What is Cursor in Computer?

The cursor in computer screen used as an indicator, and displays to indicate where the user is currently situated on the screen and enter the text accordingly. In this article, we will understand the uses of cursors, types of cursors, and more.

what is the cursor in the computer?

What is a Cursor?

The cursor is an input that is controlled by the user using a mouse touchpad or other similar devices so that whenever a user tries to move the cursor the computer automatically redraws the pointer icon at the new location. A cursor is a movable indicator that is used to indicate the position for input in any computer screen the person can be easy to move inside an application or interface in the computer with the help of input devices such as a mouse these are also called pointing devices because it has the user to point to a particular location in the screen and perform various actions such as drop drag trick and point in specific areas of an application.

A cursor is an input icon displayed on the computer monitor to highlight the text or other objects on the screen so that the user can easily select. For example we can use Microsoft Word with the help of a cursor to select text and format it you can also use the input cursor to insert new text etc.

Uses of Cursors

Cursors are used every time we are using computer systems, whether we are trying to type, copy and paste text, or perform any other operation we need to use the cursors to perform the work easily. Some of the use cases or examples where we use the cursors are:

• Cursors are used in Microsoft Word and other text software to copy, select, and format the text.
• The cursors are used in web browsers to scroll the page, click on the links, and fill the text forms as well.
• Cursor can also be used as customized by the user as per their needs.
• All operating systems (OS) that support GUI have cursors for accessing the buttons, menus, and other objects.

Types of Cursors

Different types of cursors are available in the operating system, every operating system can have their own icon for the cursor, mainly four types of cursors exists.

Different Types of Cursors in Computer.

• Pointer Cursor: This is the most common pointer that is used and they are represented by arrows that point in the direction of the mouse where it is moving.
• Select Cursor: The select or selection cursors are used to select text, other files, and objects in the computer. t
• Busy Cursor: The busy cursor is used to display that the computer is working on some data so that the user does not perform any other actions. these cursors are represented by the hourglass icon in the old systems and spinning circles in the new operating systems.
• Insert Text Cursor: The insert text or text insertion cursors are used to denote the place where text can be inserted. the graphical representation of the text insert cursor is blinking lines that appear in the text box either at the beginning or the end.

How to Control a Cursor?

Cursor is controlled by using a mouse in computers and by using a touchpad in case of laptops, to control where the cursor goes you will have to move the mouse in the direction where you want the cursor icon to move. In case of the laptop or other computer that does not have a mouse then user can control the cursor using the touchpad, use the fingers to move the cursor to any direction that you want.

Conclusion

Cursors are part of the modern operating systems as they are always used in the graphical user interface so that the user can manage and control their operating system. the cursors also provide many options for the user to control their system and manage the tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions on Cursors in Computer -FAQs

How to change the cursor icon in computer?

Cursor icons cannot be changed by the user because the cursor icons are default by operating system.

Is there a shortcut key to enable and disable cursors?

Only cursor keys can be disabled in any system, for this use the press the shortcut button: left Alt + left Shift + Num Lock and it will disable the cursor keys, press it again to enable them.

Can we control the cursor using keys?

Yes, the keyboard has the following keys which can be used to control the cursor direction using keys: arrow down, arrow up, arrow left, arrow right.