Document: selectstart event

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  1. Examples
  2. Specifications
  3. Browser compatibility
  4. See also

The selectstart event of the Selection API is fired when a user starts a new selection.

If the event is canceled, the selection is not changed.

Bubbles Yes
Cancelable Yes
Interface Event
Event handler property onselectstart

Examples

// addEventListener version
document.addEventListener('selectstart', () => {
  console.log('Selection started'); 
});

// onselectstart version
document.onselectstart = () => {
  console.log('Selection changed.');
};

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
Selection API
The definition of 'selectstart' in that specification.		 Working Draft Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidEdge MobileFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
selectstart event
Experimental
Chrome Full support YesEdge ? Firefox Full support 52
Full support 52
Full support 43
Disabled
Disabled From version 43: this feature is behind the dom.select_events.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
IE Full support YesOpera ? Safari Full support 1.3WebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesEdge Mobile ? Firefox Android Full support 52
Full support 52
Full support 43
Disabled
Disabled From version 43: this feature is behind the dom.select_events.enabled preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
Opera Android ? Safari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android ?

Legend

Full support  
Full support
Compatibility unknown  
Compatibility unknown
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
User must explicitly enable this feature.
User must explicitly enable this feature.

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

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Contributors to this page: chrisdavidmills, irenesmith, mdnwebdocs-bot, mfluehr, erikadoyle, Ehsan, wirmar, Nickolay, Sebastianz, teoli
Last updated by: chrisdavidmills,