Prevent apps from stealing focus

Question

Level 1

13 points

Prevent apps from stealing focus

Did anyone every come up with a solution to prevent applications from stealing focus from current window ?
Thanks,
Hotoru
block stop moving

MBP 13 Intel, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Feb 7, 2010 8:31 AM

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Answer 1

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,221 points

May 26, 2017 11:53 AM in response to PTRy

PTRy wrote:

please give us end users the ability to override this in preferences, with an option to "prevent apps from stealing focus" so we can override this.

This is a user to user forum, so nothing you post in this ancient discussion is going to be seen by anybody that can do anything about it. You need to use Apple Feedback or if you have a developer account Apple Bug Reporter to communicate such things.

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Answer 2

PTRy

Level 1

9 points

May 26, 2017 10:07 AM in response to cgapperi

I can't believe this is still an issue. I use a dual monitor setup, and frequently have WebEx in 1 window, with my note taking app in the other. In the span of a 1-hour presentation, I'm forced to manually steal focus back 7 or 8 times. Talk about annoying! Webex is CONSTANTLY switching itself from window mode to full screen and stealing focus; my note taking is interrupted and my keyboard/mouse lose focus. I have to manually switch webex back to window mode and click into my note taking app every 5-10 minutes. It drives me mad. I wonder how many users have been swayed from using their Macs to buying PCs for work due to Apple's neglect to fix this annoyance? It's more than an annoyance; it's simply unusable in this fashion. Want to give app developers the choice to control focus over other apps? Fine...but please give us end users the ability to override this in preferences, with an option to "prevent apps from stealing focus" so we can override this.

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Answer 3

AxeBox360

Level 1

109 points

Jun 21, 2017 10:02 PM in response to PTRy

I've been requesting a fix to this via Apple Feedback every year for the last 7 years. This behavior definitely detracts from productivity . For me the sore spot are when I first login, I have to wait until every last application opens before I can do what I logged into do, and periodic processes that I've automated using Hazel, will cause an app to steal focus with no warning.

But yes, I'll request a fix from Apple again next year.

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Answer 4

bulbuntu

Level 1

4 points

Sep 30, 2017 8:27 PM in response to hotoru

And to think of it this is 2017!!!

Please, Apple give my control back to me.

Can we have at least a "DO NOT DISTURB ME" mode!?!?!?

PS: Imagine my frustration I've about a 100 scripts I need to run everyday for a few hours. This just makes my machine unusable.

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Answer 5

Feb 7, 2010 8:46 AM in response to hotoru

Hi,

Could you expand on that one a little please? Not too sure what is meant by " focus " in particular.

Regards.

Ian.

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Answer 6

hotoru Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 7, 2010 11:08 AM in response to Ian Bickerstaffe

Sorry, by stealing focus I mean that the os switches to another open or opening window than then one you are currently using. If i am on my web browser (firefox, safari) and the OS suddenly shifts to another window that was launched or had an event. This seems to happen on multiple scenarios. One is when I am on the web browser and plugin an ipod snow leopard switches to another space to show me that ipod or launches itunes on top of my current browser if not running. Similar with iphoto. Or iphoto seals focus to tell me that it has finished importing photos. Sometimes I am only notified with a bouncing icon on the doc. Other times it drags the screen to a new window or space.

I do not mind the bouncing icon on the doc but would like the OS to stay on the window in which I am working unless I decide I would like to change to another window.

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Answer 7

Feb 7, 2010 9:25 PM in response to hotoru

Hello again,

Now I see. From the description you give - I do not see a way around this. The OS is doing what you ask of it. It may be better to do one thing at once rather than several.

Regards.

Ian.

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Answer 8

hotoru Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 9, 2010 7:18 PM in response to Ian Bickerstaffe

Hehe, well that kinda kills the whole notion behind multitasking computers and mulitcore processors. 🙂 I would hope that I might be able to get something done in the minutes it takes for the camera to import the pictures rather than just stare at the progress bar. Really frustrating when you are answering an email on one space then are abruptly taken back to another window just as you are hitting return to accidently dismiss a dialog box that you did not have have opportunity to read. Maybe someone will come up with a utility.
Thanks anyway

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Answer 9

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 9, 2010 10:29 PM in response to hotoru

Not at all. If the apps are designed to run in the background, they won't take over focus. Run Activity Monitor (in /Applications/Utilities/), select all processes, and watch how they constantly run and don't take focus. The actions you're doing are directing the OS to switch focus. If you don't want to be interrupted, then don't do the actions that demand the OS switch focus to. E.g., while I have Eudora running in the background, it checks mail, notifies me of new stuff, but doesn't demand or take focus from any other app that I'm running in. As for the spaces stuff, I don't do it, so can't help.

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Answer 10

hotoru Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:09 AM in response to baltwo

I was hoping that I might be able to change the software to meet my needs rather than changing my needs to meet the design of the software.
D

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Answer 11

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,506 points

Feb 11, 2010 6:17 AM in response to hotoru

Send feedback to the software developers. Tell them that you want that option. It is up to them to change the App. Here is [Apple's feedback page|http://www.apple.com/feedback].

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Answer 12

Feb 11, 2010 8:14 PM in response to hotoru

I second this. It is extremely annoying when you are using one space and launch another app that is set to open in another space and the focus is shifted to that space. Just because I launch an app doesnt mean I want it to steal focus. Whats really annoying is when you it steals focus, you switch back to the space you wanted and then it steals it again and wont stop stealing until it completely loads.

<Edited by Host>

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Answer 13

hotoru Author

Level 1

13 points

Feb 12, 2010 7:19 PM in response to Mr. Louis

Yep. Sometimes it feels like a comical focus tug of war. I appreciate all the discussion. I will submit request to Apple.

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Answer 14

Feb 20, 2010 9:39 AM in response to hotoru

Is there really no third part app to stop this focus stealing? Something like tweak UI for windows XP?

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Answer 15

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,506 points

Feb 22, 2010 5:07 PM in response to Mr. Louis

If you start an app, how does the OS know you don't want to have the focus set to that app?

Perhaps the feedback you send to Apple should go in the form of, "if I hold down <modifier key>, open the app in the background." Command and Option are taken, but Shift appears available. Seems a reasonable compromise since a lot of people open apps to use right then.

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