How to Highlight Your Cursor in VS Code on Mac

VS Code is the most popular code editor, and coding tutorials, live streams, and pair programming sessions require viewers to track the cursor as it moves between the editor, terminal, file tree, and settings panels. The default cursor provides no visual emphasis against the visually complex IDE interface.

Cursor highlighting adds a persistent visual indicator that stays visible across every VS Code panel, tab, and terminal window. Viewers watching a tutorial or participating in a code review can follow the pointer effortlessly regardless of the active theme or panel layout.

Text cursor settings — VS Code allows customizing the text cursor (caret) style, blinking behavior, and width. These settings affect the blinking line that indicates the typing position, not the mouse pointer.

Bracket highlighting — VS Code highlights matching brackets and can show bracket pair guides. This is a code navigation feature, not cursor visibility enhancement.

Minimap — VS Code shows a minimap of the code with a highlighted viewport area. This helps with navigation but does not enhance mouse pointer visibility.

Mouse cursor highlighting in VS Code requires a system-level application like Mouzz that renders visual overlays on top of all applications.

Spotlight for code walkthroughs — Dims the VS Code interface around your cursor to isolate the specific function, variable, or code block you are explaining. Viewers see a focused area surrounded by dimmed code, directing attention precisely.

Ring cursor for live coding — Adds a persistent colored circle around the pointer that stays visible against dark themes, light themes, and every syntax highlighting color. The ring tracks across the editor, terminal, and sidebar without interruption.

Click feedback for tutorials — Renders a visual ripple when you click to place the cursor, select text, open files, or interact with VS Code menus. Viewers see exactly when and where you click during step-by-step coding tutorials.

Cursor trail for navigation — Creates a particle path that shows the direction and speed of cursor movement. Useful for demonstrating navigation patterns across large files and multiple panels.

Step 1: Install Mouzz — Download Mouzz from the Mac App Store. The app runs as a menu bar utility.

Step 2: Choose your effect — For code review presentations, enable spotlight to isolate specific code sections. For live coding tutorials, enable ring cursor for constant visibility. For recorded tutorials, enable click feedback to confirm every interaction.

Step 3: Open VS Code — Launch VS Code with your project. Mouzz effects appear immediately on top of the VS Code window.

Step 4: Toggle with shortcuts — Assign hotkeys to toggle effects. Enable spotlight when explaining a specific function, disable it when typing code. The shortcuts work without leaving VS Code.

Code review meetings — Enable spotlight at medium dimming. Point at specific functions, variables, and code blocks while surrounding code dims. Reviewers focus on the exact section under discussion.

Live coding on Twitch or YouTube — Enable ring cursor at a bright color that contrasts with your VS Code theme. The ring keeps the pointer visible as you type, navigate files, and use the terminal.

Recorded coding tutorials — Enable click feedback with ring cursor. Click feedback confirms every file open, text selection, and menu interaction. Viewers following the tutorial can replicate each step precisely.

Pair programming via screen share — Enable ring cursor at subtle opacity for persistent visibility without distraction. The ring helps your pair partner track which section you are currently editing.