CUR file format: what it is and how to use it

The Windows cursor format is an ICO with a hotspot: small pointer images plus the exact pixel that clicks. Learn when to use it and what to choose instead.

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What is a CUR file?

A .cur file is a mouse pointer for Windows, structurally an ICO sibling: one or more pointer bitmaps at different sizes, plus the hotspot, the single pixel coordinate where clicks actually register. Classic cursors live at 32×32; modern displays may pack larger sizes. The animated sibling, .ani, is a different container.

When should you use CUR?

  • Custom Windows cursors: the only format the OS cursor engine accepts for static pointers.
  • CSS cursors on the web: cursor: url(x.cur) works in browsers for pixel-exact hotspots.
  • Retro UI assets: pointer sets and themed desktops still ship .cur packs.

When is another format a better fit?

For favicons and app icons use ICO, same container, no hotspot semantics. For editing the artwork use PNG, then convert with the hotspot set correctly. For animated pointers you need .ani, not .cur.

The short version: CUR is ICO plus a click-point, needed only when you are actually shipping a cursor.

How to open a CUR file

On Windows

Double-click the file, or open it with IcoFX.

On macOS

GIMP opens CUR files on macOS.

In your browser

Open CUR files right in a browser tab or with the dexrr viewer. No install, no upload.

Also opens in

  • Any web browser
  • GIMP
  • IcoFX
  • RealWorld Cursor Editor

View or convert CUR files

A quick preview or a new format. No install, no upload.

View CUR files Preview and inspect CUR files Convert to CUR Turn files into CUR CUR to ICO Windows Icon CUR to PNG Portable Network Graphics CUR to BMP Windows Bitmap

CUR technical details

Full name
Windows Cursor
Extensions
.cur
MIME type
image/x-icon, image/vnd.microsoft.icon
Magic bytes
00 00 02 00
Compression
Lossless
Developer
Microsoft

CUR questions, answered

How do I open a .cur file?

Windows uses it directly as a cursor; GIMP and icon editors open the bitmaps inside. dexrr displays and converts cur files in your browser.

Can I convert CUR files online?

Yes, dexrr converts cur locally in your browser: CUR to PNG to edit the artwork or CUR to ICO for icon use.

What is the difference between CUR and ICO?

The container is the same, but CUR adds a hotspot coordinate marking the click pixel and is consumed by the cursor system instead of the icon system.

How do I set the hotspot in a .cur file?

Dedicated cursor editors (RealWorld, GIMP plugins, Greenfish) let you mark the pixel. Converting PNG→CUR without a hotspot defaults it to a corner, which is usually wrong.

Is the CUR format outdated?

Stable and niche, still required for real Windows cursors and still honored by browsers in cursor: url(...).