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How to Add a Follow Text Cursor in WordPress?

Updated On : September 28, 2026By : Reading Time : 2 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Nexter Blocks Pro includes the Mouse Cursor block, and it is enabled under Nexter > Blocks in the WordPress dashboard.
  • Mouse Cursor uses Type set to Follow Text, where a short label like View, Drag, or Explore trails the pointer and can switch to a different word over links with Mouse Cursor Click.
  • Follow Text is real text on the page, so long labels trail awkwardly and cover content; the practical limit is one or two words, and touch screens show none of it.
Table of Contents

A word beside the pointer tells visitors what a click will do before they make it.

The Follow Text type trails a short label — View, Drag, Explore — and can change it over links.

For every Mouse Cursor setting in one place, see the Mouse Cursor block guide.

LIVE BLOCK LINK

Before You Start

  • Edition: Pro — the Mouse Cursor block is part of Nexter Blocks Pro.
  • Block to enable: Mouse Cursor, switched on under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard.
  • A short label in mind. One or two words; anything longer trails awkwardly.

Steps

  1. Add the Mouse Cursor block and click Design from Scratch.
  1. Set Cursor Area to Body.
The Cursor Area dropdown with Body, Row, Column and Block
  1. Set Type to Follow Text and type your label into Follow Text.
Follow Text selected, with the label field
  1. Switch on Mouse Cursor Click and set Click Follow Text if you want a different word over links.
Mouse Cursor Click on, with the click text
  1. Style it in the Follow Text panel on the Style tab.
  1. Publish and move the mouse over ordinary text and then over a link.

A custom cursor shows while the pointer is over your content and the ordinary pointer returns over empty page background — measured on the front end. That is normal, not a fault.

How It Behaves

  • It follows and it changes on links. Measured: the label read Explore over ordinary content and became See More while hovering a link, then changed back.
  • List of Tags for Hover Effect decides what counts as a link. It starts as a and takes a comma-separated list.
  • The label has its own typography, colour, background, border and shadow on the Style tab.
  • It is real text on the page, so it can be long — which is exactly why it should not be.

Limitations

  • Pro only.
  • Long labels trail behind the pointer and cover the content. One or two words is the practical limit.
  • The label follows the pointer, so it can sit over the very thing the visitor is reading.
  • The word is fixed for the whole area — it cannot change per block without a second Mouse Cursor block.
  • Touch screens have no cursor, so phone and tablet visitors see none of this.

Troubleshooting

No text appears

Check the Follow Text field is not empty, and that the pointer is over your content rather than the blank page background.

The text does not change over links

Mouse Cursor Click is off, or List of Tags for Hover Effect does not include the tag you are hovering.

It is hard to read against my page

Give it a background colour and padding in the Follow Text panel on the Style tab.

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Related Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need before adding a follow text cursor in WordPress?

Nexter Blocks Pro is the key requirement, because the Mouse Cursor block is part of Nexter Blocks Pro. The block also has to be enabled under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard. Keeping the label short matters too, since the page says one or two words is the practical limit and longer text trails awkwardly.

Why is my follow text cursor not showing up on the page?

A blank Follow Text field or hovering over empty page background are the two most likely causes. The cursor only appears while the pointer is over your content, and the ordinary pointer returns over blank background on the front end. That behavior is normal, so if it disappears outside content, it usually means nothing is broken.

How do I make the cursor text change when visitors hover a link?

The link-specific label depends on two things: Mouse Cursor Click must be switched on, and List of Tags for Hover Effect has to include the tag you are hovering. The setting starts with a and accepts a comma-separated list, so link detection follows HTML tags rather than visual styling. That matters if your links use different markup.

What is the best length for follow text in a custom cursor?

One or two words is the practical limit. The page calls out labels like View, Drag, and Explore as the intended style, and says longer labels trail behind the pointer and cover content. Short text stays readable while still telling visitors what a click will do before they make it.

Does a follow text cursor work on phones and tablets?

Touch screens have no cursor, so phone and tablet visitors see none of this effect. That makes follow text cursors useful mainly for desktop interactions where a pointer can trail across content. If mobile readability matters, treat this as a desktop-only visual cue rather than part of your core navigation.

How do I make the follow text cursor easier to read?

The cleanest fix is to give it a background colour and padding in the Follow Text panel on the Style tab. The label has its own typography, colour, background, border, and shadow controls there, so contrast problems are usually solved by styling rather than changing the text itself. That helps when it sits over busy content.

Last reviewed: September 28, 2026

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