# Element: releasePointerCapture() method



The **`releasePointerCapture()`** method of the
[Element](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Element) interface releases (stops) [_pointer capture_](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Pointer_events#pointer_capture) that was
previously set for a specific ([PointerEvent](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/PointerEvent)) _pointer_.

## Syntax

```js-nolint
releasePointerCapture(pointerId)
```

### Parameters

- `pointerId`
  - : The [pointerId](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/PointerEvent/pointerId) of a
    [PointerEvent](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/PointerEvent) object.

### Return value

None ([undefined](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/undefined)).

### Exceptions

- `NotFoundError` [DOMException](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/DOMException)
  - : Thrown if `pointerId` does not match any active pointer.

## Examples

This example sets pointer capture on a [div](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/div) when you press down on
it. This lets you slide the element horizontally, even when your pointer moves outside of
its boundaries.

### HTML

```html
<div id="slider">SLIDE ME</div>
```

### CSS

```css
div {
  width: 140px;
  height: 50px;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background: #ffbbee;
}
```

### JavaScript

```js
const slider = document.getElementById("slider");

function beginSliding(e) {
  slider.onpointermove = slide;
  slider.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
}

function stopSliding(e) {
  slider.onpointermove = null;
  slider.releasePointerCapture(e.pointerId);
}

function slide(e) {
  slider.style.transform = `translate(${e.clientX - 70}px)`;
}

slider.onpointerdown = beginSliding;
slider.onpointerup = stopSliding;
```

### Result

## Specifications

## Browser compatibility

## See also

- [Element.hasPointerCapture()](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Element/hasPointerCapture)
- [Element.setPointerCapture()](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Element/setPointerCapture)
- [Pointer events](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Pointer_events)