Custom Cursor Not Working? 8 Fixes for Chrome and Edge

Fix 1: The cursor did not change in a tab that was already open

Why it happens: The extension applies your cursor to pages as they load. A tab that was open before you installed or enabled the extension never got that chance. This is how browser extensions work in general, so it is not a fault in your setup.

1. Click the tab that did not change.
2. Press F5 to reload it. On a Mac, press Cmd + R.
3. If nothing changes, close the tab completely and open the page again.
4. Open the extension popup and check that your cursor is still selected.

Tabs you open from now on pick up the cursor by themselves. Only the old ones need one reload.

Fix 2: You clicked ADD, but the pointer looks the same

Why it happens: The ADD button saves a cursor into your collection inside the extension. It does not switch your pointer on its own. Saving and choosing are two separate steps. After you click ADD, the button changes to ADDED so you know the save worked.

1. Click the puzzle-piece icon next to the address bar and open iLove Cursor. If you pinned it, click its icon directly.
2. Find the cursor you just saved in your collection.
3. Select it.
4. Reload any tabs that were already open (see Fix 1).

You can try a design before saving it. Open its page, press Preview, and move your mouse over the HOVER ME box.

Fix 3: A "Missing Extension" box appears

Why it happens: When you press ADD, the website needs to talk to the extension. If it cannot find one, it shows a box titled "Missing Extension" that asks you to install the extension to continue. That usually means iLove Cursor is not installed in this browser, or it is turned off.

1. Click "Install Extension" in the box, or open the Chrome Web Store or Edge Add-ons and search for iLove Cursor.
2. Click "Add to Chrome" (or "Get" on Edge) and confirm.
3. If it is already installed, open chrome://extensions or edge://extensions and switch iLove Cursor on.
4. Go back to the cursor page, reload it, and click ADD again.

The extension only exists for Chrome and Edge. If you use another browser, the box will keep appearing.

Fix 4: The cursor is missing on certain pages only

Why it happens: Browsers stop all extensions from running on their own internal pages, as a safety rule. No extension can get around this. The list of pages is short:

• chrome:// pages, such as settings and the extensions page
• edge:// pages
• The Chrome Web Store
• The Edge Add-ons store
• The New Tab page

Nothing is broken here, and there is nothing to fix. Open any normal website and your custom cursor comes back by itself. A handy test is to visit a plain page like our collections and see whether the pointer changes there.

Fix 5: The cursor went back to default on every page

Why it happens: If it fails everywhere, the extension itself is probably off. It may have been disabled, removed by a cleanup tool, or turned off by another extension manager. Browsers sometimes switch extensions off after an update or a crash.

1. Type chrome://extensions (or edge://extensions) into the address bar.
2. Find iLove Cursor and make sure the switch is on.
3. Open the popup and check that a cursor is still selected.
4. If it still fails, remove the extension, install it again from the store, and add your cursor once more.

Remember that the extensions page is itself a blocked page, so you will see the normal arrow there.

Fix 6: Another cursor extension is fighting with it

Why it happens: Two extensions that both try to change the pointer will compete. Which one wins can change from page to page, so your cursor may seem to flicker or vanish at random.

1. Open the extensions page and look for any other cursor changer.
2. Switch the other one off, or remove it.
3. Reload the tab you are testing.

If the problem goes away, you have found the cause. Keep only one cursor extension active at a time.

Fix 7: It does not work in Incognito or InPrivate windows

Why it happens: Browsers turn extensions off in private windows until you allow them. This protects your privacy, so it is the expected behavior.

1. Open chrome://extensions or edge://extensions.
2. Click "Details" on iLove Cursor.
3. Turn on "Allow in Incognito" in Chrome, or "Allow in InPrivate" in Edge.
4. Close the private window and open a new one.

The new private window will now show your cursor.

Fix 8: You cannot find the right-click option

Why it happens: The extension has a quick feature that lets you right-click any image and use it as your cursor. It is switched off by default, so the right-click menu stays plain until you enable it.

1. Open the extension popup.
2. Find "Set cursor with right-click" and click the OFF button so it reads ON.
3. Right-click an image on a normal web page and pick the option to set it as your cursor.
4. To undo it, right-click the page and choose "Reset to default".

The full walk-through is on the Menu Quick Set guide.