Strange Phantom Text Entry Box Monterey 12.2.1

[GaryPDX]

This ridiculous box like something from the mid nineties appears when I enter text in most text boxes in most apps. I have tried everything I can think of. The screen shot show what it looks like. The thought of malicious software has entered my thinking. However, I am pretty careful about that stuff.

The screen shot show what it looks like.

 

[darkpaw]

Settings > Accessibility > Zoom > Enable Hover Text?

 

[GaryPDX]

I am replying to my own thread here.

I have no idea how the "Enable Hover Text" checkbox was checked under Preferences —> Accessibility —> Zoom. I have never knowingly opened the Accessibility panel on any MacOS version. Since it was right after the upgrade from 11, there's my bet.

Anyway, unchecking it completely solved the problem.

 

[darkpaw]

My energy settings were banjaxed in my upgrade to Monterey, so it's possible some of your settings were incorrectly changed, too. Glad you've fixed it.

 

[GaryPDX]

My energy settings were banjaxed in my upgrade to Monterey, so it's possible some of your settings were incorrectly changed, too. Glad you've fixed it.

I have worked with Macs creatively since 1988. Every upgrade was whack-a-mole back in the day. And the Mac was a very fun machine to troubleshoot. These days, it's stuff like this and so reliable there are few occasions to exercise the troubleshooting skills. The reasoning I used to find it was a recollection of helping a friend who was poorly sighted on a Windows machine. He used these monstrous, clunky boxes in exactly this way. Once I got into the Accessibility panel it was kind of fun to stumble around a bit and discover stuff I hope I never need before I found the checkbox. Ha!

 

[darkpaw]

I have worked with Macs creatively since 1988. Every upgrade was whack-a-mole back in the day. And the Mac was a very fun machine to troubleshoot. These days, it's stuff like this and so reliable there are few occasions to exercise the troubleshooting skills. The reasoning I used to find it was a recollection of helping a friend who was poorly sighted on a Windows machine. He used these monstrous, clunky boxes in exactly this way. Once I got into the Accessibility panel it was kind of fun to stumble around a bit and discover stuff I hope I never need before I found the checkbox. Ha!

Zoom is great. Nothing beats it on any other platform I've used. Hold down the Control key and scroll = super smooth zooming.