This DPI analyzer measures how many counts your mouse sensor reports for each inch it travels, which is its real DPI, also called CPI. The number printed on the box or shown in the mouse software is a target, and real sensors often land a few percent away from it. Here you lock the pointer, hold the left button and slide the mouse a distance you have measured with a ruler, a tape measure or a bank card. The page counts every report, divides by the distance and averages several runs. It works with any mouse on Windows, Mac and ChromeOS, and reads raw movement in Chrome and Edge, so Windows pointer speed and acceleration do not skew the result. The eDPI calculator and sensitivity converter in the same panel turn the result into game settings.
How to measure your mouse DPI
- Put a ruler or tape measure on your mouse pad. No ruler? A bank card is 85.6 mm, 3.37 inches, long.
- Enter the distance you will slide, for example 3 inches or 8 cm, and pick left to right or top to bottom.
- If you know the DPI your mouse is set to, enter it. The page then shows how far off the sensor is.
- Press Start. The pointer locks and disappears.
- Line up the front edge of the mouse with the start mark. Hold the left button, slide exactly to the end mark in a straight line, and let go.
- Lift the mouse back to the start without counting, and repeat 3 to 5 times. Press Esc to finish.
Keep your wrist out of it. Slide the whole mouse with your arm along the edge of the ruler, so it stays square and does not twist.
What the results mean
| Readout | What it tells you | Normal result |
|---|---|---|
| Measured DPI | Counts divided by inches, averaged over your runs | Within about 5% of the setting |
| Runs | How many runs, and how far apart they landed | Spread under 3% |
| Off by | Measured DPI against the setting you entered | Under 5% either way |
| Movement | Raw, or adjusted by system settings | Raw in Chrome and Edge |
| Drift | Sideways movement during a run | Under 10% |
A difference of a few percent is common, because sensors are tuned in steps and surfaces vary. A difference of 20% or more nearly always means the mouse is on a different DPI step than you think.
Your DPI reads lower or higher than the setting
- Another DPI step is active. Most gaming mice cycle through several steps with a button behind the wheel. Press it until the light or the mouse software shows the step you want, then measure again.
- The mouse software scales movement. Some apps add their own sensitivity or acceleration on top of DPI. Turn those extras off while you measure.
- System settings are in play. If Movement shows System adjusted, the browser could not read raw counts. On Windows 11 set Mouse pointer speed to 10 in Settings, then Bluetooth and devices, then Mouse, and turn off Enhance pointer precision. On a Mac with macOS Sonoma or later, turn off Pointer acceleration under Mouse, then Advanced.
- Display scaling or browser zoom. Some browsers scale movement by the display scale. Set browser zoom to 100% with Ctrl + 0, and enter the DPI your mouse is set to so the page can correct for scaling.
- A shiny or glass surface. Optical sensors lose track on glass, gloss and some patterned surfaces and drop counts. Measure on a cloth or hard gaming pad.
Enhance pointer precision and mouse acceleration
Enhance pointer precision is Windows mouse acceleration: the faster you move, the further the cursor goes for the same distance. It makes desktop use feel quicker but changes how far the cursor travels from one movement to the next, which works against muscle memory in games. To turn it off on Windows 11, open Settings, then Bluetooth and devices, then Mouse, then Additional mouse settings, and on the Pointer Options tab untick Enhance pointer precision. Most shooters read raw input and ignore it, but your desktop and some older games do not.
The cursor skips, jitters or moves when you lift the mouse
A sensor that loses track shows up as runs that read far lower than the others, or a cursor that jumps.
- Jitter or skipping on a desk: glossy wood, glass and white surfaces confuse many sensors. A plain mouse pad fixes most cases.
- Dirt on the sensor: hair or dust in the sensor window blocks tracking. Blow it out, or wipe it gently with a dry cotton bud.
- Movement when you lift the mouse: the lift off distance is the height at which the sensor stops tracking. Many gaming mice let you lower it in their software, or calibrate it to your pad.
- Wireless dropouts: a low battery or a receiver far from the mouse causes skips that look like sensor faults. Plug the receiver into a port on the computer itself, and see the guide on mouse lagging.
eDPI, cm per 360 and converting sensitivity
DPI alone does not tell you how fast you turn in a game, because each game turns a set amount per count. eDPI is DPI times in-game sensitivity and compares players within one game. Centimetres per 360 is the mouse travel for a full turn, and it is the number that stays the same when you switch games. The converter shows the sensitivity for the same turn in every listed game:
| Game | Turn per count at sensitivity 1 |
|---|---|
| Counter-Strike 2 and Apex Legends | 0.022 degrees |
| Valorant | 0.07 degrees |
| Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty (MW3, Warzone, BO6) | 0.0066 degrees |
| Fortnite | 0.005555 degrees per 1% of the slider |
For example, 0.4 in Valorant at 800 DPI is 320 eDPI and a full turn every 40.8 cm. The same turn in Counter-Strike 2 is 1.27 at 800 DPI. Once your sensitivity is set, warm up with the aim trainer and check your reaction time test scores on the same setup.
What a DPI analyzer in a browser cannot measure
A web page cannot read the DPI setting stored in the mouse, the sensor model or its top tracking speed. It counts the movement the browser passes on, so a careless slide or a slipping ruler shows up in the result, which is why the page averages several runs and flags drift. It cannot measure lift off distance either. For how often the mouse reports, use the polling rate test, and the mouse test checks every button and the wheel.
DPI analyzer questions
How do I check my mouse DPI on Windows 11?
Windows does not show it, because DPI is set inside the mouse. Open the mouse maker's app, such as G HUB, Logi Options+, Razer Synapse or SteelSeries GG, to see the active step, or measure it here: slide the mouse a known distance and the page counts what the sensor reports.
How accurate is this mouse DPI test?
Within a few percent when you slide in a straight line and stop exactly on the mark. Three to five runs averaged smooth out small slips, and the spread between runs shows how consistent you were. Use a longer distance, such as 4 inches or 10 cm, for a steadier figure.
Does Windows pointer speed change my DPI?
No. DPI is set in the mouse, while pointer speed scales how far the cursor moves on the desktop. Games that read raw input ignore pointer speed. This analyzer reads raw movement in Chrome and Edge, so pointer speed and Enhance pointer precision do not change its result there.
What is eDPI?
eDPI is your DPI multiplied by your in-game sensitivity, so 800 DPI at 0.4 in Valorant is 320 eDPI. It compares players within one game. To compare across games, use centimetres per 360 degree turn, which the eDPI calculator shows.
What DPI should I use for gaming?
There is no single right number. Most players pick 400, 800 or 1600 DPI and tune the in-game sensitivity until a full turn needs a comfortable amount of mouse travel. Higher DPI with a lower game sensitivity gives the same turn with finer steps, which helps on high resolution screens.