A pointing device is any computer hardware component (specifically human interface device ) that allows a user to input spatial (ie, continuous and multi-dimensional) data to a computer . CAD systems and graphical user interfaces (GUI) allow the user to control and provide data to the computer using physical gestures - point, click, and drag - typically by moving a hand-held mouse across the surface of the physical desktop and activating switches on the mouse. Movements of the pointing device are echoed on the screen by movements of the mouse pointer (or cursor ) and other visual changes.

A "pointing device" can also refer to a special "stick" (sometimes telescopic, to reduce the length when not in use), or a lamp with a narrow light beam that is pointed at a map, blackboard, slide screen, movie screen, etc.; sometimes the light is in the form of an arrow.

Kinds of Pointer Devices

While the most common pointing device by far is the mouse , many more devices have been developed. However, mouse is commonly used as a metaphor for devices that move the cursor.