The Inconsistent Pointer
Ubuntu (via the GNOME desktop environment) applies a feature called “Pointer Acceleration” to your mouse by default. Instead of moving your cursor at a flat, 1-to-1 ratio based on how far you move your physical mouse, the operating system automatically changes the speed based on how fast you move it. If you flick your wrist quickly, the cursor flies across the screen; if you move slowly, it crawls. While intended to help navigate large monitors, this automatic speed adjustment makes building muscle memory impossible, which is incredibly frustrating for graphic designers needing pixel-perfect precision or gamers playing fast-paced titles on Linux.
Enabling a Flat Mouse Profile
To ensure consistent tracking and stop Ubuntu from automatically changing your mouse speed based on acceleration algorithms, you must switch your mouse to a “Flat” profile.
Open the main application launcher and search for the GNOME Tweaks tool. (If you don’t have it installed, open a terminal and type sudo apt install gnome-tweaks first). Once GNOME Tweaks is open, look at the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Keyboard & Mouse. In the right-hand panel, locate the section specifically dedicated to the “Mouse.” You will see an option labelled Acceleration Profile with three choices: Default, Adaptive, and Flat. The system is currently using Adaptive. Select the Flat profile. This instantly turns off all software-based acceleration. Your cursor will now move at a consistent, predictable speed, governed solely by the physical DPI of your mouse hardware.