How to Reset a Jumpy Sensor on a Wii

By Tyson Cliffton

Updated September 22, 2017

Reset your Wii's sensor if it's jumping all over the screen.
i Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

It is incredibly hard to select icons or play games if your Nintendo Wii cursor is jumping all over the place. If you've replaced the batteries in your remote, the odds are that you need to reset your sensor settings because either the location of the sensor is not set correctly or you are using the remote at a different distance or in a different location than you were previously. You can quickly get your Wii sensor back on track through the Wii Settings menu.

Turn on the Nintendo Wii.

Position your cursor over the "Wii" button in the lower left corner of the Wii home screen, then press "A." If your sensor does not appear to be picking up the movements of your Wii Remote, try replacing the batteries in your Wii Remote or moving closer to the sensor to see if that helps. If the sensor still is not picking up the motions of your Wii Remote, replace the existing sensor with a new one. Alternatively, because you cannot make selections on the Wii home screen using the Wii Remote, you can also connect a Classic Controller to navigate the Wii menu using the Classic Controller's D-pad.

Select "Wii Settings."

Select the right-pointing arrow on the right side of the screen, then select "Sensor Bar."

Select "Sensitivity," then select "OK." Select "OK" again when a dialog box appears on the screen.

Position yourself in the location from which you want to use the Wii Remote. Press the "+" and "-" buttons on the Wii Remote until the two dots on the screen blink at the same rate, then press "A."

Select "Sensor Bar Position," then select either "Above TV" or "Below TV" in accordance with where your sensor is located, then select "Confirm." Having the wrong sensor location selected can also cause the cursor to jump around the screen unnecessarily.

Press the "Home" button on the Wii Remote, then select "Wii Menu." Select "Yes" when asked if you want to return to the Wii menu. The Wii menu appears.

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