Stop stealing focus!

[Tail Kinker]

Here's a hot take: Maybe the Steam client should not steal the focus under any circumstances? You had to code a program to steal focus, which means that Valve's developers have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for their users. The number of times I've accidentally typed something into Steam because someone was on an ego trip at Valve is infuriating, and makes me not want to give them any more money...ever.

[Zefar]

Stealing focus?

I tested with downloading a game and all I get is a notification at the bottom right that it's complete.

If a friend message me it's just a notification at the bottom right.


These two scenarios are the most likely reason for it to steal focus but it didn't do it on those.

I suppose it might happen when you start the program but a lot of programs will pop up at the front when you start them.


So when does it steal focus where it actually becomes a problem?

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by Zefar:

So when does it steal focus where it actually becomes a problem?

I know that the Steam splash screen when it checks for updates at startup steals focus, but if OP is starting their Steam client so often that it's interrupting their work, there's some other problem that needs to be fixed first.

[Tito Shivan]

Originally posted by Ben Lubar:

I know that the Steam splash screen when it checks for updates at startup steals focus.

It's not just that time. The client steals focus at least two to three more times during launch.

Sure it's only during launch. But it's obnoxious if you're trying to do something else while the client launches (like chat or browsing). Allegedly it was a 'bug'... Which seems to be fixed in Valve time.

Originally posted by Zefar:

I suppose it might happen when you start the program but a lot of programs will pop up at the front when you start them.

It's during launch and It's not just popping up front, it steals the focus on your mouse and keyboard so you are taken out of whatever else you were doing multiple times.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Originally posted by Ben Lubar:

I know that the Steam splash screen when it checks for updates at startup steals focus.

It's not just that time. The client steals focus at least two to three more times during launch.

Sure it's only during launch. But it's obnoxious if you're trying to do something else while the client launches (like chat or browsing). Allegedly it was a 'bug'... Which seems to be fixed in Valve time.

Originally posted by Zefar:

I suppose it might happen when you start the program but a lot of programs will pop up at the front when you start them.

It's during launch and It's not just popping up front, it steals the focus on your mouse and keyboard so you are taken out of whatever else you were doing multiple times.

Also when you right click and exit the tray. It's not necessary for Steam to pop up with an "exiting" window.

[Pocahawtness]

Originally posted by Tail Kinker:

Here's a hot take: Maybe the Steam client should not steal the focus under any circumstances? You had to code a program to steal focus, which means that Valve's developers have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for their users. The number of times I've accidentally typed something into Steam because someone was on an ego trip at Valve is infuriating, and makes me not want to give them any more money...ever.

I mentioned this years ago. It annoys me too. Steam still does it.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

Its been annoying since the day it started.

[The End]

Originally posted by Tail Kinker:

Stop stealing focus!

Agreeing, would be nice if they fixed that "bug" it's annoying.

[Zefar]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Originally posted by Zefar:

I suppose it might happen when you start the program but a lot of programs will pop up at the front when you start them.

It's during launch and It's not just popping up front, it steals the focus on your mouse and keyboard so you are taken out of whatever else you were doing multiple times.

I have mine on autostart on Windows launch. Due to that Steam isn't stealing focus. But that is still only during a small period of time. I tested with restarting Steam entirely and it took about 1-2 seconds to start Steam completely.

I wouldn't even have time to go to a web page and start typing in stuff before it's done.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Stealing focus when Steam is set to launch on system boot... https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/6516193260169195817/?ctp=7#c4202489789155320434

I think that was patched in the mainline branch in Feb 2024...

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/4161959294800836361

Stealing focus any time after system boot, manually launching Steam should also be patched.

Originally posted by Tristin:

Its a generic behavior of any programs. Your only solution here is to uninstall it.

Browsers don't steal focus when I launch them and jump back into what I was doing elsewhere. They just open in the background and blink orange in the taskbar.

[Tito Shivan]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Stealing focus when Steam is set to launch on system boot... https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/6516193260169195817/?ctp=7#c4202489789155320434

I think that was patched in the mainline branch in Feb 2024...

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/4161959294800836361

Stealing focus any time after system boot, manually launching Steam should also be patched.

I got so used to 'let it launch' that I didn't check recently. Now it only seems to steal focus when it opens the main screen on the front.
I'm launching the client manually, I don't have it setup to launch on boot.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Stealing focus when Steam is set to launch on system boot... https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/6516193260169195817/?ctp=7#c4202489789155320434

I think that was patched in the mainline branch in Feb 2024...

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110/view/4161959294800836361

Stealing focus any time after system boot, manually launching Steam should also be patched.

I got so used to 'let it launch' that I didn't check recently. Now it only seems to steal focus when it opens the main screen on the front.
I'm launching the client manually, I don't have it setup to launch on boot.

Even the main screen shouldn't steal focus. It's just not working correctly and many people have created threads suggesting it be fixed since the other thread was "quite old before the recent post."

[RedLightning]

Yea.. seems that asking Valve to fix ANYTHING is like pulling 20 teeth. A simple zoom feature.. decade old and closed.

I doubt they will ever fix this 'glaring' issue. Seeing the past actions of Valve.

It actually annoys me to no end. Happens in Linux as well, on startup.

I almost wonder why *anyone* bothers helping Valve at this point, as they could give less of a care for anything that doesn't make them a penny.

I bet they think that if their 'client' wasn't first and foremost in your face on startup, they would lose a penny... again.. in my opinion, I doubt it will EVER get fixed.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Zefar:

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

It's during launch and It's not just popping up front, it steals the focus on your mouse and keyboard so you are taken out of whatever else you were doing multiple times.

I have mine on autostart on Windows launch. Due to that Steam isn't stealing focus. But that is still only during a small period of time. I tested with restarting Steam entirely and it took about 1-2 seconds to start Steam completely.

I wouldn't even have time to go to a web page and start typing in stuff before it's done.

That's fine. As you notice other people have a very different experience in that. I'm apparently a quicker user than you since I *can* type in my browser while Steam is starting.

But I get it, you don't like it when the holy goddess Steam is criticised.

[WhiteKnight]

Surprised they haven't done anything to fix it. It's so irritating when it keeping doing it. Valvo fix this crap.

[metamec]

I wonder if this is related to CEF. If Steam opens several embedded Chromium-based UI elements during launch, it could explain several SetForegroundWindow() calls being fired.