Signal Desktop does not focus on the chat box

[AlterNezKo]

Using a supported version?

• I have searched searched open and closed issues for duplicates.
• I am using Signal-Desktop as provided by the Signal team, not a 3rd-party package.

Overall summary

Hello!
When switching between windows signal loses focus on the chat box, forcing you to manually click on it to start typing. It also happens when you click on a new message notification.

It's a small bug but it's annoying when doing “Alt-tab” to quickly switch between windows. The issue occurs in Windows and Linux versions alike.

Steps to reproduce

1. Minimize the application
2. Back using the Alt-Tab shortcut / Click on the notification of a received message.

Expected result

Being able to write directly when returning to the window.

Actual result

Loses focus and must click on the chat to be able to type. which reduces efficiency.

Screenshots

No response

Signal version

7.19.1

Operating system

Debian 12 Bookworm / Windows 10

Version of Signal on your phone

No response

Link to debug log

No response

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Hi there, @AlterNezKo. I just tried Signal Desktop 7.20.0 on macOS Sonoma, Ubuntu 22.04, and Windows 10, and I couldn't get the behavior you described.

To be specific: If I alt-tab/cmd-tab between apps, the focus stays. If I click on the titlebar for each app to switch between the apps, the focus stays. But if I click in the middle of the window, the click will be handled and focus will leave the composition area.

What exactly are you seeing? Potentially this has been fixed in 7.20.0?

[performancer]

Hi @scottnonnenberg-signal

I am also finding problems with the focus on the composition area. with Ubuntu 24, Signal 7.24.1.

The problem seems to be that if you click anywhere at all other than the composition area (open a image and close it, click a sticker to check the sticker pack, or just clicking empty space within the chat itself) , the composition area will loose focus, and requires you once again to click the composition area to regain focus.

This leads to situations where me the user will assume that the focus is not lost during this process and start to type something after for example seeing an image sent to me, and might cause accidental actions as the composition area is not focused.

As I usually jump from window to window by having them in small sizes next to each other and then just by clicking on them (where ever basically), it causes this situation too.

I don't know if this is on purpose, but it really affects my user experience. Thank you.

[SteveDinn]

Same. I'm having issues with both window focus and text-field focus.

I'm using the Windows desktop client v7.25.0 on Windows 10.

• Most of the time, the window isn't minimized either to the taskbar or the system tray, but has just been covered by other windows.
• When I click on a notification, the window will be shown, but it doesn't have focus. I still have to alt-tab to the messenger window to use it. This is pretty weird in itself, to bring a window to the top, but not have it be focused.
• When I get to the window, the correct conversation is showing, but the focus isn't on the text field for me to reply to the message (from the notification I just clicked on).

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[Muzarmo]

I also have this problem. I use Windows Client, v7.36.1.

When I use "Reply" to a message, I have to re-focus the composition area.

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@Muzarmo Sorry about that, there should be a fix in the next release of Signal Desktop