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I use Gnome-Shell with 2 Displays.
One if the display is fixed. So there is only one Workspace on there.
The other display has dynamic workspaces enabled.

When I work on the dynamic workspace and switch to the workspace below, what happens is that while the effect of switching the workspace, gnome changes the focus to the other display with the fixed workspace. This is very annoying as I actually only wan't my focus to be on the window that is the the workspace I switch to.

Any idea how to fix this?

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  • 1
    Have you found a solution ? I'm facing the exact same issue. The only "workaround" I found is to limit the application switcher <Alt-Tab> to the current workspace, otherwise it's driving me crazy !
    – Vser
    Oct 28, 2015 at 20:25
  • Or is it application related ? A (similar issue)[askubuntu.com/questions/414892/… was due to google hangouts.
    – Vser
    Oct 28, 2015 at 20:43
  • It looks like this is still a thing in 2018 :( Apparently it happens only if your secondary display is to the left (i.e.: "first") of your primary one (the dynamic one). Quite the PITA I'd say.
    – emi
    Jun 8, 2018 at 11:41
  • I have my secondary screen "on top" of my main screen, and used to happen as described. But check out Cibico99 solution, it works quite fine.
    – Harrys Kavan
    Jun 11, 2018 at 11:57

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Current best solution:

There still appears to be no solution to this problem, but here is my workaround.

I have changed the focus mode from click, by default, to mouse. This means that focus follows the mouse allowing me to play a movie on my second monitor while leaving my mouse on my main display w/ workspaces, retaining focus while switching workspaces.

Steps:

  • Using dconf-editor (as your user, not root), navigate to org -> gnome -> desktop -> wm -> preferences

  • Select focus mode and change it to mouse

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  • Is this still the best solution?
    – michaeljdennis
    May 19, 2023 at 1:13
  • For the moment, it is the only solution. But the MR #2909 is going to solve this problem. It was already merged and ready to deploy on GNOME 44.
    – Jairo Mejia
    Aug 9, 2023 at 8:49
  • This solution worked for me. However it should be noted, that the UI options have changed since the time this answer was posted. The new location to find this setting is at: Tweaks app (dconf-editor) --> windows --> Window Focus --> Focus on Hover
    – Ishan
    Nov 21, 2023 at 11:29

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