Disable Mouse Acceleration In Caelestia: A Quick Guide

Oct 18, 2025 by ADMIN 55 views

Disabling Mouse Acceleration in Caelestia: A Comprehensive Guide

Hey guys! Are you new to Caelestia and struggling to turn off that pesky mouse acceleration? Don't worry, you're not alone! Many users, especially those coming from other desktop environments, find the default mouse acceleration settings a bit jarring. This guide will walk you through the steps to disable mouse acceleration in Caelestia, ensuring a smoother and more predictable cursor movement.

Understanding Mouse Acceleration

Before we dive into the how-to, let's quickly understand what mouse acceleration actually is. Mouse acceleration, also known as mouse pointer acceleration, is a software feature that adjusts the speed of your cursor based on how quickly you move your mouse. The faster you move your mouse physically, the further the cursor travels on the screen. While this might sound helpful, it can often lead to inconsistent cursor behavior, especially for tasks that require precision, like gaming or graphic design. Many users prefer a 1:1 mapping between their mouse movement and cursor movement, which is why disabling mouse acceleration is a common request.

Why Disable Mouse Acceleration?

Disabling mouse acceleration provides several benefits, particularly for users who value precision and consistency. Here’s a breakdown of why you might want to turn it off:

Improved Accuracy: With mouse acceleration disabled, your cursor movement directly corresponds to your hand movement. This means that if you move your mouse a certain distance, the cursor will move the same distance on the screen every time, regardless of how fast you move the mouse. This consistency is crucial for tasks that require precise movements, such as aiming in first-person shooters or making fine adjustments in graphic design software.
Predictable Cursor Behavior: Mouse acceleration can make it difficult to predict where your cursor will end up, especially with quick mouse movements. Disabling it ensures that your cursor movements are consistent and predictable, allowing you to develop muscle memory and improve your overall efficiency.
Enhanced Gaming Experience: Many gamers prefer to disable mouse acceleration for a more consistent and responsive gaming experience. In fast-paced games, precise aiming and quick reactions are essential, and mouse acceleration can introduce unwanted variability. Disabling it allows gamers to have more control over their aim and movements.
Better Productivity: For tasks that require precision, such as graphic design, video editing, and CAD work, disabling mouse acceleration can significantly improve productivity. Consistent cursor behavior allows you to work more efficiently and make accurate adjustments with ease.

Identifying the Issue in Caelestia

The user who reported this issue is running Caelestia and has noticed mouse acceleration that they want to disable. They've performed a fresh Arch Linux install with Hyprland and Caelestia dots. They've also updated their system packages and Caelestia components. This indicates a clean setup, making it easier to pinpoint the configuration settings responsible for mouse acceleration. Given that Caelestia uses Hyprland, we'll focus on Hyprland's configuration to disable mouse acceleration.

Caelestia and Hyprland

Caelestia is a configuration for Hyprland, a dynamic tiling Wayland compositor. This means that many of the settings related to input devices, including mice, are configured within Hyprland's configuration file. To disable mouse acceleration in Caelestia, we need to modify the Hyprland configuration file.

Step-by-Step Guide to Disabling Mouse Acceleration

Here’s how you can disable mouse acceleration in Caelestia:

Step 1: Locating the Hyprland Configuration File

The main Hyprland configuration file is typically located at ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf. This is where you'll make the necessary changes to disable mouse acceleration. If this file doesn't exist, you can create it. However, Caelestia usually sets up a default configuration, so it should be there.

Pro Tip: Before making any changes, it's always a good idea to back up your configuration file. This allows you to easily revert to the original settings if something goes wrong. You can do this by copying the file to a different location or renaming it:

cp ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf.backup

Step 2: Editing the Configuration File

Open the hyprland.conf file in your favorite text editor. You can use nano, vim, emacs, or any other editor you prefer. For example, to open the file using nano:

nano ~/.config/hypr/hyprland.conf

Once the file is open, you need to add or modify the settings related to mouse input. Hyprland uses the input section to configure input devices, including mice. To disable mouse acceleration, you'll need to adjust the accel_profile setting.

Step 3: Setting the `accel_profile`

The accel_profile setting controls the acceleration profile for your mouse. To disable mouse acceleration, you need to set this option to flat. This ensures a 1:1 mapping between your mouse movement and cursor movement.

Add or modify the following lines in the input section of your hyprland.conf file:

input {
    # other input settings...
    accel_profile flat
}

If you have multiple input devices and want to apply this setting to a specific mouse, you can use the device: prefix followed by the device name or identifier. To find the device name, you can use the hyprctl devices command. For example:

hyprctl devices

This command will list all input devices and their properties. Look for your mouse in the list and note its name or identifier. Then, you can apply the accel_profile setting to that specific device:

input {
    device:<your_mouse_name> {
        accel_profile flat
    }
}

Replace <your_mouse_name> with the actual name or identifier of your mouse.

Step 4: Applying the Changes

After making the changes to the hyprland.conf file, you need to apply them for the new settings to take effect. Hyprland doesn't automatically reload the configuration file when it's changed. You need to either restart Hyprland or use the hyprctl command to reload the configuration.

To restart Hyprland, you can either log out and log back in, or use the following command in a terminal:

hyprctl reload

This command tells Hyprland to reload its configuration file without restarting the entire session. After running this command, the new mouse acceleration settings should be applied.

Step 5: Testing the New Settings

Once you've applied the changes, test your mouse movement to ensure that mouse acceleration is disabled. Move your mouse at different speeds and see if the cursor movement feels consistent. If you've successfully disabled mouse acceleration, you should notice a more predictable and linear cursor behavior.

Additional Configuration Options

Besides disabling mouse acceleration, Hyprland provides several other options for customizing mouse input. Here are a few additional settings you might find useful:

sensitivity: This setting controls the overall sensitivity of your mouse. You can adjust this value to make your mouse more or less responsive.
natural_scroll: Enabling this option makes scrolling feel more natural, similar to how touchscreens work. When you move your fingers down on the touchpad, the content on the screen moves down as well.
middle_button_emulation: If your mouse doesn't have a middle button, you can enable this option to emulate it by pressing the left and right buttons simultaneously.

You can add these settings to the input section of your hyprland.conf file to customize your mouse input further. For example:

input {
    accel_profile flat
    sensitivity 0.5 # Adjust sensitivity as needed
    natural_scroll yes
    middle_button_emulation yes
}

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues while disabling mouse acceleration, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

Check for Typos: Make sure you haven't made any typos in the hyprland.conf file. Even a small error can prevent the settings from being applied correctly.
Verify Device Name: If you're applying the settings to a specific device, double-check that you've entered the correct device name or identifier.
Restart Hyprland: If the changes don't seem to be taking effect, try restarting Hyprland or logging out and logging back in.
Consult the Hyprland Wiki: The Hyprland wiki is an excellent resource for troubleshooting and finding more information about configuration options. You can find it here.

Conclusion

Disabling mouse acceleration in Caelestia is a straightforward process that can significantly improve your mouse control and overall computing experience. By modifying the accel_profile setting in your Hyprland configuration file, you can achieve a more consistent and predictable cursor behavior. Remember to back up your configuration file before making any changes, and don't hesitate to consult the Hyprland wiki if you encounter any issues. Happy tweaking, and enjoy your smooth mouse movements in Caelestia! This guide should help you guys out, and if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!