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pointer-events

files/en-us/web/css/reference/properties/pointer-events/index.md

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The pointer-events CSS property sets under what circumstances (if any) a particular graphic element can become the target of pointer events.

{{InteractiveExample("CSS Demo: pointer-events")}}

css
pointer-events: auto;
css
pointer-events: none;
css
pointer-events: stroke; /* SVG-only */
css
pointer-events: fill; /* SVG-only */
html
<section class="flex-column" id="default-example">
  <div id="example-element">
    <p>
      <a href="#">example link</a>
    </p>
    <p>
      <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
        <a xlink:href="#">
          <circle
            cx="50"
            cy="50"
            fill="#3E6E84"
            r="40"
            stroke="#ffb500"
            stroke-width="5"></circle>
          <text fill="white" text-anchor="middle" x="50" y="55">SVG</text>
        </a>
      </svg>
    </p>
  </div>
</section>
css
#example-element {
  font-weight: bold;
}

#example-element a {
  color: #009e5f;
}

#example-element svg {
  width: 10em;
  height: 10em;
}

Syntax

css
/* Keyword values */
pointer-events: auto;
pointer-events: none;

/* Values used in SVGs */
pointer-events: visiblePainted;
pointer-events: visibleFill;
pointer-events: visibleStroke;
pointer-events: visible;
pointer-events: painted;
pointer-events: fill;
pointer-events: stroke;
pointer-events: bounding-box;
pointer-events: all;

/* Global values */
pointer-events: inherit;
pointer-events: initial;
pointer-events: revert;
pointer-events: revert-layer;
pointer-events: unset;

The pointer-events property is specified as a single keyword chosen from the list of values below.

Values

  • auto
    • : The element behaves as it would if the pointer-events property were not specified. In SVG content, this value and the value visiblePainted have the same effect.
  • none

    • : The element on its own is never the target of pointer events. However its subtree could be kept targetable by setting pointer-events to some other value. In these circumstances, pointer events will trigger event listeners on this parent element as appropriate on their way to or from the descendant during the event capture and bubble phases.

      [!NOTE] The pointerenter and pointerleave events are fired when a pointing device is moved into an element or one of its descendants. So, even if pointer-events: none is set on the parent and not set on children, the events are triggered on the parent after the pointer is moved in or out of a descendant.

SVG only (experimental for HTML)

  • visiblePainted
    • : SVG only (experimental for HTML). The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the visibility property is set to visible and e.g., when a mouse cursor is over the interior (i.e., 'fill') of the element and the fill property is set to a value other than none, or when a mouse cursor is over the perimeter (i.e., 'stroke') of the element and the stroke property is set to a value other than none.
  • visibleFill
    • : SVG only. The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the visibility property is set to visible and when e.g., a mouse cursor is over the interior (i.e., fill) of the element. The value of the fill property does not affect event processing.
  • visibleStroke
    • : SVG only. The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the visibility property is set to visible and e.g., when the mouse cursor is over the perimeter (i.e., stroke) of the element. The value of the stroke property does not affect event processing.
  • visible
    • : SVG only (experimental for HTML). The element can be the target of a pointer event when the visibility property is set to visible and e.g., the mouse cursor is over either the interior (i.e., fill) or the perimeter (i.e., stroke) of the element. The values of the fill and stroke do not affect event processing.
  • painted
    • : SVG only (experimental for HTML). The element can only be the target of a pointer event when e.g., the mouse cursor is over the interior (i.e., 'fill') of the element and the fill property is set to a value other than none, or when the mouse cursor is over the perimeter (i.e., 'stroke') of the element and the stroke property is set to a value other than none. The value of the visibility property does not affect event processing.
  • fill
    • : SVG only. The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the pointer is over the interior (i.e., fill) of the element. The values of the fill and visibility properties do not affect event processing.
  • stroke
    • : SVG only. The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the pointer is over the perimeter (i.e., stroke) of the element. The values of the stroke and visibility properties do not affect event processing.
  • bounding-box
    • : SVG only. The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the pointer is over the bounding box of the element.
  • all
    • : SVG only (experimental for HTML). The element can only be the target of a pointer event when the pointer is over the interior (i.e., fill) or the perimeter (i.e., stroke) of the element. The values of the fill, stroke, and visibility properties do not affect event processing.

Description

When this property is unspecified, the same characteristics of the visiblePainted value apply to SVG content.

In addition to indicating that the element is not the target of pointer events, the value none instructs the pointer event to go "through" the element and target whatever is "underneath" that element instead.

Note that preventing an element from being the target of pointer events by using pointer-events does not necessarily mean that pointer event listeners on that element cannot or will not be triggered. If one of the element's children has pointer-events explicitly set to allow that child to be the target of pointer events, then any events targeting that child will pass through the parent as the event travels along the parent chain, and trigger event listeners on the parent as appropriate. Of course any pointer activity at a point on the screen that is covered by the parent but not by the child will not be caught by either the child or the parent (it will go "through" the parent and target whatever is underneath).

Elements with pointer-events: none will still receive focus through sequential keyboard navigation using the <kbd>Tab</kbd> key.

Formal definition

{{cssinfo}}

Formal syntax

{{csssyntax}}

Examples

Disabling pointer events on all images

This example disables pointer events (clicking, dragging, hovering, etc.) on all images.

css
img {
  pointer-events: none;
}

This example disables pointer events on the link to http://example.com.

HTML

html
<ul>
  <li><a href="https://developer.mozilla.org">MDN</a></li>
  <li><a href="http://example.com">example.com</a></li>
</ul>

CSS

css
a[href="http://example.com"] {
  pointer-events: none;
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample("Disabling_pointer_events_on_a_single_link", "500", "100")}}

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

  • {{cssxref("user-select")}}
  • SVG {{SVGAttr("pointer-events")}} attribute
  • SVG {{SVGAttr("visibility")}} attribute
  • {{domxref("PointerEvent")}}