Highlight Cursor During Presentations

[DavidDoyle]

Are there any plans for Microsoft to incorporate the ability to highlight a presenter's mouse cursor.  A basic yellow halo and possibly have the ability to use "focus" to draw the viewer's attention to a specific area or feature?  Maybe even have a function to emulate a laser pointer or some other tool to call attention to specific areas of the screen.

Rather than force the presenter to manually change their cursor through system settings or install some 3rd party software, making this a feature of MS Teams seems like a no brainer.

I did search and wasn't able to find a conversation with this subject.  Sorry if this has been discussed before.

[#2]

@DavidDoyle 

Hi, I'm certainly not aware of such a feature on the roadmap.  If it's something you would like Microsoft to consider adding to Teams then you may create a Uservoice to request this feature at https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/

[#3]

Thanks @PeterRising 

That's too bad...  seems like a basic function that should really have been part of the basic tools within Teams for presentations.  It wouldn't be difficult and it's not like it's a new concept as PowerPoint already has pointer highlight features.  

I've posted the suggestion to the forum you noted.  Unfortunately that type of suggestion site has thousands of entries that tend to get lost.

Appreciate the reply.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

@DavidDoyle There is an free app in the Microsoft store that works:

Link: below, or search for "mouse highlight" in the store.

 https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/p/mouse-pointer-highlight/9p7sb9s4rq7z

There is also a more capable version created using AutoHotKey:

Online Teaching - Boisvert lab (google.com)

[#5]

Hi @DavidDoyle   Kevin Stratvert (former MSFT employee) did a tutorial on this on YouTube: How to Highlight Mouse Pointer Windows 10 - YouTube

[#6]

Rick... my employer IT blocks the MS Store, so the only option is the AutoHotKey and even that, we're prevented from modifying .ini files so I have to use a workaround. I have to start it each morning and modify the settings as nothing is stored without the .ini being updated.

Thanks for the reply.

[#7]

Thanks Therese... I had seen his video and after dealing with the restrictions my employer has in place, I'm limited to few options. Would be nice to have any/all software that deals with screen presentation have cursor highlighting built in.

Thanks for the reply.

[#8]

@DavidDoyle

This was a really helpful link for me. It works! https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/find-your-mouse-pointer-fast-dbc1d222-778c-da15-5218-cb8...

@DavidDoyle 

[#9]

Thanks for the reply @KerronM

I use the mouse pointer "ping" often as I use three monitors and have a tendency to lose track of where my pointer has gotten off to.  

As for presentations, especially with MS Teams, using the "ping" works but only when I happen to remember to click CTRL.  A highlighted cursor is visible throughout a presentation or demonstration and much more effective.  Again, this seems like a no-brainer for MS to include in Teams.

Thanks again.

[#10]

@DavidDoyle I do agree with your proposal. This option should be offer in Teams. It is basic.

[#11]

@DavidDoyle
I as well do agree with your proposal. This option should be basic offer in Teams.
I often see, that there is big problem with presentig CAD via Teams, when people can not see at what I am pointing.... this makes the discussion hard to lead and to follow.

[#12]

Rolling out right now https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=81966

https://myteamsday.com/2021/06/15/pplivelaser/

[#13]

Thanks but this only applies to PowerPoint... I might add, this is a feature that was already available in PP outside of Teams.
PP is a fraction of what we screen share on a daily basis.

[#14]

I added a post as the Teams part being new and I got the impression that's what you're missing in this thread, did not @mention you since you already got several replies about other options.

[#15]

If this only applies to PowerPoint then @DavidDoyle is right, it does not solve the issue. I.e. I mostly share via Teams different content, very often CAD 3D models of various assemblies etc. and it is highly problematic, that people can not see at what I am pointing since mouse pointer is not visible or easily disapears. This is common experience throughout our company.
Sometimes, not always, it helps to make a 3D pdf.... but this is a lot of additional effort, which could be saved if such a basic feature like a highlighed pointer were available in Teams.
Thanks though.

[#16]

I had already noted that PP had this feature in a response last year.
I realize there are other "options" but most often there are limitations imposed by company IT that prevent from being able to use additional software, DLLs or make changes to .ini files.
That said, it's still seems to be an oversight on Microsoft's part to not have this basic feature in Teams.
Zoom has this feature. Our company won't use Zoom though.
Hoping that MS will wake up and add this simple tool some time soon.

[#17]

Once again, didn’t mention you. Added a post for others to notice as the above roadmap id is rolling out right now.

[#18]

When training I will typically use the "Windows Inverted Extra Large" mouse pointer as an easier way for attendees to track where I am at. It is great because it changes the pointer to a darker option when I am on a light background and a lighter option when I am on a darker background.

I would love to see some laser options in Teams. The only drawback to the pointer in PowerPoint is that you had to hold the CTRL down while you were holding your left-click down, so it can get unwieldy for some at times.

[#19]

@DavidDoyle 

It's typical MS Team style

With bunch of "%^$%^@#!%$#^%$#&" functions.

But basic needed functions not found 404.

[#20]

There is a free Microsoft Windows utility called PowerToys that can highlight the mouse cursor. Windows manages the mouse so I don't think it's something Teams could provide. More information: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/mouse-utilities#mouse-highlighter

To zoom in on a portion of your screen, use the Sysinternals tool called ZoomIt. Sysinternals is a Microsoft owned utility suite for managing Windows environments at scale. Find it here: ZoomIt - Sysinternals | Microsoft Learn

And finally, way after this question was originally posted, a laser pointer was added to Microsoft Teams :): Laser point or draw on PowerPoint slides in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft Support