I want to programmatically focus on an input:

document.getElementById('widgetu25071_input').focus()

This does not work when the developer console is open. Is there some way to do it without closing the console first?

You can recreate the issue on google:

Open console and execute:

document.getElementById('lst-ib').focus();

result for me: does not focus

now try: open console and execute:

setTimeout(function() {
document.getElementById('lst-ib').focus();
}, 9000);

close console quickly. Focus works when the timeout is finished.

I want to programmatically focus on an input:

document.getElementById('widgetu25071_input').focus()

This does not work when the developer console is open. Is there some way to do it without closing the console first?

You can recreate the issue on google.:

Open console and execute:

document.getElementById('lst-ib').focus();

result for me: does not focus

now try: open console and execute:

setTimeout(function() {
document.getElementById('lst-ib').focus();
}, 9000);

close console quickly. Focus works when the timeout is finished.

• javascript
• google-chrome

• 1 um, not sure why console would make a difference. – epascarello Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 16:36
• I think your question is not related to JavaScript tag. – Mehdi Dehghani Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 16:37
• Is what you're trying to focus on a DOM element or a DOM element with a class/id? If a widgetu25071_input is the class/id you need to prepend your selector with . for class or # for id. – Daryl Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 16:38
• @Daryl sry that was a copy paste error. I have updated the question – Chris Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 16:39
• 3 The described behaviour on google. with the console open only occurs if the console has the focus. If you launch your Timeout code and click somewhere so the console doesn't have the focus, your code will work. – Guillaume Georges Commented Jan 17, 2018 at 16:51

1 Answer 1

I forget about this every couple years and it drives me crazy until I remember again. So I'm adding an answer for myself and anyone else...

JavaScript basically thinks you're in a different application and can't steal focus to focus wherever you want to focus. ; ) You'll find this behavior if your cursor is in the console or in the URL bar of the browser.

Mouse hover events will still fire but you won't be able to gain focus anywhere on the page unless focus is already on the actual page.

So for example, if you have a little popup that contains a text field and it shows on mouse hover of some other element, you'll get the pop-up on mouse hover but you won't get that text field to focus if your cursor is in the console or in the URL bar.

As a crazy guess I'd say without this, a bad programmer could keep you from navigating away from the page (or doing anything else) by stealing focus back to the page every time you click in the URL bar or the console.

I hope this helps someone even if It's five years later.