How to Change Your Cursor on a Chromebook

Want to know how to change your cursor on a Chromebook? There are two ways. You can use the built-in ChromeOS settings to change size and color, or you can add a custom design with the free iLove Cursor extension.

Let's go through both, one step at a time. You can do the first option in about a minute, and it needs nothing extra. The second option adds fun designs, and it works in the Chrome browser.

Option 1: Change cursor size and color in ChromeOS settings

These settings change the pointer everywhere on your Chromebook, not only in the browser. Google's help page puts them in the accessibility settings. Menu names can shift a little between ChromeOS versions, so use the names you see on your own screen if they differ.

The same area also holds the option to highlight the cursor. Google lists this under mouse and touchpad settings. If you lose the pointer when you type, look for Highlight text cursor in the keyboard and text input part of Accessibility.

Which size should you pick?

Make the pointer a little bigger than you think you need, then use the Chromebook for a few minutes. A large pointer is easy to find, but it can cover small buttons. If it feels in the way, step it back down one notch.

Check your work

After you change a setting, move the pointer across a white page and a dark page. If you can follow it easily on both, you are done. If not, go back and try a different size or color. You can change these settings as often as you like, and nothing is permanent.

It also helps to try the setting in the places you use most, such as a document, a video and a game. Pointers can look very different from one background to the next.

Option 2: Use a custom cursor design

Settings change how big the pointer is. They do not change its picture. For a new picture, such as an animal, a snowman or a glowing shape, use the iLove Cursor extension. It is free, and you do not need an account.

Step 1: Install the extension

Step 2: Pin it to the toolbar

Now the extension is one click away whenever you need it.

Step 3: Find a design you like

Browse the cursor collections, or look at the newest custom cursors. Open a cursor you like, press Preview, and move your mouse over the HOVER ME box. This shows how it will feel before you save it.

Step 4: Press ADD

Click ADD. The cursor is saved into your collection inside the extension, and the button changes to ADDED. Your pointer does not change yet. That is normal.

Step 5: Pick it in the popup

Step 6: Reload your open tabs

Tabs that were open before you installed the extension need one reload. Click the tab and press the refresh key on your keyboard, or press Ctrl + R. Tabs you open after that will show your cursor by themselves.

Want a whole theme at once? Collection pages have an ADD ALL button. For a seasonal idea, see our Christmas cursor countdown.

Pages where custom cursors cannot appear

Chrome does not let any extension work on its own pages. That includes chrome:// pages, the Chrome Web Store and the New Tab page. You will see your normal pointer there, even when everything is set up right.

If the cursor is missing on a normal website too, read our guide to fixing a custom cursor that is not working. For the official walk-through, see how to use iLove Cursor.

FAQ

Which option should I use?

Both, if you like. Option 1 changes the system pointer everywhere on your Chromebook, so it is the place to set a comfortable size and color. Option 2 swaps in a fun design while you browse websites in Chrome.

Why did my pointer not change after I pressed ADD?

ADD only saves the cursor. Open the extension popup and select it, then reload open tabs.

Does this work in every browser on a Chromebook?

The extension is made for Chrome and Edge, so use it in the Chrome browser. The ChromeOS settings in Option 1 apply to the whole device.

How to Change Your Cursor on a Chromebook (Step by Step)