How to test mouse polling rate in your browser (step by step)

Mouse polling rate is how often your mouse reports its position to your computer, measured in hertz (Hz). A 1000 Hz mouse reports 1000 times per second, or once every millisecond; a 500 Hz mouse reports every 2 milliseconds; a 125 Hz mouse reports every 8 milliseconds. A higher rate means the cursor's position is updated more often, which matters most in fast, precise games — and a browser test is a quick way to check what your mouse is actually doing.

Mouse mode is also the most reliable mode of a browser test. A keyboard only sends a report when a key changes state, so a browser can only count key events. A mouse, by contrast, sends a continuous stream of position reports while it moves, so counting the movement events your browser receives gives a reading close to the mouse's report rate. That is why the steps below use steady movement, not clicks.

Run the free mouse polling rate test

Before you start

A clean test takes less than a minute to set up, and it makes the result much easier to trust:

• Use the connection you actually play with. If you game over a 2.4 GHz receiver, test with the receiver plugged in, not over Bluetooth — many wireless mice report at a lower rate over Bluetooth. If you game wired, test wired.
• Plug in directly if you can. A USB hub or docking station sits between the mouse and the computer and can interfere with the reading. For a baseline result, plug the receiver or cable straight into the computer.
• Close heavy programs. A game, a video render, or dozens of browser tabs competing for CPU time can make the reading jump around. Close what you do not need, then test.
• Use a decent surface. A mouse that skips or stutters on a glossy desk produces uneven movement, which shows up as an uneven reading. A mousepad gives a steadier stream of movement events.

Step-by-step: run the mouse polling rate test

1. Open the tool and switch to mouse mode. On the free keyboard and mouse polling rate test, choose the mouse test mode.
2. Click the test box, then press Start. Clicking the box gives it focus so the page can track your movement inside it.
3. Move your mouse in fast, steady circles inside the box. Keep the cursor inside the box the whole time — movement outside it is not counted. Circles work better than back-and-forth lines because they keep the mouse moving continuously in every direction.
4. Keep going for at least 10 seconds. Short bursts are noisy. A longer run lets the average settle, and the average is the number to trust, not a single one-second spike.
5. Press Stop and read the results. Compare the average Hz with the rate your mouse is set to. A 1000 Hz mouse should average near 1000 Hz, a 500 Hz mouse near 500 Hz, and a basic office mouse near 125 Hz.
6. Repeat once. Run the test a second time. If both runs land near the same number, you have a solid result. If they differ wildly, something in the setup — the port, the connection type, or background load — is worth checking.

How to read your result

The live rate is your current one-second window, so it moves as your hand speeds up and slows down. The average covers the whole test, and the maximum is your best one-second burst. Judge by the average: a 1000 Hz mouse averaging 900–1000 Hz during fast circles is behaving as expected, while one averaging 125 Hz is reporting at the basic USB rate, whatever its box promised.

Small shortfalls are normal. Your hand cannot move at a perfectly constant speed, and the browser only counts the events it receives, so an average slightly below the rated number is not a fault. A large gap is the signal to investigate — for example, a mouse set to 1000 Hz in its software but averaging around 125 Hz is probably running over a different connection than you think, or its software setting did not apply.

If your reading looks wrong

• Reading stuck near 125 Hz: check whether you are connected over Bluetooth instead of the 2.4 GHz receiver or cable, and check the polling setting in the mouse's own software.
• Reading jumps all over the place: close background programs, move to a direct USB port, and repeat the test with smooth, fast circles.
• Reading drops mid-test: on a wireless mouse, check the battery level and the distance to the receiver — a weak signal can interrupt the event stream.
• Reading only counts while clicking: you may still be in keyboard mode. Switch to mouse mode, click the test box, and move without clicking.

For a lab-grade measurement, your mouse maker's own software or a hardware USB analyser will give a more exact number. But for the practical question — is my mouse reporting at 125, 500, or 1000 Hz right now, on this connection, on this computer — a browser test with steady circles gives a useful, honest answer.

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