How to Fix Missing Mouse Cursor in Kali Linux on VMware (2025)

If your mouse cursor disappears when using Kali Linux in VMware Workstation, you’re not alone — and this post will walk you through a quick, reliable fix. The solution is to upgrade the virtual machine’s hardware compatibility to the latest version. Follow the steps below — they’re simple and work fast.

Before you start

• Create a snapshot or backup of the VM (recommended).
• Make sure the VM is powered off or suspended before changing hardware compatibility.

Step-by-step fix

1. Open VMware Workstation and select the Kali Linux virtual machine.
2. Click “Upgrade this virtual machine” (or open the VM settings and choose to change hardware compatibility).
3. In the Hardware Compatibility Wizard click Next.
4. Open the Hardware Compatibility dropdown and choose the first option (the newest/latest compatibility level).
5. Click Next.
6. Select “Alter this virtual machine” and click Next.
7. On the Review Changes window click Finish.
8. When the wizard finishes, click Close.
9. Power on your Kali Linux VM.

Result: Your mouse cursor should now be visible again.

Troubleshooting & notes

• If the cursor still doesn’t appear, try reinstalling VMware Tools (or open-vm-tools) inside the guest and reboot.
• Check the VM settings for mouse integration options and ensure “Optimize mouse for games” or similar options aren’t interfering.
• If you use a non-standard input driver in Kali, make sure that driver is compatible with the new VMware hardware compatibility level.

Why this works

Upgrading the VM hardware compatibility updates the virtual hardware presented to the guest OS. In some cases, older compatibility levels expose input devices in ways newer VMware Tools don’t expect, which can cause the cursor to disappear. Updating to the latest compatibility level aligns the virtual hardware and VMware Tools, resolving the issue.

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