Moving a window occasionally shrinks it while moving it.

Question

Level 2

194 points

Moving a window occasionally shrinks it while moving it.

When I want to move a window, I click a neutral part of the window and hold, then drag the window to a new place, then let go. The weird thing is that once in a while the window shrinks to a narrow horizontal window, making it easier to see where I am putting it. Once in place, I let go, and it pops back to the normal window size. Happens randomly--with different apps, IINM. It certainly happens with the Finder, and possibly Mail and others. I'll take note moving forward.

But I can't reproduce this on demand! Is there some feature I'm unaware of that I stumble upon from time to time?

TIA!

asdf

zxcv

iMac 24″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Jan 15, 2025 4:13 AM

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Answer 1

betaneptune Author

Level 2

194 points

Jan 22, 2025 2:48 AM in response to dialabrain

This is unusual, as only the narrowest possible piece of the window is shown. Hope to get something better soon. I still cannot reproduce it on demand. It's the long gray bar about 60% of the way down from the top. It is in mid-move. Here I'm holding it there with the mouse.

asdf

zxc

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Answer 2

betaneptune Author

Level 2

194 points

Jan 15, 2025 4:50 AM in response to dialabrain

The screenshot is just to save me from typing all that stuff in. If I didn't include that, you and others would be asking for the macOS version, hardware model, etc., no?

If I manage to get a screenshot of it occurring, I will post it. But it's not easy to do! I have to press Shift-Cmd-5 while holding the mouse down, during which I can't adjust the screenshot frame! Wait, I can maybe drag it in, if the frame is big enough! Since it only happens once in a while, it's hard to be ready for it. Maybe I can set the thing to crop the full screen in advance. A quick test shows that it might work.

Evidently you've never seen it happen, or you wouldn't need a screenshot. It's quite dramatic. You couldn't help but notice it.

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Answer 3

betaneptune Author

Level 2

194 points

Jan 22, 2025 3:31 AM in response to dialabrain

But I have to remember to have the frame set to the whole screen, because the event can happen at any time. I had to hold the mouse to keep the moving window shrunk, which means I have to take the screenshot with only my left hand. And it was you who suggested Cmd-Sh-3. Maybe it's just another minor bug among others.

It looks like I described. It's a shrunk-down window that I can more, and then when I let go of the mouse button, it expands back to normal size. Just imagine the image I did post, but with the moving window narrower and the full window, but shrunk, there instead.

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Answer 4

betaneptune Author

Level 2

194 points

Jan 22, 2025 3:42 AM in response to dialabrain

That works for Cmd-sh-5. I looked in the folder I set there, and on the desktop for the screenshots, and came up empty. It doesn't work with Cmd-Sh-3. Only Cmd-Sh-5, which is the one I have to keep ready in full screen mode. Which I forgot to do that last time I got this moving window weirditie.

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