Linux cursor themes: previews and safe installs
A cursor theme is a small change that shows everywhere. Cursor themes install like icon themes, into ~/.local/share/icons or /usr/share/icons, and each comes in sizes and often in color variants.
Getting the same cursor in every app takes two settings on most setups: the GTK setting, through your desktop settings, nwg-look or gsettings, and the XCURSOR_THEME and XCURSOR_SIZE environment variables for everything else, including Xwayland apps on Wayland compositors.
5 entries · each pinned to an exact upstream version · updated
All 5 entries, compared
Filter in the catalogue →| Setup | Works with | Difficulty | What it changes | Maintenance | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works with: Any desktop (Wayland & X11) | Advanced | Changes: 1 package | Active | Stars: 4.2k | |
| Works with: Any desktop (Wayland & X11) | Advanced | Changes: 1 package | Quiet | Stars: 2.1k | |
 Catppuccin CursorsSoothing pastel cursors in all Catppuccin flavors and accents. | Works with: Any desktop (Wayland & X11) | Advanced | Changes: 1 package | Active | Stars: 758 |
 Vimix CursorsX cursor theme inspired by Material design. | Works with: Any desktop (Wayland & X11) | Moderate | Changes: 1 package | Quiet | Stars: 461 |
 Google CursorMaterial Design cursor theme with color variants. | Works with: Any desktop (Wayland & X11) | Manual setup | Changes: Nothing for you: follow the upstream guide | Quiet | Stars: 445 |
How to choose
- Pick a variant that matches your theme’s light or dark mode.
- Choose a size that fits your display scaling; many themes ship several.
- A user install needs no sudo and is undone by deleting one folder.
Questions
Why is my cursor different in some apps?
Those apps read another setting. Set the cursor theme in your GTK settings and in the XCURSOR_THEME and XCURSOR_SIZE environment variables, then log out and back in.
Where are cursor themes installed?
Alongside icon themes, in ~/.local/share/icons for your user or /usr/share/icons system-wide.
How do I set the cursor on Hyprland?
Set the XCURSOR_THEME and XCURSOR_SIZE environment variables in your Hyprland config, and the GTK cursor theme with nwg-look or gsettings.