackery]

I bet you are using a laptop, yes? If so, it's caused by the heels of your thumbs brushing the touchpad as you type, which makes the cursor jump out of the text box.

Yes, I know you won't believe it! But I can prove it: either disable your touchpad temporarily, or try some genuine two-fingered typing with your thumb and all your other finders closed into a fist, so they stay WELL away from the touchpad.

Maybe W10 has made the touchpads more sensitive by default.

 

[OldEarth]

I have this problem and it 100% cannot be that I am brushing the touchpad as I use an external keyboard and mouse and my touchpad is disabled. But sure enough as I have typed this I have lost my cursor twice. It's like the window is losing focus... nothing is taking its place but it's as if I have clicked on a different window. Except it definitely isn't that because I can see the mouse arrow just sitting nicely in this text box so if it was an actual mouse click that should be where it goes.

This started seemingly randomly a couple days ago and can I just say it is nearly impossible to write a report when you have to click back on your document every 30 seconds to 10 minutes in order to keep typing?

Agh... has anyone with this issue managed to solve it?! :unhappy:

 

[Janak2]

I have this problem, too. I absolutely am not touching the touchpad. Something that happens at the same time for me is that when the cursor disappears and I keep typing I get the "asterisk" notification sound. It is as if there is something running in the background that momentarily hijacks the computer's attention away from whatever program I am typing in and when and when the attention comes back, the program has lost its place.

 

[Janak2]

I just did a quick test and I don't have this problem when I am not connected to the internet.

Maybe something is trying to upgrade/update in the background?

 

[Janak2]

I just realized that another problem I have been having may be the same thing - I will be scrolling using the down arrow and the scrolling will suddenly just stop and I have to click somewhere to get it started again.

 

[benlj79az]

In Start Menu -> Search box type : "regedit".

Select "regedit".

Allow "regedit".

Go to : HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Control Panel -> Desktop

Find : ForegroundFlashCount.

Right-Click : on ForegroundFlashCount.

Left-Click : "Modify...".

Left-Click :"Decimal".

In the field "Value data" type : 700000000

Left-Click : "OK".

Then :

Find : ForegroundLockTimeout. (just below ForegroundFlashCount)

Right-Click : on ForegroundLockTimeout.

Left-Click : "Modify...".

Left-Click :"Decimal".
In the field "Value data" type : 4000000000

Left-Click : "OK".

What the latter does? It delays the focus on your current active window of that much in seconds 4000000000.

Why does it happen? It happens when installing new softwares and/or in case of viruses - malwares. Thoroughly SCAN FOR VIRUSES and DO A SOFTWARE CHECK before applying this method.

 

[Steve Thackery]

I have this problem and it 100% cannot be that I am brushing the touchpad as I use an external keyboard and mouse and my touchpad is disabled

Ah, OK. I'm happy to stand corrected. I've seen lots of this type of report over the years, and it was always down to the touchpad. It's kinda famous. Clearly this has similar symptoms but a different cause. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Janak2]

Actually, I did still have the problem after a few minutes of not being connected to the internet -
However I do not have the problem now :grin:

My Lenovo was new and came with a 30-day subscription to McCaffe antivirus, security etc. (not sure about spelling) that had expired, and I hadn't renewed it yet. I just kept going with "not now" when it would ask. I realized that the problem started around the same time my subscription expired, so I deleted the program and its files et, voila! no more interruption of my typing. It seemed like a perfectly fine program, I have no criticism of how it works when it is being used, but I do think if it really did cause this problem, that is unacceptable.
I had another similar expression (I believe) of the same problem which is that the spinning blue ring that shows next to the cursor when the program is clocking was also constantly flickering, next to the cursor. That seems also to have gone away.
Does this fit anyone else's situation?

 

[RayVandal]

Exactly the same issue here with external keyboard - spent hours with Lenovo technicians resetting to factory, update drivers etc.....brand new Yoga 3 pro with window 10

 

[Cecilia Sherrard]

Worked like a charm! Reboot not necessary. Fixed it as soon as I removed the anti-virus. Thank you!

 

[coryr1981]

I can say without a doubt, this is not an issue with the touchpad. I am having this issue on my desktop witch has no touchpad. It is very annoying and hinders my work efficiency GREATLY!

PS, I had to reclick this textbox 8 times while typing this message... correction 9 times. lol

 

[musikfan]

I just found this forum while searching for information on this very problem. I just bought a new HP laptop from Walmart, and it was fine the first day, but now I've got this very same thing happening on mine. It's almost like the computer has hiccups. The words at the top of the page get dimmer for a split second, and every time that happens, the cursor disappears and whatever I've tried to type doesn't work. Then it acts like it's trying to "catch up" with what I was typing, and then it just sits there and I have to type it over again. So is the removal of the McAfee virus software the answer to the problem? I do have the trial version on my laptop, but I have not activated it.