Cmd, alt and Ctrl keys activate PS in background

[Pietro_2003]

When working in another program and I happen to touch the Cmd, alt or Ctrl key, Photoshop is activated and lifted underneath the window I am currently working on. SO strange. 

My work gave me a pre-loved iMac 2019 with Big Sur freshly installed, and after installing a bunch of programs including Creative Suite, this bug is driving me around the bend. How do I stop it?! 

I hope someone knows what this is. 😉

[Omar.Fathy]

You tried to edit Preferences>Keyboard options?

[War Unicorn · Accepted solution]

Have you tried restarting your system? It sounds like Photoshop is not losing focus somehow even if you switch to another app.

[Pietro_2003]

I feel so stupid. I've been working as a designer on Mac since the Mac Plus, and it didn't occur to me to restart. I had to move the iMac to another room and realised after a while that it had stopped the behaviour. It just didn't 'feel' like a bug, more like a strange short key command that I inadvertantly activated. 

Works fine after the restart. Doh!