Inconsistent window activation when fullscreen window exists

[kolayne]

Hyprland version

$ hyprctl version
Hyprland 0.51.1 built from branch  at commit 71a1216abcc7031776630a6d88f105605c4dc1c9  ([gha] Nix: update inputs).
Date: Mon Sep 22 20:54:03 2025
Tag: v0.51.1, commits: 6436
built against:
 aquamarine 0.9.4
 hyprlang 0.6.3
 hyprutils 0.8.4
 hyprcursor 0.1.13
 hyprgraphics 0.1.6


no flags were set

Regression

Not sure, probably not.

Describe the bug

When a window is in fullscreen mode on a workspace, focusing another window by the window's request and by hyprctl dispatcher focuswindow behave differently, and neither of the behaviors is consistent with new_window_takes_over_fullscreen = 2 specified in my config.

Reproduction steps

Scenario 1

1. Set misc:new_window_takes_over_fullscreen to 2 and misc:focus_on_activate to true in your config.
2. On workspace 1 open windows A and B, fullscreen window A.
3. From the same or a different workspace, request hyprctl dispatcher focuswindow query_for_window_B.

Expected behavior: switch to workspace 1, unfullscreen A, focus B.

Actual behavior: switch to workspace 1, unfullscreen A and fullscreen B instead, focus B.

Scenario 2

1. Set misc:new_window_takes_over_fullscreen to 2 and misc:focus_on_activate to true in your config.
2. On workspace 1 open windows A and B, fullscreen window A.
3. From the same or a different workspace make window B active (request focus).

Expected behavior: switch to workspace 1, unfullscreen A, focus B.

Actual behavior: switch to workspace 1, focus B while A is still fullscreened! Focus moves to an invisible window!

System info and config

systeminfo.txt

[kolayne]

@vaxerski, I would like to work on this and implement a consistent behavior when a window to be focused conflicts with a fullscreen window on the workspace. Can you confirm the expected behavior?

What should be the behavior options when a tiling window requests focus (or is requested to be focused) on a workspace, where another window is fullscreen? I see the possible options to be supported:

• Focus the workspace and let the window being focused take over fullscreen
• Focus the workspace, unfullscreen the currently fullscreen window, and focus the window to be focused
• Do not switch focus, behave as if misc:focus_on_activate was false (may feel counter-intuitive) (should we do the same if focus is requested with the focuswindow dispatcher?) (does this behavior make sense if the window to be focused and the fullscreen window are on the current workspace?)

Should we try to reuse the misc:new_window_takes_over_fullscreen config option (I suppose, we should then rename/redocument it) or add a new option? What name do you suggest?

[vaxerski]

I assume you mean requests activation.

If new_window_takes_over_fs, I'd say replace. Otherwise, if floating, move to top and focus, otherwise ignore, probably

[kolayne]

Then,

1. Do we keep the old config name?
2. In the ignore case, should we ignore even when requested explicitly with the movefocus dispatcher? Or should the dispatcher force focus regardless of the configured setting? Or should this be configured with a separate option?

[vaxerski]

1. yes
2. no, only for activate