Q: Why is my cursor jumping around all over the place.

Jumpy Trackpad

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1449

Go step by step and test.

1. Restart

2. Shut down the computer.

    Clean the trackpad with moist not wet microfiber cloth.

    System Preferences > Point & Click

    Try turning off three finger dragging and then turning it on after  testing.

3. Is there any Bluetooth device nearby with failing batteries? If so, replace the batteries.

  4. Reset PRAM:   http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14222

5. Reset SMC.     http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

    Choose the method for:

    "Resetting SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own".

6. Close all windows and quit all applications.

    Click the Spotlight -the magnifying glass icon- in the menu bar. Enter Disk utility in the box.

    Select Disk Utility from the drop down. When the Disk utility window opens up,

    select  Macintosh HD, then First Aid.

    Click Repair Disk Permissions button.

    Ignore the  time remaining estimate.

    Last 1 minute may take longer.

There are several possible causes for this issue. Please take each of the following steps that you haven't already tried until it's resolved. Some may not apply in your case.

1. Follow the instructions in this support article, and also this one, if applicable. A damaged or defective AC adapter could be the cause, even if it's the right kind.

2. Press down all four corners of the trackpad at once and release. If there's any effect, it's likely to be temporary, and in that case the unit must be serviced or replaced.

3. Open the Bluetooth preference pane in System Preferences and delete all pointing devices other than the trackpad, if applicable. Disconnect any USB pointing devices. By a "pointing device," I mean a peripheral that moves the cursor, such as a trackpad, mouse, trackball, or graphics tablet. A plain keyboard is not a pointing device.

4. Start up in safe mode and test, preferably without launching any third-party applications. If you don't have the problem in safe mode, but it comes back when you restart as usual, stop here and post your results. Do the same if you can't start in safe mode. If there was no difference in safe mode, go on to the next step.

5. Reset the System Management Controller.

6. If you're using a Bluetooth trackpad or mouse, investigate potential sources of interference, including USB 3 devices.

7. A swollen battery in a portable computer can impinge on the trackpad from below and cause erratic behavior. If you have trouble clicking the trackpad, this is likely the reason. The battery must be replaced without delay.

8. A defective peripheral device or a damaged cable can cause the built-in trackpad of a MacBook to behave erratically. If you're using any wired peripherals, disconnect them one at a time and test.

9. There's also a report of erratic cursor movements caused by an external display that was connected but not turned on.

10. If none of the above applies, or if you have another reason to think that your computer is being remotely controlled, remove it from the network by turning off Wi-Fi (or your Wi-Fi access point), disconnecting from a Bluetooth network link, and unplugging the Ethernet cable or USB modem, whichever is applicable. If the cursor movements stop at once, you should suspect an intrusion.

11. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine and/or external trackpad tested.

Thanks for your reply dominic. I don't normally post on these forums, but wanted to let you know you suggestion worked. Finally resetting the System Management Controller after other trouble shooting did the trick! Thank you again, and good luck to anyone else who might come across this problem.

I had this exact problem.  Late 2013 Macbook Pro.  The cursor would randomly jump around in the text whenever I hit certain keys - and the typing would then continue in the new random location.  Drove me nuts and I thought it was a hardware/keyboard issue.  But I tried the "Reset SMC" as described below and it completely solved the problem.

1. Shut computer down

2. Make sure your power cord is attached.

2.  Hold the Shift-Control-Option keys down and the Power key down at the same time (I did about 10 seconds; the computer will NOT restart when uyou do this) - then release them all at the same time.

    (color of light on power cord may change when you do this step).

4.  Start up computer again with Power key

In my case the problem simply vanished

this reset SMC simple solution above fixed the skipping cursor on my brand-new macbook (2015).  I tried it first since it was the simplest, and it worked!  After three aggravating months of typing over, inserting highlights and then deleting when I next keyed, I was about to go into the Apple Store and demand a refund, fix, or a MacBook Air.

Thank you all!  Now I can give my macbook unconditional love and give my grandson my iPad Air since I no longer need it.  I do miss apps, however.

The simple reset helped me, altho not immediately. I did it, the cursor was still jumping, so I turned off the computer to come back and try the other things later. But when I turned it back on later, it was working fine! Thank you thank you!

Thanks for the info on a blue tooth device withe low battery. I have been frustrated with the jumping curser lately. I was ignoring the warning that the batteries in the mouse were low. Just changed them and voila, no more jumping. Hope it really is fixed. Will come back if it isn't

My trackpad wasn't working 100%. Cursor (pointer) movements were erratic in response to trackpad gestures. Resetting SMC fixed the problem. Thanks!!!

Hello, frankly for someone who does not have a heck of a lot of time for fixing machines I think this is an Apple problem.  I know that when I mention this problem to others with mac's I hear "oh, that happens to me.  Isn't it annoying? and oh, what the heck is happening to Apple...are they losing their way?

If I buy a premium or even mediocre cappuccino machine, I sure as heck don't want to know how to take it apart and rebuild it to make my morning espresso.  I expect a simpler solution  from Apple. 

It was the Bluetooth!! I had just today connected a speaker, and it's battery was low. As soon as I turned the bluetooth off the cursor went back to normal.

Thank you!