Since the early 2000s, I’ve always set my Linux desktops to focus follows mouse. What is that mysterious feature? It’s actually quite simple. By default, most OS desktops require you to click on a window before it gets focus. Essentially, you’ve had to move the cursor to the window and then click on the window before you can use it.
Focus follows mouse does away with that last step, so, all you have to do is move your mouse to a window, and it automatically gets focus.
Say, for instance, you’re working with two different terminal window apps (or two completely different apps,) and you want to quickly switch between them. With both of those windows on your desktop, all you have to do is move the mouse to one, use it, and then move your mouse to the other.
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Even better, there’s a feature called auto raise that not only gives the new window focus but also automatically raises the window. If you’re using two widows and one is behind the other, you can hover your mouse over any part of the background window, and it will get focus and auto-raise so you can start working.
I find that focus follows mouse and auto-raise makes the desktop much easier to use, and you can have that feature on MacOS with a simple app called AutoRaise.
There is one caveat with using focus follows mouse and AutoRaise. If you use Stage Manager, it won’t really be all that effective. If you don’t use Stage Manager, you’ll find AutoRaise to be a real boon to your efficiency.
Let me show you how it’s done.
How to install AutoRaise on your Mac
What you’ll need: The only thing you’ll need for this is a MacOS device. I’ll demonstrate the process with a MacBook Pro running MacOS 15.1.1. That’s it — let’s make some desktop magic.
Locate the file you downloaded in Finder and unpack it with a double-click.
When you double-click the file, you’ll notice a new icon on your desktop for AutoRaise. Double-click that icon, and a new Finder window will open. You should see three files, one of which is the AutoRaise binary. Click and drag the AutoRaise binary into the Applications folder on the Finder left sidebar.
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All you have to do is drag the AutoRaise icon to Applications in the sidebar.
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How to run AutoRaise on your Mac
Now that AutoRaise is installed, you need to run it. Here’s how.
1. Enable the necessary permissions
Click the Launchpad icon on your Dock and search for AutoRaise. When you find the app, click it.
You won’t see anything happen, but if you look at your Menu Bar, you’ll see a small balloon icon. Click that icon, and you’ll be prompted to give permission to the app in System > Accessibility. When the System Settings window opens, click the On/Off slider for AutoRaise until it’s in the On position. You can then close System Settings.
If you don’t enable this permission setting, AutoRaise won’t work.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
2. Open AutoRaise Preferences
Right-click or two-finger tap the balloon icon and then click Preferences. In the resulting window, you’ll want to enable AutoRaise to start when you log in. You’ll also notice that Focus is enabled, but Raise is not. Drag the handle for the Raise option until it isn’t in the 0ms position (you can adjust that as needed). There are more adjustments you can make, but that should do for now.
Go through the preferences carefully, as there might be a setting you need.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
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Close the AutoRaise Preferences window, and you can now experience the delight that is focus follows mouse and auto-raise. Hopefully, those two additional features will help make your time on MacOS a bit less clicky and a bit more efficient.
