High DPI Cursor Changer

Ver.0.1

2012/12/28

1. Overview

Windows 8 automatically changes the size of mouse pointers (cursors) depending on DPI settings of display. The relations between DPI and the size of cursors are roughly as follows:

This is done by the OS's selecting one image from multiple images of different sizes contained in a cursor file. The problem is that Windows 8's standard cursor files have only 32x32 pixel and 48x48 pixel images. It will cause, when DPI is set to 200%, an image of smaller size than 64x64 pixel to be stretched and such cursor will show dirty outlines.

This software lets you easily change cursors to high DPI cursors that contain 64x64 pixel images and have similar appearance to default ones. With these cursors, even when DPI is 200%, cursors will look clean and clear.

2. Environment

The images of these cursors are specially designed for Windows 8.

3. How to use

  1. Start CursorChanger.exe (it needs to be run by administrator).
  2. Making cursors to be changed checked, press [Change]. The change will be immediately reflected.
  3. To revert cursors to default ones, press [Revert to default]. It will do the same as pressing [Change] with all cursors unchecked.

4. Reference

For reference to changing cursors manually, the following table shows the correspondence relation with default cursors.

Description File name File name (default) Remarks
Normal Select HighDPI_arrow.cur aero_arrow.cur
Help Select HighDPI_helpsel.cur aero_helpsel.cur
Working in
Background
HighDPI_working.ani aero_working.ani animated
cursor
Busy HighDPI_busy.ani aero_busy.ani animated
cursor
Unavailable HighDPI_unavail.cur aero_unavail.cur
Vertical Resize HighDPI_ns.cur aero_ns.cur North to South
Horizontal Resize HighDPI_ew.cur aero_ew.cur East to West
Diagonal Resize 1 HighDPI_nwse.cur aero_nwse.cur North West to South East
Diagonal Resize 2 HighDPI_nesw.cur aero_nesw.cur North East to South West
Move HighDPI_move.cur aero_move.cur
Alternate Select HighDPI_up.cur aero_up.cur
Link Select HighDPI_link.cur aero_link.cur

As for HighDPI_touch.cur and HighDPI_grasp.cur that are not in this table, they are cursors for dragging the desktop itself but the way to change them is unknown. If you have any information, please let me know.

Project Site (at SourceForge.net)

EMO emotom(atmark)pobox.com