Editing Focus (computing) (section)

{{Short description|The active GUI component receiving input}}
In a [[computing]] [[graphical user interface]] (GUI), a component has '''focus''' when it is selected to receive input from the user by an event such as a mouse button click or keypress.<ref>{{cite web | title=Managing UI Component Focus - Concept of Focus| website=Enlightenment| url=https://www.enlightenment.org/develop/legacy/program_guide/focus_ui_pg#Concept_of_Focus | access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> Moving the focus away from a specific user interface element is known as a '''blur''' event in relation to this element.<ref>{{cite web | title=Javascript Window Blur() and Window Focus() Method|first=Naman|last=Garg| website=GeeksforGeeks | date=12 October 2018 | url=https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/javascript-window-blur-and-window-focus-method/ | access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> Typically, the focus is withdrawn from an element by giving another element the focus. This means that focus and blur [[Event (computing)|events]] are virtually simultaneous in relation to different user interface elements, one that becomes focused and one that is "blurred" (in the computing, not visual, sense).

The concept is similar to a [[Cursor (user interface)|cursor]] in a text-based environment. However, when considering a graphical interface, there is also a [[mouse pointer]] involved. Moving the mouse will typically move the mouse pointer without changing the focus. The focus can usually be changed by clicking on a component that can receive focus with the mouse. Many [[Desktop environment|desktops]] also allow the focus to be changed with the keyboard. By convention, the [[Tab key|{{key press|Tab}}]] key is used to move the focus to the next focusable component and [[Shift key|{{key press|Shift|Tab}}]] to the previous one. When graphical interfaces were first introduced, many computers did not have mice, so this alternative was necessary. This feature makes it easier for [[Computer accessibility|people unable to use a mouse]] to use the user interface. In certain circumstances the [[arrow keys]] can be used to change focus.