This article covers situations where you cannot control the host computer using your mouse and keyboard, or where your cursor is missing or not moving like you would expect. If you're instead having issues with a controller, look into the article on controller issues.
Table of contents
Unable to click or type things on the host computer
Guests weren't given control permissions
Issues with task manager and elevated programs
Game anti-cheats blocking Parsec's inputs
Exclusive Input is not allowing the guest to use the mouse
The cursor isn't visible when I try moving
The cursor doesn't move for me when other people move
Seeing two cursors when I try to control
The cursor is misaligned in comparison to where it actually clicks
Unable to click or type things on the host computer
Guests weren't given control permissions
The host needs to give permission by clicking the profile picture of the people connected at the bottom of Parsec.
Issues with task manager and elevated programs
Parsec cannot control task manager, and other programs running as administrator, in case it lacks system permissions. Learn how to give Parsec system permissions.
Game anti-cheats blocking Parsec's inputs
If you're playing a multiplayer game, it may intentionally block Parsec's inputs. Two common examples are Valorant and more recently League of Legends, which both use Vanguard anti-cheat.
Some game anti-cheats also run independently of the game (such as Vanguard) and can also be in effect outside the game. If you suspect an anti-cheat is causing the issue, try to restart your computer or remove the game and the anti-cheat completely.
Exclusive Input is not allowing the guest to use the mouse
The Exclusive Input Mode in Parsec's settings > Host makes it such that the host's mouse has higher priority over guests. If the host's mouse is constantly updating and moving slightly, the guests may never get to control it themselves. You can test this theory by turning off the setting and restarting the host's stream to apply the setting.
The cursor isn't visible when I try moving
If the host computer lacks a physical mouse, Windows will explicitly remove the cursor, and Parsec faithfully reproduces that behavior. To resolve, either connect a physical mouse into the host computer if possible, or use one of the solutions below.
Note: On Android, the cursor is intentionally not shown when you use touch inputs. If you need the cursor visible in this one specific case, then skip to the next section where we show how to enable the pointer trails feature in Windows.
Using the virtual mouse driver
Enable the 'Virtual Mouse' setting in Parsec's settings, in the Host tab, for the affected host computer. This setting creates a mouse device that does not do any movement on its own, but Windows sees it and adds back the cursor. This setting requires our Virtual USB Driver, which you can download using the link below that same setting. If the setting is already enabled, it’s possible the host’s Parsec installation needs repairs to run as SYSTEM.
Using the Windows Mouse Key setting
There's also a workaround using a built-in Windows setting.
- Press Windows key + I to open the settings
- Open Ease of Access
- Select Mouse in the left sidebar
- Enable Turn on Mouse Keys
The cursor doesn't move for me when other people move
Parsec tends to not show the cursor movement for the people connected when someone else aside from them moves the cursor. If you want to be able to see what other people are doing with the cursor, the host can enable cursor trails to cause it to show up in the stream.
Here's how to do it on the host computer, but note this may cause other issues with the stream, such as duplicated cursor for the guests.
- Press Windows key + R
- Type
main.cpland press Enter - In the Pointer Options tab, enable Display pointer trails
- Set the duration slider as short as possible
- Click OK to close
With that, you should see the movements now on the guest. If you think the mouse is a bit too stuttery, you can manually edit a value in the registry editor to an unusually higher value than you can usually have, which will make it feel smoother.
- Press Windows key + R
- Type
regeditand press Enter - Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
- Double click MouseTrails and set the value to 100
- Click OK
- Restart the computer to apply the changes
Seeing two cursors when I try to control
Some of the reasons for which you may end up seeing two cursors in a Parsec stream:
- The host has other recording software active which uses Windows Game Capture, such as OBS or Windows’ own integrated recorder. For OBS, you can alter the desktop, window, or game capture source’s Capture Method settings to use DXGI Desktop Duplication instead
- The host has recently updated its graphics drivers and must restart the machine
- The host has HDR turned on in the Windows settings
- The host has cursor trails enabled in the Windows settings
The cursor is misaligned in comparison to where it actually clicks
It’s possible that the host computer has no visible cursor, because no mouse is connected. In this case, Parsec may not appropriately hide the cursor to represent the host state, and because it does not know its actual location, will show it offset.
To resolve this, enable the ‘Virtual Mouse’ setting in the host’s Parsec settings. If the setting is already enabled, it’s possible the host’s Parsec installation needs repairs to run as SYSTEM.