Launch at Login
Enable startup only if FocusHop should be ready after every sign-in. Disable it when using the app only with a docked desk setup.
FocusHop support / Knowledge base
Set up the jump, then keep your focus.
Start with display numbering and pointer movement, then add App Finder and the window workflow that matches your installation channel.
Quick Start
Start with one visible result at a time
You can learn cursor and app navigation without granting Accessibility. Add a window workflow only after the first three actions feel predictable.
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Map the desk
Open FocusHop and use Screen Overlay to compare Screen 1-N with the current macOS arrangement. Recheck after docking, reconnecting, or changing DisplayLink hardware.
Control + Command + Space by default
Check: Every connected display briefly shows its current number, so you know which destination shortcut to use.
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Jump and confirm
Use the configured cursor modifier with a display number, or move by the physical left, right, up, or down arrangement. Find Cursor also works when you cannot move farther at a boundary screen.
Control + Command + number or arrow; Return finds the cursor
Check: The pointer enters the target display and a pulse confirms exactly where it landed.
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Bring the right app forward
Hold the App Finder modifier and press an initial. Chinese app names can use pinyin initials; repeat the letter or use the arrow keys for same-letter candidates.
Control + Option + Command + initial by default
Check: The running app comes forward. App Store uses the visible window center when available; Direct can restore a minimized window and try the default focus with Accessibility, falling back to the window center.
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Choose the window path
Direct users select Grant Permission when they want direct active-window moves or layouts. App Store users follow the in-app guide to configure native macOS App Shortcuts; the App Store edition does not directly control other apps' windows.
Direct uses Control + Option + Command with a display number or direction
Check: App Store runs your configured macOS window menu command. Direct moves a supported window, then tries its default focus or falls back to its center.
Learn one modifier layer, then reuse the pattern
These are the current defaults. Modifier keys can be changed in Settings, and actual availability depends on shortcuts already owned by macOS or another app.
01 Cursor navigation Control + Command + number / arrow keys
Jump to a connected Screen 1-N or move according to the physical display direction.
02 Show Screen Overlay Control + Command + Space
Briefly show the current number on every connected display.
03 Find Cursor Control + Command + Return
Show a lightweight pulse at the current pointer position without moving it.
04 Direct window movement Control + Option + Command + number / arrow keys
Direct edition only. Requires Accessibility and moves the active window to a display or in a physical direction.
05 Direct half-screen layouts Control + Option + arrow keys
Direct edition only. Requires Accessibility and applies a supported half-screen window layout.
Troubleshooting
Common multi-display problems
Most issues come from changed display numbering, shortcut ownership, missing channel setup, or an app window that does not support the requested layout.
- 01
The pointer goes to the wrong screen
Open the display map again. macOS may change screen numbering after reconnecting a monitor, docking, or changing a DisplayLink topology.
- 02
A shortcut does nothing
Check the yellow conflict warning in Settings. If macOS or another utility owns the same combination, choose a different modifier layer.
- 03
App Finder selects the wrong app
Repeat the initial or use arrow keys to cycle candidates. FocusHop remembers the most recently selected candidate for that initial.
- 04
A minimized app does not appear
Verify that the app is running. In Direct, minimized-window recovery may request Accessibility; grant it only if you need that action. In App Store, restore the window using macOS before retrying App Finder. App activation is not a guarantee that every minimized window will reopen.
- 05
Direct window movement is unavailable
Basic pointer jumps and running-app activation continue without Accessibility. Use Grant Permission only for direct window movement, layouts, focus, or minimized-window recovery, then relaunch if macOS requests it.
- 06
App Store window movement is unavailable
The App Store build does not request Accessibility. Complete the Native Window Shortcuts guide and verify the configured macOS menu command names.
- 07
A window cannot use the requested layout
Some utility panels and app-specific windows do not support half-screen, maximize, or cross-display placement. FocusHop falls back without reading or uploading window content.
- 08
The pointer misses the text field
Direct Active Window Focus tries the default focus with Accessibility, then falls back to the window center. App Store uses a visible window center when available; it does not query another app's input controls.
Everyday settings
Settings and everyday behavior
These settings help FocusHop stay predictable as the desktop, language, and startup workflow change.
Language switching
Change the available app language in Settings. Shortcut behavior and display limits do not change with the interface language.
DisplayLink layouts
FocusHop works with displays macOS recognizes. Reconfirm numbering when a DisplayLink dock or adapter changes the reported arrangement.
Channel-specific setup
Direct and App Store builds reach similar user goals through different permission models. Follow only the instructions for the installed channel.
FAQ
FocusHop support essentials
Answers for display limits, installation channels, permissions, shortcuts, and App Finder.
Does FocusHop work with my current monitor arrangement?
FocusHop follows the displays and physical arrangement currently reported by macOS. Number shortcuts target the connected Screen 1-N, while direction shortcuts choose a display to the left, right, above, or below. This supports side-by-side, stacked, and mixed layouts without requiring a fixed monitor count.
Does FocusHop work with one monitor?
Yes. Find Cursor, App Finder, Launch at Login, and supported window-layout actions remain useful on one display. A screen jump has nowhere else to go, but Find Cursor still pulses at the current pointer position so the command provides clear orientation instead of failing silently.
Why do display numbers change when I connect or disconnect a monitor?
FocusHop dynamically follows the displays macOS currently reports rather than assigning permanent numbers to disconnected hardware. Docking, reconnecting, or changing a DisplayLink topology can therefore change Screen 1-N. Use Screen Overlay after the desk setup changes to confirm the current numbers.
Does FocusHop require Accessibility permission?
Basic pointer jumps, Screen Overlay, Find Cursor, and activation of a running app do not require Accessibility. The App Store edition never requests it. Direct can request it for active-window movement, layouts, default-focus queries, or restoring a minimized window. Use the Grant Permission explanation for the action you need; window content is not uploaded.
What happens when more than one app starts with the same letter?
Repeat the initial or use the Up and Down arrow keys to cycle matching running apps. FocusHop remembers your latest choice for that initial. Direct can restore a minimized window with Accessibility; in App Store, restore it using macOS if activation does not reopen it. App Finder does not promise precise selection of every window belonging to an app.
Can FocusHop find Chinese app names?
Yes. App Finder can match a Chinese application name by its pinyin initial. If several running apps share that initial, repeat it or use the Up and Down arrow keys to cycle the candidates.
What is the difference between App Store and Direct?
They are two ways to install one product. Both include pointer navigation, Overlay, Find Cursor, and the full App Finder. The App Store edition does not request Accessibility and does not directly control other apps’ windows; its guide helps you configure native macOS App Shortcuts. Direct can request Accessibility for direct active-window movement and layouts. Free or Pro remains the plan inside either edition.
What is the difference between FocusHop Free and Pro?
Free is permanently available, includes every feature in the selected installation channel, and manages up to two displays. Pro has the same features, includes a one-month free trial, and manages up to eight displays.
Free and Pro describe the display allowance after installation, not the price of obtaining the app. The US Mac App Store currently lists installation at $4.99. Check your regional store and the in-app Pro offer before purchase; do not assume an App Store purchase activates a Direct-channel entitlement.
How do I move an active window to another display?
In the App Store edition, follow FocusHop’s setup guide to create native macOS App Shortcuts for the relevant window menu commands; FocusHop does not directly control those windows. In the Direct edition, choose Grant Permission when prompted, then use the configured direct window shortcut. Accessibility is required only for that Direct control path.
Can I change the FocusHop keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Modifier layers are configurable in Settings while the number, direction, Overlay, and Find Cursor patterns stay consistent. Current defaults include Control + Command for cursor actions and Control + Option + Command for App Finder. A yellow warning identifies combinations already owned by macOS or another app.
Which Macs can run FocusHop?
FocusHop supports macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. It works with displays recognized by macOS, including common DisplayLink setups, but it does not install display drivers or create virtual displays.
Next step
Still blocked after checking the workflow?
Send feedback with the FocusHop channel, macOS version, display count, and the command you expected to work. Do not attach private desktop content unless it is necessary and safe.