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cursor disappears after Mojave upgrade

I am getting frequent and random times where my cursor disappears.

This started immediately after the upgrade to Mojave.


I can usually bring it back by 'app switching' a few times while I move my trackpad, sometimes I have to kill applications.


Shaking the mouse/trackpad does not help either, like it used to.


Does anyone have a tip for this?

MacBook Pro TouchBar and Touch ID, macOS Mojave (10.14)

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 10:27 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 21, 2018 2:10 PM

Having posted earlier, I said I had this problem: On switching to or starting a new application the cursor becomes invisible. It can still be seen to operate in that things under the cursor, like the dock, will respond however the cursor itself is invisible until one of a number of gestures/key combinations are used like showing workspaces, then it becomes visible again for a while.


I fixed my problem with an NVRAM reset as described here:

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT204063


If you've done the Mojave upgrade and gotten the same result I have I suspect (YMMV) that Apple isn't going to fix it and may not consider it a bug in the OS, but maybe only a side effect of the update process and given that not many people seem to be affected you may not get a resolution by waiting.

29 replies

Feb 17, 2019 8:10 AM in response to alop

Interesting.... The same workaround (Command + Tab) works for my invisible mouse issue.


I have been dealing with a similar issue for over a year now. About 20% of the time my 5k iMac starts up without a mouse pointer. You can wiggle the mouse all you want but the pointer will not appear.


After reading this forum I discovered that the prescribed work around (Command + Tab) will cause my invisible mouse pointer to magically appear. The problems must have a common cause.


Last year I joined the Apple beta program for Mojave to try to get this issue resolved. Unfortunately, it is still not resolved.


How do we go about getting this issue fixed? Here a few ideas:


If you are a beta tester - report this issue to Apple through the beta tester feedback app.


Send a report to Apple via Apple.com/feedback


Call AppleCare and send the support agent to this forum. This will help Apple realize that this is not an isolated issue.


Contact Apple Management if you have that option available.

Feb 18, 2019 10:09 AM in response to L Shukla

Oops, yes, I did not mean to imply the same wouldn't happen with a trackpad. I meant that using the trackpad isn't the cause. It's actually not related to the mouse hardware at all (physical mouse or trackpad).


If you have this issue, it will likely happen no matter what hardware you use to move your mouse pointer.

Feb 18, 2019 1:33 PM in response to alop

For my 2018 Mac Mini, an SMC reset resolved the issue


The reset for the Mac Mini is done this way.


shutdown the system


unplug the system and all perepherals.


Keep unpluged for 20 seconds


connect peripherals and power up.


Thats it.


unugging the pereferals ensures that all capaseters drain in the 20 second power down. Some externals can apparently gender the SMC reset.

Feb 18, 2019 2:42 PM in response to condres

I have also tried PRAM and SMC (system management controller) resets. They might work for a short time, however, the issue always reappears.


I have talked to several high level Apple employees about this issue. They are aware of the issue but have been unable to figure out exactly what is going on.


Currently, Apple is collecting SysDiagnose files in an attempt to figure out what is going on.


To capture a SysDiagnose File - Press the following keys together:


Command + Option + Control + Shift + . Then wait until the window with the SysDiagnose file appears on the Mac Desktop.


I would suggest collecting a SysDiagnose file while the issue is occurring and when it is not occurring.


Next use an email account that supports Mail Drop. SysDiagnose Files are really large, so you will need an account that can send 100 megabyte files. Apple icloud accounts are great for handing these types of issues.


Finally, contact Apple Care and notify them of this forum. Next, offer to send them the SysDiagnose file via email.

Feb 18, 2019 9:00 PM in response to knightaugusta

Glad it worked for you! Wish that would solve it for the rest of us.


I have been reporting this issue to Apple for several months now. Unfortunately, it appears to me that either the cause has not been identified or the problem is a low priority item.


I guess we need to apply the old saying.... the squeaky wheel gets the grease.


I personally think that it is either a memory leak issue or a video driver issue. We won't know until Apple can examine the logs of several different machines.


May I recommend that everyone here send a sysdiagnose file to Apple? We need to capture a sysdiagnose while the mouse cursor is missing and than another sysdiagnose once the mouse cursor has reappeared.


To capture a SysDiagnose File - Press the following keys together:


Command + Option + Control + Shift + . Then wait until the window with the SysDiagnose file appears on the Mac Desktop.

Mar 24, 2019 12:30 AM in response to s314

I have had the exact same problem... and also, only since the update but more so, after the problem with the SSD that they had with some of the recent latest MacBook pros. Apple sent me an email saying that my new MacBook Pro has a defective SSD and needs to be replaced... I took it to an authorized dealer to get it repaired and when I got it back a week later, it was never the same. It takes a lot longer to boot up and randomly loads when signing in for long periods of time. I take extremely good care of my products, especially this expensive! I always charge it properly and I never leave it on for long periods of time so its very frustrating to have a product that is under full warranty, passes the diagnostics test, but clearly has been defective since the first "service repair"! Just like a car... after the first crash, you are going to encounter some vibrations and further problems.

cursor disappears after Mojave upgrade

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