My MacBook Pro desktop is moving around on its own

About a year ago, the desktop on my MacBook Pro 16" (2019) began moving around on its own. It is usually associated with the desktop also zooming in just a bit. It expands on its own and then starts moving around, and I have to get my cursor and move it to the left of my screen until I can find the Apple, which will allow me to restart my computer. This happens several times a night. It always resets itself when I restart my computer, but then it happens again. This is maddening. My operating system is Sequoia 15.5. It began before I upgraded to Sequoia so the upgrade did not cause it. I need solid assistance here and will be grateful to get it. Thank you.




[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Desktop suddenly moves around

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on Jul 3, 2025 6:12 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 4, 2025 10:05 AM

This sounds like the zoom accessibility setting.


Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Zoom and either turn off all settings or change the zoom style to something other than Full Screen

8 replies

Jul 3, 2025 7:52 PM in response to MrHoffman

I don't think I was clear on what is happening. The next time it happens, I will try to record it in some way and upload it here if possible. It's not a trackpad problem. And just to provide additional information, I'm quite savvy with technology. If it was an obvious problem like a trackpad issue, I would have sniffed that out. The problem is that my entire desktop expands on its own. I hesitate to call it a zoom in because it is more like the entire desktop simply expands and it moves around. We are not talking about a window or an app that is moving around. It is my entire desktop that becomes unstable. As I said, I can take my cursor to the far left until I'm over far enough to get to the menu bar information and from there, I can pull down the Apple menu and click on restart and the computer will correct itself upon restarting. Maybe I'm just repeating myself, but I think the best way to describe it is that my desktop becomes expanded and unstable, moving around. Thank you for your efforts at helping and I hope my explanation helps get me further assistance.

Jul 3, 2025 8:05 PM in response to MrHoffman

Yeah, I think what I should have said from the beginning and kept this more simple is that what is happening is not a setting that needs to be changed. What is happening is clearly some type of glitch. There is something wrong here. I have seen other people post about their experiences similar to what I'm experiencing, and I hope some will come here and share how they handled it.


On a separate note, why is it that I cannot post the word "a. m." here without it being starred out as if I'm using a profanity. I'm having to use the contraction "I'm" instead of "I **" because this website will not let me post the two-letter word that starts with an "a" and ends with an "m." How ridiculous.

Jul 4, 2025 9:50 AM in response to MarydaleEd1

Your description clearly matches what you'd see when the desktop zooms in:


As I said, I can take my cursor to the far left until I'm over far enough to get to the menu bar information and from there, I can pull down the Apple menu and click on restart and the computer will correct itself upon restarting. Maybe I'm just repeating myself, but I think the best way to describe it is that my desktop becomes expanded and unstable, moving around. Thank you for your efforts at helping and I hope my explanation helps get me further assistance.


MrHoffman's reply appears to be spot on.

You say "it's not it", but then you basically confirm that it is...



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My MacBook Pro desktop is moving around on its own

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