Get the currently focused UI element's name, role, value, and position.
AI agents call get_focused_element to retrieve information from Openowl without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool queries and retrieves information about desktop UI state without side effects. It enables an AI to read what element currently has focus, supporting accessibility and workflow awareness. The information returned (name, role, value, position) is read-only introspection. While the server overall provides hands-on desktop control, this specific tool is purely observational.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_focused_element' and description states it retrieves (Get) the currently focused UI element's properties: 'name, role, value, and position.' No modifications, deletions, or code execution occur—only observation of UI state.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_focused_element gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Openowl, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_focused_element:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_focused_element": {}
}
}get_focused_element is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Get the currently focused UI element's name, role, value, and position. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Openowl MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Openowl MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_focused_element: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Openowl. Nothing to install.
get_focused_element is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_focused_element rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_focused_element. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
get_focused_element is provided by the Openowl MCP server (mihir-kanzariya/openowl). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Openowl, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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40 Openowl tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.