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window sticks to cursor problem

I'm new to Monterey having updated from 10.11 and skipping several version between. I'm also updating to a 2021 M1 MacBook Pro from a 2009 MacBook Pro. I'm experiencing a problem I can not understand where windows stick to the cursor and move when I don't want them to move.


I've never been able to determine how to make this happen, it only happens by accident. When I have multiple windows open (sometimes all the same program, sometimes a mix of programs) and I want to use a window in the background for which I can only see the very top of it's menu bar showing from behind the foreground windows. I click on the visible menu bar, which brings the window to the foreground, I then move my cursor to the part of the page I want to work then click – rather than placing the cursor in that location, the entire window moves.


The piece of menu bar I had clicked on to bring the window forward, had become sticky to the cursor and transported that spot to my next click location. This just happened to me when working with excel and inDesign where the excel window jumped to the new location as I tried to select a cell. 


I very, very, VERY much want to turn this feature off but I don't know what it is called and therefore unable to find it in the system preferences. I'd also be interested in learning the action which causes this to happen so I can stop doing it. It only happens about once out of 4 or 5 dozen clicks, but that works out to dozens of times each day and I find it very disruptive. 


I appreciate any advice you may have. Thank you

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Feb 27, 2022 9:28 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 9:21 AM

Hi there rick_de,


We understand you're intermittently experiencing an issue with windows continuing to move with the cursor when clicking the menu bar in the background.


While the issue only happens intermittently, check to see if it happens with the MacBook Pro in safe mode.


Here's how: How to use safe mode on your Mac


Alternatively, try accessing different windows through Mission Control: Use Mission Control on your Mac


We hope this helps.

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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 28, 2022 9:21 AM in response to rick_de

Hi there rick_de,


We understand you're intermittently experiencing an issue with windows continuing to move with the cursor when clicking the menu bar in the background.


While the issue only happens intermittently, check to see if it happens with the MacBook Pro in safe mode.


Here's how: How to use safe mode on your Mac


Alternatively, try accessing different windows through Mission Control: Use Mission Control on your Mac


We hope this helps.

Mar 14, 2022 12:53 PM in response to rick_de

I'm still very much hoping for a solution to this problem. If it does not happen during safe mode, I'd like to believe that means there is a way to turn it off. But I need to know what is causing this. Please help if you know what this feature is called and where I can find the setting which turns it off. Thank you.

Mar 3, 2022 12:13 PM in response to Erica_S1

Thank you for the suggestions.

I tried Mission Control but it is not a work style that suits me. I don't foresee that I will want to use that option. But safe mode did seem to solve the problem. It is difficult to say for certain with an intermittent problem, but I never saw it happen under safe mode.


What does this mean? Does it explain the problem in some way that will allow me to disable it?

Thank you

window sticks to cursor problem

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