cursor

The cursor CSS property specifies which mouse cursor to display when the mouse pointer is over an element.

/* Keyword value only */
cursor: pointer;
cursor: auto;
/* Using URL and coordinates */
cursor: url(cursor1.png) 4 12, auto;
cursor: url(cursor2.png) 2 2, pointer;
/* Global values */
cursor: inherit;
cursor: initial;
cursor: unset;

Syntax

The cursor property is specified as zero or more <url> values, separated by commas, followed by a single mandatory keyword value. Each <url> should point to an image file. The browser will try to load the first image specified, falling back to the next if it can't, and falling back to the keyword value if no images could be loaded (or if none were specified).

Each <url> may be optionally followed by a pair of space-separated numbers, which represent <x><y> coordinates. These will set the cursor's hotspot, relative to the top-left corner of the image.

For example, this specifies two images using <url> values, providing <x><y> coordinates for the second one, and falling back to the progress keyword value if neither image can be loaded:

cursor: url(one.svg), url(two.svg) 5 5, progress;

Values

<url>

A url(…) or a comma separated list url(…), url(…), …, pointing to an image file. More than one <url> may be provided as fallbacks, in case some cursor image types are not supported. A non-URL fallback (one or more of the keyword values) must be at the end of the fallback list. See Using URL values for the cursor property for more details.

<x> <y>

Optional x- and y-coordinates. Two unitless nonnegative numbers less than 32.

Keyword values

Move your mouse over values to see their live appearance in your browser:

Category	CSS value	Actual	Description
General	auto		The browser will determine the cursor to display based on the context. E.g., equivalent to text when hovering text.
	default		No special behavior is present. Typically an arrow.
	none		No cursor is rendered.
Links & status	context-menu		A context menu is available.
	help		Help information is available.
	pointer		The element can be interacted with by clicking on it. Used, e.g., when hovering over links. Typically an image of a hand.
	progress		The program is busy in the background, but the user can still interact with the interface (in contrast to wait).
	wait		The program is busy, and the user can't interact with the interface (in contrast to progress). Sometimes an image of an hourglass or a watch.
Selection	cell		The table cell can be selected.
	crosshair		Cross cursor, often used to indicate selection in a bitmap.
	text		The text can be selected. Typically the shape of an I-beam.
	vertical-text		The vertical text can be selected. Typically the shape of a sideways I-beam.
Drag & drop	alias		An alias or shortcut is to be created.
	copy		Something can be copied.
	move		Something can be moved.
	no-drop		An item may not be dropped at the current location. bug 275173: On Windows and Mac OS X, no-drop is the same as not-allowed.
	not-allowed		Something can't be done.
Resize & scrolling	all-scroll		Something can be scrolled in any direction (panned). bug 275174: On Windows, all-scroll is the same as move.
	col-resize		The item/column can be resized horizontally. Often rendered as arrows pointing left and right with a vertical bar separating them.
	row-resize		The item/row can be resized vertically. Often rendered as arrows pointing up and down with a horizontal bar separating them.
	n-resize		Some edge is to be moved. For example, the se-resize cursor is used when the movement starts from the south-east corner of the box. In some environments, an equivalent bidirectional resize cursor is shown. For example, n-resize and s-resize are the same as ns-resize.
	e-resize
	s-resize
	w-resize
	ne-resize
	nw-resize
	se-resize
	sw-resize
	ew-resize		Bidirectional resize cursor.
	ns-resize
	nesw-resize
	nwse-resize
Zoom	zoom-in		Something can be zoomed (magnified) in or out.
	zoom-out
Grab	grab		Something can be grabbed (dragged to be moved).
	grabbing

Formal syntax

[ [ <url> [ <x> <y> ]? , ]* [ auto | default | none | context-menu | help | pointer | progress | wait | cell | crosshair | text | vertical-text | alias | copy | move | no-drop | not-allowed | e-resize | n-resize | ne-resize | nw-resize | s-resize | se-resize | sw-resize | w-resize | ew-resize | ns-resize | nesw-resize | nwse-resize | col-resize | row-resize | all-scroll | zoom-in | zoom-out | grab | grabbing ] ]

Examples

.foo {
  cursor: crosshair;
}
.bar {
  cursor: zoom-in;
} 
/* A fallback keyword value is required when using a URL */
.baz {
  cursor: url("hyper.cur"), auto;
}

Specifications

Browser compatibility

[1] In IE11, when cursor is applied to an element and this element is underneath an open <select> menu and the user hovers over a <select> menu item that's on top of said element, the cursor for said element will be displayed rather than the <select>'s normal cursor. See IE bug 963961.

[2] Support for this was added in Mac OS X.

[3] Only supported in Mac OS X and Linux.

[4] Support for this was added in Windows.

See also

• Using URL values for the cursor property
• pointer-events
• Cursor Property (MSDN)