macOS Sonoma users report mouse pointer anomalies related to Finder behavior
macOS Sonoma Users started reporting a confusing issue with their mouse pointer after updating to version 14.2. The problem continued its unwanted presence even in the 14.3 beta. Users have noticed that their mouse pointers fail to turn into pop-up icons, such as hand or text cursor, when hovering over links or text. This issue appears to be related to the behavior of the Finder app.
Anomalies in Finder behavior
Typically, when you click on an application window, it should be brought to the front and activated. But contrary to this standard answer, users pointed out that even though the window appears in the foreground, it often remains inactive. This anomaly is suspected to be the reason why the mouse pointer refuses to move to the appropriate icon in the context.
Graphics issues and rendering issues
One user, in particular, using an M1 MacBook Air updated to Sonoma 14.2.1, reported significant issues with their MacOS. The user documented issues that repeatedly appeared after the device woke up from sleep mode, causing the screen to flicker, display graphical errors, and render files incorrectly in Finder. The user has tentatively linked these issues to graphics rendering but is unsure how to test or fix them.
Pointer issues on professional software
Some users have expressed a specific issue with their MacBook Pro, where the mouse pointer refuses to move over the drawing area when using image editing software. This issue has been reported on popular platforms like Capture One or Affinity Photo, especially when a brush tool is enabled. This issue persists whether the user is using the trackpad or magic mouse. A temporary solution found by users is to restart the system. This issue is not software specific and is reported by MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) users running the latest OS version.