Phantom hover pop-up on external monitor (MacBook M2 Pro)

Having a very odd problem, which I believe is connected to using multiple monitors. On one external monitor, while working in one window, I will get "phantom" hover pop-up from OTHER windows. Usually one behind it, like a Finder window or Safari, but sometimes from a window that does not appear to be on any monitor at that time at all.


Specifically, it's what happens when you hold the mouse over a file in the Finder, where the name field is too short to show the full name (so it previews the whole name for you as a hovering box in front of the cursor). However, it's always very grayed out when this error happens (as shown in the screenshot).


In the sample screenshots I've attached, when you zoom in on the weird ghost popup, you can see the file name (just barely). What's weird is that I did not have any Finder windows open with that file visible (or the folder even selected).


This will happen to me while using just about any program, as long as I'm doing work on one of my 2 external monitors. It's very random (maybe a couple times an hour) and I cannot figure out how to replicate it. It does seem to happen more often in my Lenovo monitor than the Wacom, but that's probably because I'm more active in the Lenovo monitor.




computer:

Macbook M2 Pro 14"

Tahoe 26.4.1

Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Pro

MacBook Pro 14″

Posted on Jun 8, 2026 12:56 PM

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Phantom hover pop-up on external monitor (MacBook M2 Pro)

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