Yes, a printed pattern can mess with your optical mouse.

It’s not guaranteed, but if your cursor is jittery or skipping, the pattern is a likely culprit.

Optical mice work by taking microscopic photos of the surface and comparing them to detect movement. A busy or high-contrast pattern (like camo, marble, or a glossy photo) can confuse the sensor. It starts seeing the pattern as movement when it’s not, or fails to find a consistent reference point.

Solid colors work best. Even a subtle texture is fine. But that neat galaxy print or company logo? Could be a problem. Try flipping the pad over to the plain black side, or test on a plain piece of paper. If the mouse calms down, you found the issue.

I’d skip the fancy graphics unless you’re sure the surface is matte and low-contrast.