Add modifier keys to Hot Corners to prevent accidents
Reserve a Hot Corner for a deliberate key-plus-pointer gesture, then check the setting if it still fires accidentally or stops responding.
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If your pointer brushes a corner and unexpectedly locks the Mac or opens a note, add a modifier key. For example, assign Lock Screen to the upper-right corner with Option held; crossing that corner without the key should not trigger it.
Configure and check one corner
Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners. Open one corner’s menu, hold Command, Shift, Option, or Control while choosing an action, then click Done. Set one corner first and check that it does nothing without the key and runs with the key held. Apple’s setup guide
If it fires accidentally or does not respond
If it runs without the modifier, reopen that corner’s menu and select the action while holding the key. If nothing happens, confirm you edited the intended corner and action, then choose the key combination again. The bottom-right corner may already be assigned to Quick Note; note its current action before replacing it so you can restore it. Apple’s Hot Corners guide
Avoid corners your pointer crosses often, and weigh the consequence of an accidental action when choosing a location. Macworld also describes holding a modifier while choosing the corner menu. Macworld’s setup walkthrough
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