How to change mouse polling rate in Windows 11

Windows 11 has no built-in setting for mouse polling rate. The rate (also called report rate) is set by the mouse itself, so you change it in the manufacturer's app, such as Logitech G HUB or Razer Synapse, or with a polling rate button on the mouse. The Mouse page in Windows 11 Settings only controls pointer speed, buttons and scrolling, not how often the mouse reports to the PC.

This guide shows where the setting lives for the common vendor apps, how to check the rate you are getting, how to lower it on a laptop or a wireless mouse, and which rate makes sense for your use.

What mouse polling rate means

Mouse polling rate is the number of times per second a mouse sends its position and button state to the computer, measured in hertz (Hz). A 1,000 Hz mouse reports every millisecond, a 125 Hz mouse every 8 milliseconds. Higher rates shorten the gap between a hand movement and the cursor update and make fast motion look smoother on high refresh rate monitors. The cost is more input events for the PC to process and, on wireless mice, more battery drain.

Polling rate is not the same as DPI or sensitivity. DPI controls how far the cursor moves per inch of mouse travel; polling rate controls how often that movement is reported.

Why Windows 11 has no polling rate setting

Windows 11 does not offer a polling rate option because the rate is negotiated between the mouse firmware and its receiver or USB connection, not chosen by the operating system. Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse lets you change the primary button, pointer speed and scroll behavior, and Additional mouse settings opens the classic Mouse Properties dialog with pointer and button options. Neither screen has a polling rate or report rate control, whatever older guides claim.

That means the method depends on your mouse:

• Gaming mice with vendor software: change the rate in the app (next section).
• Mice with a hardware switch: some models have a button or switch on the underside that cycles through rates; the manual lists the combination.
• Basic office mice: the rate is usually fixed by the firmware and cannot be changed.

Third-party tools that force a higher rate by overriding the USB driver exist, but they are unofficial, can cause instability and are not something we recommend on a daily-use PC.

How to change mouse polling rate in the manufacturer's software

The manufacturer's app is the supported way to change mouse polling rate on Windows 11, and the setting is usually labelled Polling Rate or Report Rate. The general steps:

1. Download the official app for your mouse from the manufacturer's website (G HUB for Logitech G, Synapse for Razer, iCUE for Corsair, SteelSeries GG for SteelSeries).
2. Connect the mouse with its cable or its own wireless receiver, then open the app and select the mouse.
3. Open the performance or device settings section and find Polling Rate or Report Rate.
4. Pick the rate you want. Most apps save it to the mouse immediately or to the active profile.
5. Check the rate (see below) and test it in the games or apps you use.

For Logitech G mice, Logitech's support page says to open the Performance tab in G HUB, click the Performance icon and choose the Report Rate option, then select the level you want. Razer mice use Razer Synapse, where Razer says you can set the polling rate from 125 Hz up to 8,000 Hz on supported HyperPolling mice, after a firmware update on some models.

If the highest option is missing, update the app and the mouse firmware first. Rates of 4,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz are often limited to specific models, receivers or wired mode.

How to check your mouse polling rate in Windows 11

You check the polling rate in Windows 11 with the vendor app or a mouse rate test, because Windows itself does not display it. The quickest options:

• Vendor app: the selected rate is shown on the same screen where you change it.
• Online or desktop polling rate tester: open a mouse rate test page or tool, move the mouse quickly in circles and read the average and peak Hz.

Testers measure the rate Windows actually receives, so a reading below the setting is normal at slow movement. Move the mouse fast and continuously, close heavy background apps, and connect wireless receivers close to the mouse (an extension cable or front USB port helps). If a 1,000 Hz mouse never gets near 1,000 in a fast test, try another USB port, avoid unpowered hubs and update the firmware.

How to lower mouse polling rate

You lower mouse polling rate the same way you raise it: choose a smaller value in the vendor app or with the mouse's rate button. Lowering is worth trying in three situations:

• Battery life: a wireless mouse at 4,000 or 8,000 Hz drains noticeably faster than at 1,000 Hz.
• Stutter or high CPU load: very high rates generate many more input events, which can cause frame time spikes on older CPUs or in some games.
• Compatibility: a few older games and apps behave oddly with rates above 1,000 Hz.

Windows 11 handles high report rates better than it used to. The July 2023 update (KB5028185) throttled background raw input listeners, which reduced stutter with high report rate mice, so install current updates before dropping the rate. If stutter remains, step down one level at a time (8,000 to 4,000 to 1,000 Hz) and keep the highest rate that runs smoothly.

Which polling rate should you use?

For most people, 1,000 Hz is the best mouse polling rate: it is supported by nearly every gaming mouse, feels instant and has a small CPU and battery cost. Go higher only when the rest of your setup can show the difference.

• Office work and laptops on battery: 125 to 500 Hz.
• General gaming on a 60 to 144 Hz monitor: 1,000 Hz.
• Competitive shooters on a 240 Hz or faster monitor and a modern CPU: try 2,000 or 4,000 Hz, and 8,000 Hz if frame times stay stable.

Judge the result by how the game feels and by frame time consistency, not by the number on the box. A higher rate that causes stutter is worse than a stable 1,000 Hz.

FAQ

Related: fix a mouse that double-clicks on a single click, optimize Windows 11 for windowed games, make the mouse cursor easier to see in Windows 11