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How to Fix Mouse Not Working in Iracing

Quick fix for iRacing drivers - how to fix mouse not working in iRacing: toggle fullscreen, disable overlays, swap USB ports, update drivers to get back racing.

If you’re dealing with how to fix mouse not working in iRacing, the short answer is: it’s usually a focus/capture or USB/overlay issue. This guide gets you back to clickable menus and in-car setups fast with simple checks and clear steps.

Quick Answer — how to fix mouse not working in iracing

Most of the time the mouse is “lost” because the sim has grabbed or lost Windows focus, or another app (overlay/software) is capturing input. Fix it by toggling fullscreen/windowed, closing overlays (Discord/Steam/NVIDIA), testing another USB port or mouse, and updating drivers—then relaunch iRacing.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing runs full-screen and can lock the cursor so it doesn’t leave the sim. If the sim loses focus, or a background program (Discord overlay, Steam overlay, Logitech/Razer software) grabs input, the pointer can disappear or clicks stop working. Hardware issues (bad USB ports, power-saving) and outdated drivers also cause the same symptoms. This is usually a focus vs. capture problem, not an iRacing license or account issue.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Confirm the mouse works in Windows: move cursor on desktop and click Start. If it fails, fix the mouse hardware first (replace cable, try another mouse).
  2. Toggle window mode: press Alt+Enter or Alt+Tab out of iRacing and back in to restore cursor capture. If that fixes it, switch to Borderless Windowed as a test.
  3. Close overlays and background programs: exit Steam overlay, Discord overlay, NVIDIA/AMD recording, and RGB/driver utilities (Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse). Re-open iRacing and test.
  4. Swap USB ports and try a different mouse: use a directly connected USB port (avoid hubs). If using USB 3 port, try USB 2 as some drivers behave differently.
  5. Update drivers and permissions: update your mouse and GPU drivers, then run iRacing as administrator. Reboot after driver updates.
  6. Last resort: remove custom bindings or reset iRacing controls to defaults in the options menu, then rebind only what you need. This rules out a mapping conflict stealing clicks.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Disable Windows “Enhance pointer precision” in Mouse settings if clicks seem inconsistent.
  • Turn off USB selective suspend in Windows power plan (prevents ports from sleeping).
  • If you use a wheel/pedals, check their software isn’t stealing input focus. Close it temporarily.
  • Test in a practice session, not during a race, to avoid penalties while troubleshooting.
  • Keep iRacing and your graphics drivers updated; versions occasionally fix input capture bugs.

FAQs

Q: My mouse cursor disappears but clicks still work — what now?
A: That means the sim captured the cursor but hid it. Toggle Alt+Tab or Alt+Enter and check video mode (borderless windowed helps).

Q: Mouse worked yesterday — why now?
A: Likely a Windows update, driver change, or new overlay started running. Reboot, check overlays, and update drivers.

Q: Do overlays like Discord actually break the mouse?
A: Yes — overlays can capture or block input. Fully close them when troubleshooting.

Q: iRacing won’t recognize my USB mouse after an update — fix?
A: Try another USB port, reinstall the mouse driver, and run iRacing as admin. If persistent, test a different mouse to isolate hardware.

Short Wrap-Up

Start with Alt+Tab/Alt+Enter and closing overlays — that solves most cases quickly. If that doesn’t work, swap USB ports, update drivers, and run iRacing as admin. Once fixed, do a short practice run to confirm everything stays stable.