why is my pointer changing to Text select cursor?

Hello geekiamnot_CJ,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Based on your description, I understand that when you hover your mouse cursor anywhere using the touchpad, the cursor changes to a state similar to when you're in a text box. Is that correct?

Does this issue also occur when using an external device, such as a wired or wireless mouse?

To rule out other factors, please try the following steps to see if the issue persists:

Perform a clean boot:

1. Press Windows+R, type "msconfig", and press Enter to open System Configuration.
2. Go to the Services tab, check "Hide all Microsoft services", and then click "Disable all". (If you have fingerprint recognition enabled, do not disable the related services.)
3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Open Task Manager", and then disable all startup items.
4. Restart your device.

Disclaimer: A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps to determine if a background service is interfering with your game or program and to isolate the cause of a problem. These steps might seem complicated at first glance, but please follow them in order and step-by-step to avoid any trouble.

Check system file integrity and run DISM:

1.Search for CMD, find Command Prompt, and run it as administrator.

2.Enter the following commands one by one, making sure to execute each command completely before moving on to the next:

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3.Once the scans are complete, you can check the scan information to see if any issues were detected and repaired.

Best wishes

Leo Z | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Wife thinks problem started yesterday (10/11/24) but is a bit unsure as she said her PC had been getting "wonky" for a few days and decided to restart it.

Searching on KB5001716, I saw complaints, but not the flashing cursor problem, about KB5001716. So I went to Control Panel->APPS -> and found APP/Program called "Update ... KB5001716" and uninstalled it as suggested elsewhere. Restarted PC. KB5001716 still shows installed in Win Updates, but if I click "Uninstall Updates" I do not see it listed so perhaps it is really uninstalled?

Anyway, after restart, flashing cursor problem still occurs and is not fixed.

Looking back by install date in "Uninstall an Update" screen:

Security Update to MS Windows KB5044273 on 10/09/24

Update for MS Windows KB5044029 on 10/09/24

Servicing Stack 10.0.19041.4950 on 10/08/24

Security Update for MS Windows KB5046400 on 10/08/24

-next older is a month ago-

Servicing Stack 10.0.19041.4892 on 9/11/24 (month ago)

In Control Panel APPS by install date:

MS EDGE WebView2 Runtime on 10/12/24 (today).

Candy Crush Saga (game) on 10/10/24

Copilot on 10/10/24

Disney Magic Kingdoms (game) on 10/10/24

MS EDGE 10/10/24

Movies & TV (MS) 10/10/24

Brave (browser) 10/9/24

MS EDGE Update 10/9/24

ZOOM Workplace 10/9/24

Hidden City Hidden Object Adventure 10/8/24

Power Bl Desktop (MS) 10/8/24

Far enough back that the problem would have been noticed earlier I think.

I found the event log on her laptop.

Restarted on 10/9/24 12:58 am for Service Pack.

Next restart is 10/12/24 6:57 am Reason Other (unplanned) so it appears she did not restart yesterday but waited until this morning.

I was thinking if the problem appeared yesterday, I would have heard about it yesterday.

I feel like we need a support group to complain about all the glitches. My issue was not "flickering". I operate my laptop wirelessly (no mouse). What I have is two cursors. The standard one which is evident while you type and another (fat and large outline of a giant letter T with and inverted T on the bottom...or like a capital I, or a dumbell standing upright) which came out of no where which is only seen when I touch the touch pad and hover over any words (such as here). Have no clue what it is called. Just needing to know how to get rid of it!

Maybe someone will read this and have a solution.

Good Luck

My wife's Laptop has same problem. It is MS Surface Pro 5th Gen with Windows 10 Pro from 2018. Just installed - Windows Update 2024-10 for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64 (KB5001716) installed on 10/10/24.

Following your instructions, I performed Clean Boot - Mouse Pointer still flickering. Next, SFC /Scannow and the 3 DISM commands ran but found nothing and changed nothing. Did a second clean boot. Mouse still flickers.

My suspicion is Windows Update 2024-10 for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64 (KB5001716) installed on 10/10/24.

PS - MS seems to have blocked the ability to paste into this box from an outside source, e.g. MS Word.

I do not know what a text box is. I am a very simple user.

My Dell 3540 Latitude operates wirelessly.

I am stuck in the second command of ScanHealth and can't move on to Restore Health. Oddly, when I ran the same commands on another laptop, I was able to get through all of the checks. My Scan Health on the Dell is still at 5.6% and its been about an hour.

Also, to be clear, they had me do a "OS Recovery Steps from Boot Manager (F12)" (not sure if that is the same thing as a "clean boot".