How to Turn Off the Blinking Text Cursor on Web Pages in Chrome

To turn off the blinking text cursor on web pages in Chrome, press F7 and choose Turn off when Chrome asks. If that does not work, open Settings, click Accessibility, and switch off Navigate pages with a text cursor. The cursor comes from a Chrome feature called Caret Browsing, which is almost always switched on by accident.

Applies To

• Browser: Google Chrome on a computer
• OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS
• Account: none needed
• Time: under a minute

What Is the Blinking Cursor on Web Pages?

It is a text cursor, the same kind you see in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Chrome calls the feature Caret Browsing. When it is on, you can move through a page and select text with the arrow keys instead of the mouse.

It is a real accessibility feature, not a bug and not a sign of a virus. Most people who see it turned it on by brushing the F7 key while typing.

How Do I Turn Off the Text Cursor With a Keyboard Shortcut?

1. Press the F7 key.
2. A box appears near the top of the window asking Turn off Caret Browsing?
3. Click Turn off.

Note: On many laptops the top row does brightness and volume by default. If F7 does nothing, hold Fn and press F7.

How Do I Turn It Off in Chrome Settings?

Use this if your keyboard has no working F7 key, or if the shortcut keeps switching the cursor back on by accident.

1. Click the three dots in the top-right corner of Chrome.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Accessibility in the left sidebar.
4. Find Navigate pages with a text cursor.
5. Switch the toggle off.

The change is instant. Close the Settings tab, click on any web page, and the blinking cursor should be gone.

Why Does the Cursor Keep Coming Back?

Because F7 is a toggle, and it sits right where your fingers land. If it returns every few days, turn the setting off in Accessibility rather than with the shortcut, and answer No the next time Chrome asks whether you want to turn Caret Browsing on.

One more thing to rule out: a stuck or sticky F7 key. If other function keys are also firing on their own, the keyboard is the problem, not Chrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Caret Browsing a virus or malware?

No. It is a built-in Chrome accessibility feature. Nothing was installed on your computer and no extension is needed to turn it on or off.

Does turning it off affect any of my other settings?

No. It only changes whether the arrow keys move a text cursor through the page. Your tabs, bookmarks, passwords, and extensions are untouched.

Does this work in Chrome on a phone or tablet?

Caret Browsing is a desktop feature, so there is nothing to turn off in Chrome on Android or iPhone. If you see a text cursor on a phone, it belongs to a text box on the page itself.

Do other browsers have the same feature?

Yes. Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox both use F7 for caret browsing too, so the same accidental keypress causes the same surprise there.

Wrapping Up

A blinking cursor on a web page is Caret Browsing, and F7 turns it off. If you would rather never meet it again, switch off Navigate pages with a text cursor in Chrome’s Accessibility settings and leave the shortcut alone.

Last verified: 2026-08-16