How to Fix Mouse Highlighting/Selecting Everything on Windows

The mouse is an irreplaceable component of a PC. No matter how fluent you are with a computer, you might struggle without a cursor ready to serve you. That is why it can be frustrating to deal with a situation where you try to move the mouse cursor, but it highlights everything.

Mouse highlighting everything on Windows is a genuine issue several users encounter. Some believe it is a virus that causes the error, while others think it is a mouse malfunction. 

No matter the situation, one thing that appears clear is the inconvenience to the user. Are you looking for a solution to a similar problem or wondering why my mouse selects everything without clicking? Then this is the perfect place to be! 

Without further ado, let us look at some fixes that may allow a user to fix the mouse, highlighting everything on Windows. 

Mouse Selects Everything On Windows: Why Does it Happen?

Before we start with the fixes for the issue, you must look at why this problem may have appeared on your PC. A cursor highlighting everything or selecting multiple items without external commands is a severe accessibility issue. It makes using a PC difficult for a user.

As shared earlier, multiple issues cause the problem. Some of the most prominent errors can be – 

• Sensor Issues with the Mouse
• Outdated/Corrupt Mouse Drivers
• Malfunctioning Buttons & Scroller
• Corrupt/Missing System Files
• Mouse Configuration Errors
• Virus Or Malware Attack on PC

Since a mouse is a key component that enables interaction with the PC, it is important that it works properly for a user. Some options may allow you to use a system with other input devices. However, the ease of access that a mouse provides is surely irreplaceable.

If you believe that any of these issues might have occurred on your PC, then do not worry. 

Check out the next section for a list of working fixes to resolve mouse highlighting everything on Windows!

How to Stop Mouse From Selecting Everything on Windows?

There are multiple things you can try to fix the issue. Let’s go through the most eminent fixes that may help you out. These fixes will work on all versions of Windows.

Fix 1 – Perform All the Preliminary Checks on Your Mouse

By preliminary checks, we mean trying the basics before going into the complicated stuff. For instance, you may – 

• Disconnect and reconnect the mouse to your computer to check whether it fixes the issue.
• Clean the mouse, as there may be dirt in the sensor or the buttons of your computer that may be causing the problem.
• Replace your mouse with another, or use your mouse on another computer to check whether the issue lies in your mouse.

With the help of these checks, you can quickly identify if you need to replace the mouse or it can be fixed. After establishing that the malfunctioning of the mouse is a problem related to the system, you can move on to the next fix. However, if you find an issue with the hardware, we recommend you fix it and replace the mouse. 

Fix 2 – Update Mouse Drivers

Now the first thing you need to do is ensure that the mouse uses the latest version of drivers. For those unaware, drivers are the basic yet significant components of any device interacting directly with the operating system.  Using an outdated or corrupt driver may introduce several issues.

If your system uses outdated mouse drivers, issues like the mouse highlighting everything without clicking may appear easily. 

Updating drivers frequently can become an issue for users unfamiliar with the dedicated driver update application like Advanced Driver Updater. Why? Because the process of downloading and installing driver updates is quite typical on Windows. 

You are supposed to – 

Step 1 – Go to the Device Manager on your computer. (use devmgmt.msc command in the run search or look up device manager in the start menu search.)

Step 2 – Find the connected mouse and right-click on it.
Step 3 – Click on Update device drivers.

Step 4 – Look for drivers and install them on your PC.

Now, since the entire process is manual, one may be unable to perform it regularly. Hence the issue may appear easily. On the other hand, with Advanced Driver Updater, one can easily run a scan to find outdated drivers on the system and update them in a single click.

The best part is that a user may create a scan schedule, allowing the tool to look for updates now and then. Install the application today and see the results for yourself. 

Read a complete review of the tool

Fix 3 – Check the Configuration of Your Mouse

After you have updated the drivers, it is essential to identify if there’s an issue with the mouse configuration. There are several things that you need to take care of. Here’s how you can do it – 

Step 1 – Press Win + R to open the run search on your computer.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command ‘Control’ to open the Control Panel.

Step 3 – After opening the Control Panel, ensure the view is set to large icons.

Step 4 – Look for the Mouse tile in the available options and click on it to open it.
Step 5 – After opening the mouse options, ensure the button sensitivity is set to the middle of the bar as it decides the probability of your double clicks. If your mouse highlights everything without even clicking, the issue lies with the buttons.

Check the following screenshot for your reference to check the settings are set correctly –

Once you have made the required changes, click apply and exit the settings. You can continue using the device, and the issue should be resolved. 

Fix 4 – Use Ease of Access Center to Configure Mouse

Another way to configure your mouse is to use the Ease of Access Center in the control panel. A dedicated setting allows a user to activate a window by hovering over it. It usually means a window may open without you clicking on it.

When this feature is enabled, your mouse starts highlighting everything without clicking. Hence disabling it is the best you can do. 

Step 1 – Press Win + R to open the run search on your computer.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command ‘Control’ to open the Control Panel.
Step 3 – After opening the Control Panel, ensure the view is set to large icons.
Step 4 – Go to the Ease of Access Center from the available options.


Step 5 – After clicking on it, find the Make Mouse Easier to Use option in the list.

Step 6 – In the opened mouse settings, you may find the option to Activate a Window by hovering over it with the mouse.

Step 7 – Ensure that it is unchecked. If it was checked before, uncheck now and save the changes made.

This way, you will be able to finish the configuration of your mouse. 

Fix 5 – Try Running a Troubleshooter for Your Mouse

If none of the above fixes helped you resolve the error, try running Hardware & Device troubleshooting, which allows you to find and fix the error with the system. Here’s how you can do that – 

Step 1 – Go to the start menu and look for Command Prompt.
Step 2 – Click on Run as Administrator to open the CMD window.

Step 3 – In the Command Prompt, use the command – 

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 4 – This will bring up the Hardware troubleshooter on your PC.

Step 5 – Click on Next and follow the instructions that appear next to complete the troubleshooting process. 

Once it is completed, restart your computer and check if the mouse highlights everything on Windows. 

Fixing Mouse Highlight/Selecting Everything On Windows is EASY!

Besides these fixes, you can also use the SFC and DISM commands to check for system file errors on your computer. Using antivirus software can also be of use if you suspect a virus. 

All in all, the issue related to the mouse selecting everything on Windows is easily fixable. If you are wondering why it happens, it is just a result of misconfiguration or a faulty program on your system. You fix that, and nothing else might bother your computer.

That brings us to the end of this post. We hope you find it helpful. Thanks for reading. Good luck!

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