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How to create Exit Intent Popup in WordPress?

Updated On : September 14, 2026By : Reading Time : 2 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • Popup Builder in Nexter Blocks Pro opens an exit-intent popup when the cursor leaves through the top of the window, where the tab bar and address bar are.
  • Display Conditions lets a popup use more than one trigger at once, and On Button Click stays off if the popup should appear only on exit.
  • Exit intent needs a mouse, so touch visitors on phones and tablets never see it, and it cannot detect keyboard tab closes or app switching.
Table of Contents

The moment before someone leaves is the last chance to say the thing that keeps them.

Exit Intent watches for the cursor heading out of the page and opens the popup then.

For every Popup Builder setting in one place, see the Popup Builder block guide.

LIVE BLOCK LINK

Before You Start

  • Edition: Pro — the Popup Builder block is part of Nexter Blocks Pro.
  • Block to enable: Popup Builder, switched on under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard.
  • The popup’s content decided: a short message, a form, or a saved pattern to load into it.

Learn via Video Tutorial

Steps

  1. Add the Popup Builder block to your page and click Design from Scratch.
  1. In the Content panel, choose a Type and set the popup’s size.
The Content panel with the Type setting
  1. Set Content Type and add what the popup should show.
The Content Type setting with Pattern, Content, Editor and Shortcode
  1. Open Display Conditions and switch Exit Intent on.
The Display Conditions panel with Exit Intent switched on
  1. Publish the page and test it on the front end.

A popup can have more than one display condition switched on at once. Leave On Button Click on only if you also want the button to open it.

How It Behaves

  • The condition is written into the page and the block’s script watches for the cursor leaving through the top of the window.
  • That is where the tab bar and address bar are, which is why it reads as leaving.
  • Switch On Button Click off if the popup should only appear on exit.
  • Combine it with a per visitor limit so someone who leaves twice is not asked twice.

Limitations

  • Pro only.
  • Exit intent needs a mouse. There is no equivalent gesture on a phone or tablet, so touch visitors will never see it.
  • It cannot detect someone closing the tab with a keyboard shortcut, or switching apps.
  • Moving the cursor up to a bookmark or another tab counts as leaving, so it can fire when the visitor was not really going.

Troubleshooting

Nothing happens when I move the mouse away

Move the cursor up and out through the top of the window, and test on the published page.

It never fires on mobile

That is expected: there is no cursor to track. Use On Scroll or After Inactivity for touch visitors.

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Related Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need before creating an exit intent popup in WordPress?

Exit Intent Popup in WordPress is a Pro feature in Nexter Blocks, so the popup builder has to be enabled under Nexter > Blocks in your WordPress dashboard. The popup content also needs to be decided first, whether that is a short message, a form, or a saved pattern. That matters because the block is built around loading content into a popup, not creating the content from scratch later.

Why does my exit intent popup only work on desktop and not on mobile?

Exit intent depends on a mouse cursor, so touch visitors on phones and tablets will never trigger it. The block watches for the cursor leaving through the top of the window, which is something mobile devices do not have. For touch traffic, the page points to On Scroll or After Inactivity as better options in Nexter Blocks.

How does exit intent detection work in WordPress?

The condition is written into the page and the block script watches for the cursor leaving through the top of the window. That top edge matters because it lines up with the tab bar and address bar, so moving upward reads as leaving. A practical gotcha is that moving toward a bookmark or another tab can also count as exit intent, even if the visitor was not truly done.

Can I combine exit intent with other popup triggers?

The popup can have more than one display condition switched on at once. That means Exit Intent can sit alongside On Button Click if you want both behaviors active. If you want the popup to appear only when someone leaves, switch On Button Click off. Combining triggers without thinking through the logic can make the popup feel less targeted.

What should I do if my exit intent popup does nothing when I move the mouse away?

The trigger only fires when the cursor moves up and out through the top of the window on the published page. Testing inside an editor view can be misleading because the script is meant to watch real front-end behavior. If it still feels dead, check that Exit Intent is switched on in Display Conditions and that Popup Builder is enabled under Nexter > Blocks.

Is there a better option than exit intent for touch visitors?

On Scroll and After Inactivity are better fits for touch visitors because exit intent needs a mouse. The page explicitly says there is no equivalent gesture on a phone or tablet, so touch users will never see an exit-intent popup. For mixed traffic, pairing Exit Intent with one of those other triggers gives you coverage across desktop and mobile.

Last reviewed: September 15, 2026

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