Using external images for CSS custom cursors

Question

Is it possible to use external image URLs for CSS custom cursors? The following example doesn't work:

HTML:

<div class="test">TEST</div>

CSS:

.test {
  background:gray;
  width:200px;
  height:200px;
  cursor:url('http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/POL_apple.jpg');
}

Fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/wNKcU/4/

Answer 1

It wasn't working because your image was too big - there are restrictions on the image dimensions. In Firefox, for example, the size limit is 128x128px. See this page for more details.

Additionally, you also have to add in auto.

jsFiddle demo here - note that's an actual image, and not a default cursor.

.test {
  background:gray;
  width:200px;
  height:200px;
  cursor:url(http://www.javascriptkit.com/dhtmltutors/cursor-hand.gif), auto;
}

<div class="test">TEST</div>

Answer 2

I would put this as a comment, but I don't have the rep for it. What Josh Crozier answered is correct, but for IE .cur and .ani are the only supported formats for this. So you should probably have a fallback just in case:

.test {
    cursor:url("http://www.javascriptkit.com/dhtmltutors/cursor-hand.gif"), url(foo.cur), auto;
}

Answer 3

I found out that you need to add the pointer eg:

div{
    cursor: url('cursorurl.png'), pointer;
}

Answer 4

Originally from a Codepen pen by Chris Coyier of Codepen/CSS-Tricks

.auto            { cursor: auto; }
.default         { cursor: default; }
.none            { cursor: none; }
.context-menu    { cursor: context-menu; }
.help            { cursor: help; }
.pointer         { cursor: pointer; }
.progress        { cursor: progress; }
.wait            { cursor: wait; }
.cell            { cursor: cell; }
.crosshair       { cursor: crosshair; }
.text            { cursor: text; }
.vertical-text   { cursor: vertical-text; }
.alias           { cursor: alias; }
.copy            { cursor: copy; }
.move            { cursor: move; }
.no-drop         { cursor: no-drop; }
.not-allowed     { cursor: not-allowed; }
.all-scroll      { cursor: all-scroll; }
.col-resize      { cursor: col-resize; }
.row-resize      { cursor: row-resize; }
.n-resize        { cursor: n-resize; }
.e-resize        { cursor: e-resize; }
.s-resize        { cursor: s-resize; }
.w-resize        { cursor: w-resize; }
.ns-resize       { cursor: ns-resize; }
.ew-resize       { cursor: ew-resize; }
.ne-resize       { cursor: ne-resize; }
.nw-resize       { cursor: nw-resize; }
.se-resize       { cursor: se-resize; }
.sw-resize       { cursor: sw-resize; }
.nesw-resize     { cursor: nesw-resize; }
.nwse-resize     { cursor: nwse-resize; }

body {
  text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol";

}
.cursors {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.cursors > div {
  flex: 150px;
  padding: 10px 2px;
  white-space: nowrap;
  border: 1px solid #eee;
  border-radius: 5px;
  margin: 0 5px 5px 0;
}
.cursors > div:hover {
  background: #eee;
}

HTML CSSResult
EDIT ON
.svg {
  cursor: url(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s.cdpn.io/9632/heart.svg), auto;
}

.svg-base64 {
  cursor: url(data:text/html;base64,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), auto;
}

.png-base64 {
  cursor: url("data:image/png;base64,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"), auto;
}

.png {
  cursor: url("https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s.cdpn.io/9632/heart.png"), auto;
}

.gif {
  cursor: url("https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s.cdpn.io/9632/tina.gif"), auto;
}

.cursors {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: flex-start;
  align-items: stretch;
  height: 100vh;
}

.cursors > div {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  flex-grow: 1;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  padding: 10px 2px;
  text-align: center;
}

<h1>The Cursors of CSS</h1>

<div class="cursors">
    <div class="auto">auto</div>
    <div class="default">default</div>
    <div class="none">none</div>
    <div class="context-menu">context-menu</div>
    <div class="help">help</div>
    <div class="pointer">pointer</div>
    <div class="progress">progress</div>
    <div class="wait">wait</div>
    <div class="cell">cell</div>
    <div class="crosshair">crosshair</div>
    <div class="text">text</div>
    <div class="vertical-text">vertical-text</div>
    <div class="alias">alias</div>
    <div class="copy">copy</div>
    <div class="move">move</div>
    <div class="no-drop">no-drop</div>
    <div class="not-allowed">not-allowed</div>
    <div class="all-scroll">all-scroll</div>
    <div class="col-resize">col-resize</div>
    <div class="row-resize">row-resize</div>
    <div class="n-resize">n-resize</div>
    <div class="s-resize">s-resize</div>
    <div class="e-resize">e-resize</div>
    <div class="w-resize">w-resize</div>
    <div class="ns-resize">ns-resize</div>
    <div class="ew-resize">ew-resize</div>
    <div class="ne-resize">ne-resize</div>
    <div class="nw-resize">nw-resize</div>
    <div class="se-resize">se-resize</div>
    <div class="sw-resize">sw-resize</div>
    <div class="nesw-resize">nesw-resize</div>
    <div class="nwse-resize">nwse-resize</div>
</div>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
<h1>Custom Image</h1>
<div class="cursors">
  <div class="svg"><p>SVG</p></div>
  <div class="svg-base64">Base 64 SVG</div>
  <div class="png-base64">Base 64 PNG</div>
  <div class="png">PNG</div>
  <div class="gif">GIF</div>
</div>

Answer 5

cursor:url('http://www.javascriptkit.com/dhtmltutors/cursor-hand.gif'), auto

NOTE 1: In some cases you should consider setting the offset (anchor):

cursor:url(http://www.javascriptkit.com/dhtmltutors/cursor-hand.gif) 10 3, auto;

in this exmple, we set offsetx to 10 and offsety to 3 (from top left), so the pointer finger will be anchor. fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/5kxt1j98/ (you can see the difference by moving cursor to top left of container)

---

NOTE 2: THE MAX CURSOR SIZE IS 128*128, recommended one is below 32*32.