Why do I have to click twice to select something in a MS program that's not in focus?

kelper · Jan 1, 2024

I never have two windows on screen at the same time, so I don't see this as a problem, it's just the way windows works. Is Apple software any different?

TraderGary · Jan 1, 2024

lintek214 said:
So weird seeing what happens to you, but I could not reproduce any of these scenarios.
1) The [no title] fly out is only seen in PP. It never follows the new focused app window.
2) When I copy text from Word and change focus to PP, I can paste with the first right click. I then changed focus to Notepad, right click paste, then changed focus to CMD, right click paste. Worked every time.
3) No issue on the 3rd scenario.

I have Windows 11 Home, Office 2007, and a Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500. I also have enabled: Activate a window...

View attachment 82846

I'm frequently going back and forth between two windows, and I was totally unaware of this setting. I turned it ON and now going back and forth between two windows works without having to click first on a window to activate it.

In Windows 11 Pro you get to this setting in Control Panel.

@lintek214 you get a "Great Support" from me. I love it when I learn something valuable.

Edwin · Jan 1, 2024

lintek214 said:
I also have enabled: Activate a window...

Understood, but that is not a solution. It's simply a workaround.
'Course, those who do not experience the issue are obviously not in need of a solution.
There may never be a solution! Still doesn't change the fact that you cannot paste into an Office app with one click, by default.

TraderGary · Jan 1, 2024

Edwin said:
Understood, but that is not a solution. It's simply a workaround.
'Course, those who do not experience the issue are obviously not in need of a solution.
There may never be a solution! Still doesn't change the fact that you cannot paste into an Office app with one click, by default.

You're right that the default doesn't work. The nice thing about Windows is that you don't always have to accept the defaults. For me it's not a "workaround", it's an actual setting. It eliminates the need to first click on a Window to activate it. As soon as my cursor is over the Window it's activated. As with any Window, you do have to click to place the cursor where you're going to edit or paste.

Edwin · Jan 1, 2024

TraderGary said:
As with any Window, you do have to click to place the cursor where you're going to edit or paste.

Yeah, sort of..., but, by and large, the cursor remains where you left it...,
... but that's not even the entirety of the focus issue...
(Last video, I promise!!!)

TraderGary · Jan 1, 2024

@Edwin I've turned ON "Activate a Window by hovering over it with the mouse".

I'm using Microsoft 365. I put Word in the left panel, and I put Notepad in the right panel.

I copied text from Notepad and moved my cursor to Word. It activates. I right-click and paste my copy. One click

I did not have to do two clicks as you demonstrated.

Next, I clicked on Notepad menu and there is the menu. Then I move my cursor to Word and click on the menu, it activates. One click.

Have you tried turning ON "Activate a Window by hovering over it with the mouse"? It works for me, and I like it this way.

Edwin · Jan 1, 2024

TraderGary said:
Have you tried turning ON "Activate a Window by hovering over it with the mouse"?

Yeah, I've tried that setting in the past..., it's also annoying.

Truth be told..., I think I'm more annoyed with not knowing why Office apps act that way, than the fact that they do! :woozy:

TraderGary · Jan 1, 2024

@Edwin, I agree. Office applications do indeed work that way. Specifications are decided on and then given to the programmers to implement. Your guess is as good as mine as to why Microsoft decided to do it this way.

Until you brought this to my attention, I had never noticed Office apps worked this way, and I've used Microsoft Office for 35 years.

Edwin · Jan 1, 2024

TraderGary said:
Until you brought this to my attention, I had never noticed Office apps worked this way...

I don't think I did either, until I bought Home & Student 2019, perhaps.
But, when COVID hit, I was designing, compiling and assisting on 6 - 12 Livestream presentations per week!
I'd often be copying and pasting for 4 or 5 hours straight, that's when it started driving me nuts!

Edwin · Jan 13, 2024

Another thing:
PowerPoint refuses to remember the monitor I choose for Slideshow!

Edwin · Jan 24, 2024

Question for anyone in the know...
If I have only one slide selected, to Save as..., is there a way to do away with this prompt?

maje90 · Apr 26, 2025

sunnyrio said:
Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse

Trash option. It breaks all and every other interacion with multiple apps open at the same time... not usable at all.

Edwin said:
Understood, but that is not a solution. It's simply a workaround.

Absolutely.

---

Thank you, @Edwin for trying to solve this.
I don't understand what's more incredible: microsoft creating this problem and not solving it, or the people in this forum trying so hard to see it as not a problem.
Do you ever found a proper solution, @Edwin ?

Edwin · Apr 26, 2025

maje90 said:
Do you ever found a proper solution, @Edwin ?

Nope!
I just try to adjust my muscle memory..., still drives me nuts, though!

maje90 · Apr 26, 2025

@Edwin
ok so, I tried with AutoHotKey ...it works!

Install AutoHotKey V2 version.

Save this script:

Code:

CoordMode "Mouse", "Screen"
SetTitleMatchMode 2

~LButton::{
MouseGetPos &x,&y
if not WinActive("Excel"){
    Sleep 10 ; to give time for the app to get focused
    if WinActive("Excel"){
        MouseClick "right"
        Send "{Escape}"
        if GetKeyState("LButton"){
            MouseClick "left",x,y,,,"D"
        }else{
            MouseClick "left",x,y
        }      
    }
}
}

into a "office focus fix.ahk" file and then run it.

As entering Excel with a fast second click would result in a "double-click" that wouldn't let you click the actual correct cell (MS Office devs are moronic at minimum) ... the "trick" was to make a fast right click and then an Escape keypress (what a mess!).

Then I managed to let normal click-n-drag features work in both, outside and inside excel.
This is my first time using AutoHotKey, so I've not deeply tested it... beware.

Let me know if there are problems and maybe try to pin-point how to replicate them so we can fix it!

Cheers!

Edwin · Apr 26, 2025

maje90 said:
Let me know if there are problems and maybe try to pin-point how to replicate them so we can fix it!

Thanks for the tip! I might give it a try...,
I just remembered, Classic Paint has the same anomaly!

maje90 · Apr 26, 2025

Edwin said:
I just remembered, Classic Paint has the same anomaly!

It should be possible to create a "group" or list of apps to use for the autohotkey functions, I've seen in the examples but I didn't manage to do that too... if somebody need it I'll try further....

Why do I have to click twice to select something in a MS program that's not in focus?

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