In Microsoft Excel, all versions as far as I can tell (office 2007 to 2019), implement window focus differently than any other Windows apps: When Excel does not have focus (i.e. you're using another app) and you click on the Excel window, the first click does nothing except focus the window. No matter where you click, nothing happens. It requires a second click to actually click on whatever you were aiming at the first time.
I realize this may be a "feature" added to help prevent accidental focus changes or deselection of a large range, but it is absolutely maddening to someone who is used to the standard way that windows work: the first click to the window actually performs whatever action the mouse pointer is over.
Is there any way to disable this "feature" so that Excel receives focus and clicks in the same way as any other app? Note: activating windows on hover is NOT a viable option for me.
The goal is to be able to click within the Excel window once, even when Excel is not the currently active (focused) application, and have whatever function, cell, button, etc that the mouse pointer is over become activated.
If you aren't clear on what I'm talking about, just try it:
- Open Excel
- Open another app
- Put both apps on the screen side by side
- Click to the other app.
- Click back on the Excel app. You will see that it takes 2 clicks to actually do whatever function in Excel you're trying to do. For example if you click on an un-selected cell, the first click will not select that cell. You'll have to click again, after the first click focuses the Excel window, to select the cell. If you're clicking on a toolbar button, you'll have to click again, after the first click focuses the Excel window, to activate that button.
This drives me absolutely insane as I switch back and forth between apps quickly. I hope someone has figured out a way to disable this.
Thank you for any insight!
Some existing questions, but no good answers:
How can I click on an inactive Excel window and have Excel move to the cell I clicked on?
How to stop Microsoft Office apps ignoring click on unfocused window
