Custom Menu Bar Icon requires second click to trigger actions (Finder activated first)

I created a Custom Menu Bar Item/Icon in BetterTouchTool.

  • Left-click on the icon opens a Custom Context Menu.

  • Right-click on the icon opens the BetterTouchTool settings.

There are two issues that seem to be related:


Issue 1: Right-click in fullscreen mode

If a Finder window is in fullscreen mode and I right-click the menu bar icon:

  1. It first switches to the Finder fullscreen window.

  2. Only on the second right-click do the BetterTouchTool settings actually open.

Expected behavior:

  • The settings should open immediately on the first right-click, without switching to Finder.

Issue 2: Left-click → Context menu → Terminal

In the context menu I have an entry called “Terminal”, which performs these actions:

  1. Launch Terminal

  2. Insert text

  3. Press Enter

Current behavior:

  • If a Finder window is in fullscreen:

    • On the first click on “Terminal”, it switches to Finder.

    • Only on the second click is Terminal launched and the actions are executed.

  • If no Finder window is open:

    • It first opens a new Finder window.

    • Only on the second click does it launch Terminal and run the actions.

Expected behavior:

  • Terminal should be launched and the defined actions executed immediately on the first click, without Finder being activated.

Summary

In both cases (right-click to open settings and left-click → Terminal action), Finder is activated first (either by switching to an existing fullscreen Finder window or by opening a new Finder window). Only the second click performs the actual BetterTouchTool action.

It seems like Finder is always prioritized before BetterTouchTool executes the intended action.

This issue has been present for a long time, regardless of which version of BetterTouchTool or macOS I was using.

Could you share that menubar icon here? (either copy & paste or right-click => export to file)

Here is the exported file.

The issue with the Terminal action cannot be reproduced at the moment — I have no explanation why it suddenly works. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the problem with the right-click still persists.

exported_triggers.bttpreset (4.4 KB)

I have also recorded a screen capture clearly showing this issue, in case you are not able to reproduce it on your end.

Ah I see. This is due to a workaround BTT needed to make its menubar show up (because macOS had a bug that prevented this for apps without dock icon).

However it seems like this bug got fixed in some recent macOS version, so with v5.666 I have disabled this behavior for current macOS versions.

Great to hear you fixed this so quickly, thanks a lot! That issue was really annoying.