Applications stealing focus - reg key no longer fixes

Anonymous
2010-04-08T18:42:59+00:00

I want to prevent any applications from stealing focus in windows 7 (and Vista).  Tweakui used to modify the below Registry key to 0.  Then there was a key that affected the number of flashes a "want to steal focus" window would make in the taskbar.

ForegroundLockTimeout

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

This reg key is apparently no longer working.  Focus stealing is a major problem, from canceling/oking window that pop-up, to getting virus's from IE windows.  Applications are still written to do this, including MS Office 2007.  If you are typing an email something can pop up and get the next key stroke.  I need to fix this.  Any ideas, or has Windows completely removed a needed feature.

tags: steal focus apps active regedit

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

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Anonymous
2011-10-23T11:13:03+00:00

I solved the problem in this way:

I noticed that just before the focus was "stolen", the PC got "busy" for a second (beside the mouse appeared the small circle indicating the processor is working hard on sth).

So I started the Task Manager and gave a close look at the processes. I noticed that one process took over a relevat percentage of CPU usage exactly an instant before the focus was stolen from the task manager window.

Since it was a process that I don't need to be active all the time (sth about Vodafone Mobile connection, which I rarely use) I just stopped the process and then didn't allow the process to be started every time I turn on the PC. I did this last step using Piriform's free software  "CCleaner", but I'm sure you can find different tools for this...

This was enough to fix it ...

Hope this helped!

Bye!

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-10-27T14:09:01+00:00

    I can't say no one has, but I have not on any of my systems.  Even when I've tried to duplicate it using the instructions from others here, it only results in the window's button flashing on the Taskbar to get my attention, but the focus is not removed.  I just haven't found out why yet.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-10-27T14:04:30+00:00

    My computers and drivers is up-to-date. New laptop and older tower with Windows 7.

    When installing MSSQl server tools on new computer I enterd server credentials and a MSN message got total focus AND my credentials enterd wrong window.

    Pressing enter fortunately sent my credentials to a surprised colleague.

    I can not BELIEVE no one at Microsoft has ever been affected by this!

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-10-27T13:38:34+00:00

    Are you referring to the Taskbar displaying when an application sets the needy flag (causing the icon to flash or notification area to need displayed?)  That is expected behavior.

    Or are you referring to applications appearing in the foreground and becomming the active window while you are working in another window?  That is not expected behavior (and in fact I haven't yet been able to reproduce it on any of my machines, but given the volume of affected users it is obviously a real and valid concern).  If that's the case, I'm afraid we've not seen a pattern in these forums.  I suspect it could be related to the graphics driver or Aero (try updating the driver or disabling Aero (use a non-Aero theme) and see if that helps).

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