There’s this one thing about Mac that nobody really talks about, but it’s been driving me slightly crazy: the double-click behavior on active windows.
Windows vs Mac: The Click Difference
On Windows, you click a window once and you’re immediately ready to interact. Click a text field, start typing. Click a button, it works. Simple.
On Mac? Nope. You have to click again before you can actually start interacting with anything. This is apparently by design, and I get what Linus was saying in his video now. It’s a little annoying, but not a deal breaker.
When You Really Notice It
You really notice this when you’re running multiple windows across three screens with nothing maximized. I’m constantly switching between VS Code, browsers, terminal windows, and other apps.
Every single time I want to use a window, it’s like the Mac is saying “Are you SURE you want to use this window?” It’s an extra click for every interaction.
The Learning Curve
After a few weeks, I’m getting better at predicting which windows need that extra click and which don’t. But it’s still not intuitive coming from decades of Windows muscle memory.
Sometimes I’ll click on a text field expecting to start typing immediately, then wonder why nothing’s happening. Then I remember—oh right, I need to click again to actually focus the field.
Focus vs Active
I think the difference is between “active” and “focused” windows. On Mac, a window can be active (visible on top) but not focused (ready for input). On Windows, those states seem more unified.
It’s probably better for some workflows, especially when you want to see content in a window without accidentally typing into it. But coming from Windows, it feels like an extra step.
Getting Used to It
I’m adapting, but it’s one of those small UI differences that adds up over time. Combined with learning new keyboard shortcuts and different window management, it’s part of the broader muscle memory retraining that comes with switching platforms.
Not a deal breaker, but definitely something I wish someone had mentioned before I made the switch. It’s the kind of detail that you don’t think about until you’re dealing with it daily.
Still worth the switch for other reasons, but man, these little differences add up.