How to test mouse polling rate in your browser
Check your mouse's polling rate in a browser, understand what the number means, and fix readings that are lower or less steady than expected.
Your gaming mouse is set to 1000 Hz, but you want to check whether it is actually reporting at that rate. Or the polling-rate reading jumps around and you are not sure whether the mouse is faulty.
The Mouse Test measures the rate of mouse movement reports your browser receives. Use it to compare settings, then keep in mind that a browser test is an estimate, not a direct measurement of the mouse's USB signal.
Test your mouse polling rate
- Open the Mouse Test on the computer you use with the mouse.
- Move the mouse steadily across a clear area of your desk for several seconds. Keep moving rather than stopping between strokes, since the test needs movement to receive reports.
- Check the polling-rate result. Repeat the movement a few times to see whether the reading stays close to the same value.
- If your mouse software lets you choose a polling rate, select a different setting and repeat the test. Compare one setting at a time, such as 125 Hz, 500 Hz, or 1000 Hz.
If you use a wireless mouse, test it in its usual connection mode. Some models have different polling-rate options for Bluetooth and for a USB receiver, so results from one mode may not apply to the other.
What the result means
The reading is close to the selected rate
The mouse and browser are reporting movement at roughly the rate you selected. A polling rate of 1000 Hz means the mouse can send up to 1000 reports per second, or about one report every millisecond. At 500 Hz, the interval is about two milliseconds; at 125 Hz, it is about eight milliseconds.
Those intervals describe how often the mouse can report, not the total time it takes for your movement to appear in a game. The game, computer, display, and other parts of the system also affect response time.
The reading is lower than the selected rate
That does not prove the mouse is broken. The selected rate may not be active for the current profile or connection, or the browser and operating system may be limiting how often movement events reach the test. Try the fixes below before replacing anything.
The reading changes between attempts
Some variation is normal. Movement speed and direction, pauses in your hand motion, wireless conditions, and how the browser handles pointer events can all affect the estimate. Compare several steady runs rather than relying on one number.
No rate appears
Make sure the pointer is moving over the test area. If other mouse checks also fail, reconnect the mouse and check that the browser window is active. If the pointer moves normally but the polling result remains unavailable, the browser may not be providing suitable movement data for that test.
How to get a more reliable reading
- Confirm the active mouse profile. Open the mouse maker's software and check which profile is active. Set the polling rate there if the option is available, then test again. The software and available rates vary by model.
- Use a steady movement. Move the mouse continuously across a broad area for several seconds. Avoid tiny, jittery movements or frequent stops, which can make a browser-based estimate less stable.
- Connect the mouse directly. For a wired mouse, try a USB port on the computer instead of a hub or dock. For a wireless mouse, put its receiver close to the mouse and remove obstacles between them.
- Check the connection mode and battery. If the mouse supports both Bluetooth and a USB receiver, test each mode separately. Charge or replace the battery if it is low, since some wireless mice reduce performance to save power.
- Retest after closing other software. Quit mouse configuration utilities you do not need, then reload the test and repeat the same movement. You can also restart the browser if its readings remain inconsistent.
- Do not confuse pointer speed with polling rate. Windows 11 has pointer settings under Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Mouse. macOS has them under System Settings › Mouse. These settings change how far the pointer moves, not how often the mouse reports movement.
Why a browser test can differ from the mouse setting
A mouse's polling-rate setting describes how often its hardware can send reports. A browser sees pointer events after they have passed through the operating system, and the browser may group or limit those events. That means the result can be lower than the setting, especially at very high rates, even when the mouse is working as intended.
Use the test to compare settings on the same computer, browser, and mouse. If the reading changes when you switch from 500 Hz to 1000 Hz, that comparison can still be useful even if the displayed number does not exactly match the setting. For a gaming setup, choose a rate that feels responsive and remains stable, rather than chasing the highest number your mouse offers.
