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
    2011-06-27T04:10:09+00:00

    I can't seem to get this to happen.  I remember this happening on my computer at work some years ago back with Windows 2000, and I believe it did even a few times to me using XP.  On my computers now though, it only causes the download item on the taskbar to flash orange.

    There must be a setting or circumstance that it causing it to switch for you instead, but I can't locate any applicable registry key that is utilized in Windows 7.  I'm still searching though...

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-06-26T17:13:14+00:00

    And here is another way - with only using MS software....

    Using IE6/7 or 8, kick off a large download. Then switch to another app (Word for example) and type stuff.

    As the download finishes IE will steal focus and show the "copying file" dialog...and if you are typing you may well press space which will cancel the copy/download.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-06-26T15:13:01+00:00

      If you have a way to reliably reproduce the behavior it will be helpful.

    Steps to reproduce:

    1. Using Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, start Windows Live Messenger (2011, Build 15.4.3508.1109), sign in, make sure it's in compact view, and move the window to the right side of the screen. 
    2. Start Firefox (version 5.0), bring it up (not maximized) and move it's window off to the left side (so the messenger window is entirely visible).  Make sure the window focus is on Firefox.

    After a while (maybe about a minute?) messenger's ad system will grab the focus away from Firefox. I use the mouse wheel to scroll Firefox pages, so it is super noticeable when messenger grabs the focus, as the scrolling for Firefox stops working.  This happens even when the mouse is nowhere near the messenger window, so it's not stealing focus due to the mouse being over it.

    I'm sure this will happen with other applications other than Firefox, but that's usually when it's most noticeable for me.

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