Focus follows mouse on a Mac
On Linux, the window under the pointer can get focus without a click. macOS has no such setting. How to get focus follows mouse, and its opposite, on a Mac.
Focus follows mouse means the window under the pointer becomes the active one, no click needed. It is a favourite on Linux desktops and missing from macOS.
Why macOS lacks it
The Mac has one menu bar at the top of the screen for the active app. If focus followed the pointer, moving the mouse up to the menu bar would cross other windows and change which app's menus you were reaching for.
How ClutterFreeMac does it
Turn on Focus follows the pointer in Settings, Navigation. To avoid the menu bar problem it is careful: it waits for a short pause, so sweeping across windows does not flicker focus, and only focuses windows on your strip that are fully in view.
The opposite: pointer follows focus
Move focus with the keyboard and the pointer stays behind, so your next click lands in the wrong window. Pointer follows focus moves the pointer to the middle of the window you move to with ⌃ ⌥ and an arrow.
Questions
Can I make the window under my mouse active without clicking on a Mac?
Not with macOS settings. ClutterFreeMac has a Focus follows the pointer option for windows on its strip.
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