Cursor trouble - cursor is not located at the point of the page where I have clicked with my mouse pointer

Lisa Cowley97 0 Reputation points
2026-10-15T18:51:11.76+00:00

Hi - when I am working in Word and Excel. Where I click on a section of the page or a column within excel using my mouse pointer, the cursor across both applications is not located at the point of the page where I have originally clicked. Usually, the cursor is half way up or down the page away from where my mouse pointer has clicked on the page. Same for excel, the cursor or highlighted box, is several columns away from where my mouse pointer has attempted to click or, or highlight.

I have changed laptops and experiencing the same issue with the applications.

I am accessing each document through a OneDrive account.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Other

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  1. Chris-D 2,340 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-15T19:16:16.0566667+00:00

    Hi Lisa,

    Thank you for sharing the details of your situation.

    Since the problem occurs in both Word and Excel and continues after changing laptops, it may be related to the display scaling, screen resolution, browser zoom, or graphics settings rather than the mouse or a specific device. OneDrive itself is primarily used to store and synchronize the files, so it may not be the direct cause of the cursor misalignment.

    Here are some steps you can try:

    1. Check whether the documents are opening in the browser or desktop applications
      • If you are using Word or Excel for the web, reset the browser zoom to 100% by pressing Ctrl + 0.
      • Test the documents in another browser or open them in the Word and Excel desktop applications.
      • You may also try an InPrivate or Incognito window to rule out browser extensions.
    2. Check the Windows display settings
      • Go to Settings > System > Display.
      • Set Scale to the recommended value.
      • Confirm that the Display resolution is also set to the recommended resolution.
      • If you use multiple monitors, temporarily disconnect the external monitor and test again. Different scaling settings between monitors can sometimes cause pointer misalignment.
    3. Update Office and the display driver
      • In Word or Excel, go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
      • Check Windows Update for any available display or graphics driver updates.
    4. Test a locally saved document
      • Download one affected document from OneDrive.
      • Save it locally and open it directly in Word or Excel.
      • This will help determine whether the issue occurs only when accessing documents through OneDrive or in the applications generally.

    If the issue continues, could you confirm whether you are editing the documents in Word and Excel desktop applications or in Word and Excel for the web through a browser? Also let me know whether you are using an external monitor or docking station.

    I hope this information is helpful. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to share them in the comment below. I'm very happy to help.  

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-15T18:52:38.65+00:00

    First test a new blank file in both Word and Excel on the laptop’s built-in display, because this will distinguish a Windows/Office display-coordinate problem from one limited to OneDrive files, an external monitor, or browser-based editing.

    The instructions below apply to Windows. If both laptops are Macs, provide the macOS version and whether Word and Excel are desktop apps or running in a browser; Windows commands such as /safe do not apply.

    1. Isolate where the offset occurs

    1. Disconnect any dock or external monitor.
    2. Open the desktop Word application and create a blank document.
    3. Open the desktop Excel application and create a blank workbook.
    4. Test clicks at the top, middle, and bottom of each window.
    5. If those work, open one affected OneDrive file:
      • First in the desktop application.
      • Then in Word or Excel for the web.

    Interpret the result:

    • Blank and OneDrive files are affected in desktop apps: continue with the Windows display checks.
    • Only files in the browser are affected: reset browser zoom to 100%, test an InPrivate/Incognito window, and disable browser extensions temporarily.
    • Only one document is affected: make a copy and test it locally; the problem may be file-specific.
    • Only an external display is affected: concentrate on display scaling, resolution, dock, and graphics configuration.

    OneDrive storage by itself does not identify the cause; the important distinction is whether the file is being edited in the browser or desktop applications.

    2. Correct the Windows display configuration

    On each Windows 11 laptop:

    1. Open Start → Settings → System → Display.
    2. If multiple displays are connected, select Identify, then drag the displayed monitor boxes so they match their physical positions.
    3. Select each monitor and use its Recommended resolution and scaling.
    4. Select Apply, close Word and Excel, then sign out of Windows and sign back in. Signing out can refresh the display/DPI state, particularly after docking or moving applications between displays.

    Windows documents how to identify and arrange displays and recommends testing pointer movement after applying the layout ^1^.

    As a comparison test—not an established fix for coordinate displacement—set View → 100% in both Word and Excel ^2^.

    If the problem occurs only on an external screen, Excel also has File → Options → General → When using multiple displays → Optimize for compatibility. Select it, restart Excel, and retest. This setting is specifically reported as useful for external-display rendering problems, but the available case concerns Excel rather than Word, so treat it as an Excel-only conditional test ^3^.

    3. Isolate Office add-ins

    If the pointer remains offset on the built-in display, start each application in Office Safe Mode:

    1. Press Windows+R.
    2. Run winword /safe, then test Word.
    3. Close Word.
    4. Press Windows+R, run excel /safe, and test Excel.

    Safe Mode bypasses add-ins and several custom settings ^4^.

    If clicks are correct in Safe Mode:

    1. Open the affected app normally.
    2. Go to File → Options → Add-ins.
    3. At Manage, select COM Add-ins → Go.
    4. Clear all add-ins and restart the app.
    5. Re-enable them individually, restarting after each one, until the offset returns.

    4. Update, then repair Office

    Update Microsoft 365 from File → Account → Update Options → Update Now in either application ^5^.

    If the issue persists:

    1. Right-click Start → Installed apps.
    2. Find Microsoft 365, select … → Modify.
    3. Run Quick Repair.
    4. If unsuccessful, return to the same location and run Online Repair. Online Repair is more comprehensive and repairs the entire Office suite ^6^.

    If two different laptops still show the same offset in blank desktop files after these tests, report the Windows/macOS version, desktop-versus-browser result, monitor/dock configuration, display scaling values, and whether Safe Mode corrected it to Microsoft 365 support or the organization’s IT administrator.

    References

    1. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/display-graphics/how-to-use-multiple-monitors-in-windows)
    2. Zoom in or out of a document, presentation, or worksheet | Microsoft Support
    3. Excel fill handle vanishes on external screens - Microsoft Q&A
    4. Open Office apps in safe mode on a Windows PC | Microsoft Support
    5. How to update Microsoft 365 or Office for Windows
    6. Repair an Office application
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