Element: pointercancel event

{{APIRef("Pointer Events")}}

The pointercancel event is fired when the browser determines that there are unlikely to be any more pointer events, or if after the {{domxref("Element/pointerdown_event", "pointerdown")}} event is fired, the pointer is then used to manipulate the viewport by panning, zooming, or scrolling.

Some examples of situations that will trigger a pointercancel event:

• A hardware event occurs that cancels the pointer activities. This may include, for example, the user switching applications using an application switcher interface or the "home" button on a mobile device.
• The device's screen orientation is changed while the pointer is active.
• The browser decides that the user started pointer input accidentally. This can happen if, for example, the hardware supports palm rejection to prevent a hand resting on the display while using a stylus from accidentally triggering events.
• The {{cssxref("touch-action")}} CSS property prevents the input from continuing.
• When the user interacts with too many simultaneous pointers, the browser can fire this event for all existing pointers (even if the user is still touching the screen).

[!NOTE] After the pointercancel event is fired, the browser will also send {{domxref("Element/pointerout_event", "pointerout")}} followed by {{domxref("Element/pointerleave_event", "pointerleave")}}.

Syntax

Use the event name in {{domxref("EventTarget/addEventListener", "addEventListener()")}}:

addEventListener("pointercancel", (event) => { })

Alternatively, assign to the event handler property of the interface:

onpointercancel = (event) => { }

Event type

A {{domxref("PointerEvent")}}. Inherits from {{domxref("Event")}}.

{{InheritanceDiagram("PointerEvent")}}

Examples

Using addEventListener():

const para = document.querySelector("p");

para.addEventListener("pointercancel", (event) => {
  console.log("Pointer event canceled");
});

Using the onpointercancel event handler property (but note that this replaces other event listeners added using onpointercancel, if any):

const para = document.querySelector("p");

para.onpointercancel = (event) => {
  console.log("Pointer event canceled");
};

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

• Related events
  • {{domxref('Element/gotpointercapture_event', 'gotpointercapture')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/lostpointercapture_event', 'lostpointercapture')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerover_event', 'pointerover')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerenter_event', 'pointerenter')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerdown_event', 'pointerdown')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointermove_event', 'pointermove')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerup_event', 'pointerup')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerout_event', 'pointerout')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerleave_event', 'pointerleave')}}
  • {{domxref('Element/pointerrawupdate_event', 'pointerrawupdate')}}