I would like to prevent an HTML page refresh (given a variable refreshMode != 1):

window.onbeforeunload = function(e) {
   if(refreshMode == 1){
     return;
   }else{
     // don't do it!
    e.preventDefault();
   }
};

I have tried e.preventDefault() and e.stopPropagation(), but neither appears to be preventing the refresh from submit the request.

Is it possible to do this?

I would like to prevent an HTML page refresh (given a variable refreshMode != 1):

window.onbeforeunload = function(e) {
   if(refreshMode == 1){
     return;
   }else{
     // don't do it!
    e.preventDefault();
   }
};

I have tried e.preventDefault() and e.stopPropagation(), but neither appears to be preventing the refresh from submit the request.

Is it possible to do this?

• javascript
• page-refresh

• I have never done this by this way but there is others like using Ajax. If you are trying to do a one-page website I remend looking reactjs navigation. – Victor Molina Commented Aug 15, 2020 at 15:51
• did you try return false ? – Dominik Matis Commented Aug 15, 2020 at 15:52
• Try return true: jsfiddle/ydbnuvt1 – Will Commented Aug 15, 2020 at 15:52
• 1 Does this answer your question? Prevent a webpage from navigating away using JavaScript – luk2302 Commented Aug 15, 2020 at 15:52
• e.preventDefault(); should work if you are handling the submit of a form through "onSubmit()", you doing that? – Menawer Commented Aug 15, 2020 at 15:58

1 Answer 1

Set a return value in additiont o preventing default. You cannot change the prompt text (that used to be possible), and you cannot prevent the prefresh if the user confirms on the prompt.

See https://developer.mozilla/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/beforeunload_event

window.addEventListener('beforeunload', (event) => {
  // Cancel the event as stated by the standard.
  event.preventDefault();
  // Chrome requires returnValue to be set.
  event.returnValue = '';
});