Disabling glowing throbbing cursor in macOS 26.0.1

So far only two or three people in this thread have reported seeing this. It is pretty clear that this is not a new look that has been implemented as standard, or we would all encounter it. So far the likeliest explanation is it may be a weird combination of settings where the new Liquid Glass theme causes a glitch.

neuroanatomist wrote:

I suspect that's a combination of system theme (light/dark) and text selection color (System Settings > Appearance) and maybe Books theme. When I select text in a book, the selected text is highlighted mid-gray (system Dark, text selection color Automatic, Books theme Original).

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/232ff1b4-9ae4-4593-9df8-3e69584aa879

That is a very reasonable supposition. I tried to make my settings match the ones you describe, but no matter what I do, selections in Books become opaque for me. Not a big deal, and I would not even found the issue if not for this thread.

I wonder if someone who is affected by this, someday, maybe, possibly, will ever decide to create a new user account on their Mac and see if the issue is present there.

I’m most definitely, certainly, positively not going to hold my breath waiting. In the meantime, looking at pretty blooming colors is fun!

This is not related to 3rd party extensions - I can reproduce in safe mode, but never had any GUI-modding software in any manner...

Mine was in Messages, but its also any field -like safari address field... or a search field in macOS GUI... anywhere. The glow unbearable every-wear but particularly crippling in messages, for example

This is an excellent suggestion - worth taking the time to look.

However, the monitor in question does not have HDR enabled, and the internal retina display (Mac Book Pro) does not present the option.

Regardless the behavior is the same; that is to say the insertion point "glow" is too intense and obstructs vision, accuracy of typing. Further Toggling HDR - for me on this monitor - does not reduce the "glow".

I am even seeing the "glow" typing in this text field on Apple Support website... it is a black cursor, gray gradient glow... and while not intense, it is still annoying to me. The glow is still intense enough to be a bother... impedes instant feedback on the typing line particularly with punctuation and diacriticals.

... then of course the insertion point disappears altogether inconsistently. at times, maybe for a few moments, and completely invisible, until you leave the app and come back, or reset on a different page... or a different field on the same page. smh

I'd rather turn off the glow effect all together and use some other mechanism (simple color change) to indicate dictation input or some other listening "state" the cursor / insertion point is trying to communicate.

Here is an example in iBooks; the bloom is overwhelming in this situation, and as in all cases, it pulsates with the blink of the cursor, adding more distraction when trying to track and pick up what you are typing on the typing line, imho.

I agree that it is distracting and annoying, but how did you even get a cursor in Books?

Text in Books is not editable and clicking anywhere on the text does not provide a text cursor - though I've just noticed an annoying issue there: making a selection completely covers the selected text (even though copying it works correctly). The green area is selected, and that makes the text invisible.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

I agree that it is distracting and annoying, but how did you even get a cursor in Books?

Text in Books is not editable and clicking anywhere on the text does not provide a text cursor

I wondered about that. You can get an insertion point in the Search window in the Books app, but I don't see the oval surround for that in the posted screenshot. We both seem to be assuming that the poster stating "iBooks" means the macOS Books app that used to be called iBooks, but maybe it's a different app.

...though I've just noticed an annoying issue there: making a selection completely covers the selected text (even though copying it works correctly). The green area is selected, and that makes the text invisible.

I suspect that's a combination of system theme (light/dark) and text selection color (System Settings > Appearance) and maybe Books theme. When I select text in a book, the selected text is highlighted mid-gray (system Dark, text selection color Automatic, Books theme Original).

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

That is a very reasonable supposition. I tried to make my settings match the ones you describe, but no matter what I do, selections in Books become opaque for me. Not a big deal, and I would not even found the issue if not for this thread.

I've noted before that Tahoe seems to have a high number of non-obvious dependencies, such that experienced users cannot duplicate issues experienced by each other. A bit annoying, really.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

That is a very reasonable supposition. I tried to make my settings match the ones you describe, but no matter what I do, selections in Books become opaque for me. Not a big deal, and I would not even found the issue if not for this thread.

Right or control click on the opaque selection and choose one of the colors in the menu.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

Fortunately it does not bother much, because I never use it, but it seems stupid. Who would want a selection action to hide whatever is selected? And why on Books, only?

I hear you. Tell that to Preview. It's not completely opaque, but it's darn hard to read the text under the selection.

neuroanatomist wrote:

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

Fortunately it does not bother much, because I never use it, but it seems stupid. Who would want a selection action to hide whatever is selected? And why on Books, only?

I hear you. Tell that to Preview. It's not completely opaque, but it's darn hard to read the text under the selection.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/7afdcb6e-d28b-4564-ba6a-127ff6db6cbe

I don't have this problem in Preview. I tested with many different colors, and selection in Preview is very clearly readable for me.

Search field of the Navaigation app the store / library)

Also you are spot on with the instincts about Accessibility. MS365 Apps trail their PC counterparts, and always trail system track... for new features. in this case that is evident. Below is Message's i/o cursor and also one in OneNote (same in all their other apps; any field):

OneNote - no bloom or glow in any manner... any field

Messages per above

I suspect it is an Accessibility feature / conflict, maybe surrounding the tools for dictation - the prompt bloom and pulse is a visual prompt for users that are hand free. This can't be for serious typers at the console...

Got it, thanks! And sorry I missed it. FYI, there's a 'link' button below each post that copies a link to that post.

And interesting, really suggests that it's some sort of hardware effect and not software.

Has anyone contacted Apple Support? Official Apple Support Or visited a Genius Bar?