Change tool pointers

Each default pointer has a different hotspot, where an effect or action in the image begins. With most tools, you can switch to precise cursors, which appear as cross hairs centered around the hotspot.

In most cases, the pointer for a tool is the same as the icon for that tool; you see that pointer when you select the tool. The default pointer for the marquee tools is the cross-hair pointer ; for the text tool, the default pointer is the I‑beam ; and for the painting tools the default pointer is the Brush Size icon.

Choose Edit > Preferences > Cursors (Windows) or choose Photoshop > Preferences > Cursors (Mac OS).
Choose tool pointer settings under Painting Cursors or Other Cursors:
Standard

Displays pointers as tool icons.
Precise

Displays pointers as cross hairs.
Normal Brush Tip

The pointer outline corresponds to approximately 50% of the area that the tool will affect. This option shows the pixels that would be most visibly affected.
Full Size Brush Tip

The pointer outline corresponds to nearly 100% of the area that the tool will affect, or nearly all the pixels that would be affected.
Show Crosshair In Brush Tip

Displays cross hairs in the center of the brush shape.
Click OK.
The Painting Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:

Eraser, Pencil, Paintbrush, Healing Brush, Rubber Stamp, Pattern Stamp, Quick Selection, Smudge, Blur, Sharpen, Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools

The Other Cursors options control the pointers for the following tools:

Marquee, Lasso, Polygonal Lasso, Magic Wand, Crop, Slice, Patch, Eyedropper, Pen, Gradient, Line, Paint Bucket, Magnetic Lasso, Magnetic Pen, Freeform Pen, Measure, and Color Sampler tools

To toggle between standard and precise cursors in some tool pointers, press Caps Lock.