How to change your mouse DPI
Use the button or the software, then fix your sensitivity so your aim does not change.
How to change it
- Use the DPI buttonMost gaming mice have a DPI button that cycles through a few presets. A light or an on-screen message shows the new step. Press it until you reach the DPI you want.
- Or use the mouse softwareOpen Logitech G HUB, Razer Synapse, Corsair iCUE, SteelSeries GG or the app for your mouse, select the mouse and set the DPI or CPI of a stage. Choose which stage is the default.
- Save it to the mouseMany gaming mice keep profiles in onboard memory, so the setting stays when you plug the mouse into another computer. Check the option in the software.
- Check the resultRun the mouse DPI checker to see the DPI the mouse really uses now.
Windows pointer speed is not DPI
Windows has a pointer speed slider (Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Mouse, or Settings, Devices, Mouse in Windows 10). It scales how far the cursor moves on the desktop and leaves the sensor DPI alone. macOS has a similar tracking speed setting. For gaming, set Windows to the middle step (6 of 11), turn off Enhance pointer precision, and use raw input in the game when it offers it.
Change DPI without changing your aim
Your aim depends on DPI and in-game sensitivity together. Change one and you must change the other the opposite way:
new sensitivity = old sensitivity × old DPI ÷ new DPI
That keeps your eDPI and your cm/360 the same. The table shows the multiplier for common changes and a worked example.
| DPI change | Multiply sensitivity by | A Valorant 0.35 becomes |
|---|---|---|
| 400 → 800 | × 0.5 | 0.175 |
| 800 → 1600 | × 0.5 | 0.175 |
| 1600 → 800 | × 2 | 0.7 |
| 800 → 400 | × 2 | 0.7 |
| 1600 → 3200 | × 0.5 | 0.175 |
| 3200 → 1600 | × 2 | 0.7 |
| 800 → 1200 | × 0.667 | 0.233 |
| 1200 → 800 | × 1.5 | 0.525 |
| 800 → 3200 | × 0.25 | 0.0875 |
Games round what you type. Enter the closest value the game accepts; the last digit is too small to feel. The DPI converter does the sum for any sensitivity and DPI.
Questions
How do I change my mouse DPI?
Press the DPI button on the mouse to step through its presets, or open the mouse software and set the DPI or CPI value. Then lower or raise your in-game sensitivity so your aim stays the same.
Will changing my DPI change my aim?
Yes, unless you change your in-game sensitivity to compensate. If you double the DPI, halve the sensitivity. Your eDPI and your cm/360 then stay the same, and so does the feel.
Is Windows pointer speed the same as DPI?
No. Pointer speed scales how fast the cursor moves on the desktop and does not change the sensor DPI. For games, set it to the middle step (6 of 11 in Windows) and turn off Enhance pointer precision so nothing scales the movement, or use raw input in the game.
What DPI should I use, 800 or 1600?
Both work. A higher DPI makes each count smaller, so turning is finer at the same eDPI, and some players find very high settings noisy on their mouse. In SensLab's October 2026 dataset of 999 verified pro settings, 52 percent use 800 and 76 percent use 800 or 1600. Pick one and tune the in-game sensitivity.
Why is my cursor faster on the desktop after changing DPI?
The desktop cursor depends on the DPI and the Windows pointer speed together, so a higher DPI moves it further. Lower the pointer speed or the DPI if the desktop feels too fast; this does not change how the game plays once you correct the in-game sensitivity.
How do I know the new DPI is correct?
Run the mouse DPI checker after changing it. If the result is within a few percent of the DPI you set, the setting took effect.