How to Change the Text Cursor Indicator in Windows

When you are typing a long document in a complex word processor, finding the tiny, blinking text cursor on a high-resolution 4K monitor can be surprisingly difficult. This is especially true for users with visual impairments. If you frequently lose your place while typing, Windows includes a dedicated accessibility feature called the Text Cursor Indicator. When enabled, this tool adds highly visible, brightly colored geometric flags to the top and bottom of your cursor, making it impossible to lose.

How to Enable the Text Cursor Indicator

Because this is fundamentally an accessibility feature, it is located inside the main Accessibility menu, not the standard Personalization menu.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the gear icon to open the Settings app.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, scroll down and click on Accessibility.
3. Under the “Vision” section, look for the option labeled Text cursor and click on it.
4. At the very top of the new page, you will see a toggle switch labeled Text cursor indicator.
5. Click the toggle switch so that it turns blue (On).

The indicator is now active. If you open Microsoft Word or Notepad and click into the document, you will see a bright color highlighting the exact location of your cursor.

How to Customize the Size and Color

The default indicator is usually a bright pink or purple color, which might not be your preference. You can easily customize the exact hue and scale the size of the indicators to make them even more visible.

1. Directly beneath the toggle switch you just activated, you will see a slider labeled Size.
2. Click and drag the slider to the right. The preview image above the slider will instantly update, showing you exactly how massive the indicators will become. Drag it until you are comfortable with the size.
3. Below the size slider, you will see a grid of Recommended colors (lime green, bright yellow, cyan, etc.).
4. Click on any color to instantly apply it.
5. If you dislike the default palette, click the Choose another color button below the grid. This opens a full RGB color wheel, allowing you to select any highly contrasting color you desire.

How to Thicken the Standard Cursor Line

If you don’t want bright geometric flags cluttering your screen, but you still struggle to see the blinking line, you can simply make the line thicker.

1. Scroll to the very bottom of that exact same “Text cursor” settings page.
2. Locate the section labeled Text cursor thickness.
3. Click and drag the slider to the right. The preview box will show the cursor expanding from a 1-pixel thin line into a massive, highly visible black block.