The Trapped Cursor
Modern web browsers support an API called “Pointer Lock.” This feature allows a website to essentially capture your mouse cursor, hiding it from view and translating your physical mouse movements directly into the application. This is incredibly useful for browser-based, first-person video games (like Krunker.io) or 3D modeling tools where you need to pan a camera continuously without the cursor hitting the edge of the screen. However, malicious or poorly coded websites can abuse this API to automatically capture your mouse as soon as you click anywhere on the page, trapping your cursor and making it difficult to interact with your browser tabs or close the window.
Revoking Pointer Lock Permissions
To ensure you never lose control of your cursor and stop Google Chrome from automatically capturing the mouse without your explicit consent, you must strictly manage the Pointer Lock permissions.
While Chrome generally requires a user gesture (a click) to initiate a pointer lock, you can disable the feature entirely for specific sites. Open Google Chrome. Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Settings. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Privacy and security, then select Site Settings in the main panel. Scroll down and click on Additional permissions to expand the list. Look for the setting called Pointer lock. By default, it is set to “Sites can ask to use your pointer.” If you want to permanently disable this feature globally, change the selection to Don’t allow sites to use your pointer. If you are currently trapped on a page, press the Esc key on your keyboard; this is a hardcoded, un-blockable command that forces Chrome to immediately release the pointer lock back to the operating system.