How Exit Intent Detection Actually Works
Detection differs by device, which is why some tools work well on desktop but underperform on mobile.
On desktop, a script tracks cursor movement. When the cursor crosses the top of the viewport at high velocity — toward the close button, back arrow, or tab area — the script classifies the movement as exit intent. Slow or sideways movements get filtered out to reduce false positives.
On mobile, there's no cursor. Detection relies on a combination of signals: rapid upward scroll, back-button presses, tab-switch events, and time on page. No single signal is enough on its own, so well-built tools weight several together.
Before the popup shows, GeoPlugin resolves the visitor's IP address to country, region, city, and timezone. That happens in roughly 50ms, so the popup variant matches location without delay.