HocusFocus

Product Introduction

1. HocusFocus is a macOS utility designed to automate display focus management in multi-monitor setups. It instantly shifts active screen focus when the cursor moves between displays, eliminating the need for manual clicks to activate windows. The tool operates by detecting cursor position changes and automatically restoring the last-focused application on the target display. It integrates natively with macOS 13.0 or later, requiring no complex configurations.
2. The core value lies in enhancing productivity by removing friction in multi-screen workflows. By maintaining contextual focus based on cursor movement, users avoid disruptions caused by manual window activation. This ensures seamless transitions between tasks across monitors, particularly beneficial for professionals relying on rapid screen-switching.

Main Features

1. HocusFocus automatically activates displays via cursor hover detection, triggering immediate focus shifts without user input. This feature leverages macOS APIs to track cursor position and update the active display context in real time. The system restores the last-focused application window on the target screen, preserving workflow continuity.
2. The tool eliminates manual clicking by intercepting mouse movement events to handle display activation. It bypasses macOS’s default behavior, which requires a click to switch focus between screens, reducing physical interaction by 100% for this action. This applies universally to all applications, including full-screen and borderless windows.
3. It operates with minimal system resources, consuming less than 1% CPU during typical usage and under 10MB of memory. The background process prioritizes efficiency, ensuring no impact on graphics performance or battery life for laptops. Users can toggle functionality via a menu-bar icon without opening a dedicated interface.

Problems Solved

1. The product addresses the macOS limitation where moving the cursor to another display does not automatically activate that screen’s windows. Traditional workflows require at least one click per display switch, creating inefficiencies in tasks requiring frequent screen transitions. This disrupts creative and technical workflows involving drag-and-drop operations or cross-screen referencing.
2. Primary users include professionals working with multi-monitor Mac setups, such as video editors, software developers, and financial analysts. It particularly benefits those using 3+ displays where manual focus management becomes impractical. Remote workers utilizing external monitors with laptops also gain significant efficiency improvements.
3. Typical scenarios include dragging files between screens without losing focus, comparing documents side-by-side across monitors, and maintaining application context during presentations. Developers debugging code across multiple IDE windows and designers working with palette-heavy creative suites see immediate productivity gains.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike competing tools like MultiMonitorTool or DisplayFocus, HocusFocus implements true hover-based activation without requiring keyboard shortcuts or predefined hot zones. Competitors often introduce input latency exceeding 200ms, while HocusFocus achieves sub-50ms response times through direct event handling.
2. The pause-while-typing feature uniquely prevents accidental focus shifts during text entry by disabling cursor tracking until 500ms after the last keystroke. An adjustable activation delay (0-1000ms) allows fine-tuning for specific workflows, such as avoiding unintended switches during precise cursor movements near screen edges.
3. As a free offering on the Mac App Store, it undercuts paid alternatives like Focusless ($9.99) while offering superior compatibility with macOS Sonoma and Apple Silicon architectures. The absence of data collection or internet permissions provides privacy advantages over cloud-dependent competitors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does HocusFocus collect any user data? No personal or usage data is collected, transmitted, or stored by the application. All processing occurs locally on the device without requiring network access or user accounts.
2. What macOS versions are supported? The utility requires macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or newer due to dependencies on the SwiftUI 4 framework and enhanced pointer event APIs. It is fully compatible with Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs.
3. How does it handle accidental focus shifts during typing? The pause-while-typing feature temporarily disables cursor tracking when keyboard input is detected. This remains active for a configurable duration (default 500ms) after the last keystroke, preventing focus changes during text editing sessions.