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Why Am I Seeing Three Cursors in Photoshop on Windows 11?
If you have encountered a frustrating visual glitch where your mouse pointer triples inside Adobe Photoshop, you are likely dealing with a display scaling conflict. This specific error manifests as three identical cursors appearing side-by-side when hovering over toolbars, crop tools, or text selectors. While the interface functions, this visual corruption makes precision work nearly impossible.
This issue predominantly affects Windows 10 and 11 users running older versions of Adobe software (CS2, CS3, Elements) or those utilizing modern high-resolution displays (4K monitors). Beyond the cursor anomaly, you may also notice dragging lags or UI panels flickering during movement.
The Root Cause: High DPI Scaling Conflicts
The “triple cursor” phenomenon is not a bug within the Photoshop code itself, but rather a conflict between the legacy software architecture and modern Windows display protocols.
When Windows automatically detects a high-resolution screen (such as a 4K external monitor connected to a laptop), it often defaults the system-wide DPI (Dots Per Inch) scaling to 150%. This magnification ensures text remains readable. However, older Adobe applications often fail to render interface elements correctly at this specific 150% integer. The result is a graphical artifact where the software attempts to draw the cursor multiple times in adjacent coordinates.
Standard troubleshooting methods—such as running the program in Compatibility Mode or adjusting “Override High DPI Scaling” properties—rarely resolve this specific conflict.
The Solution: Adjusting Custom System Scaling
To eliminate the triple cursor without making your interface uncomfortably small, you must force Windows to use a non-standard scaling percentage. By shifting the scale slightly away from the problematic 150% default, you force the rendering engine to reset how it draws the cursor.
Follow this procedure to correct the display logic:
Step 1: Access Advanced Display Settings
Press the Windows + R to open the Run command. Type dpiscaling and press Enter. This shortcut directs you immediately to the Display Settings menu in Windows 10 or 11.
Step 2: Identify Current Scaling
Locate the “Scale and layout” section. You will likely see your system set to “150% (Recommended).” This specific value is the trigger for the glitch.
Step 3: Input a Custom Scaling Value
Windows 10: Click on “Advanced scaling settings” located under the scaling drop-down.
Windows 11: Click on the arrow icon next to the Scale option to expand the menu.
In the text field labeled “Custom scaling,” enter a value of 149 or 151.
Step 4: Apply and Relogin
Click the checkmark or “Apply” button. Windows will require you to sign out to implement the custom factor. Once you sign back in, launch Photoshop. The cursor will render as a single, precise pointer, and toolbars will function normally.
Note: While setting scaling to 100% also fixes the issue, it typically renders text too small on modern monitors. The 149% or 151% workarounds maintain readability while bypassing the rendering error.