> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.glassine.ink/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The caret

> An insertion point that glides between positions instead of jumping, and how to tune it.

The caret in Glassine is drawn by the app, not by the text system, so it can move the way a thing moves: when you press an arrow key, click somewhere, or type, it glides to the new position over about a quarter of a second, easing out, instead of vanishing from one place and appearing in another. It takes its colour from the theme — usually the accent — and its blink is a soft fade rather than an on-off flicker.

Everything about it is in Settings → Caret.

| Setting             | Default | What it does                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Smooth movement     | On      | The glide itself. Off, the caret snaps like any other.                                                                                           |
| Glide time          | 270 ms  | How long a move takes, from 40 to 300 ms.                                                                                                        |
| Smooth while typing | On      | Whether the caret also glides from letter to letter as you type. Off, it glides for arrow keys and clicks but snaps instantly under your typing. |
| Blink               | Soft    | *Soft* fades in and out. *Classic* is the traditional on-off blink. *Never* holds steady.                                                        |
| Width               | 4 pt    | From 1 to 4 pt, in half-point steps.                                                                                                             |

If Reduce Motion is on in System Settings → Accessibility, gliding is turned off automatically and the caret behaves like a standard one. The same switch stills every other animation in the app; the [small delights page](/reference/small-delights) lists them.