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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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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
    2011-01-20T04:38:15+00:00

    Yes, this is an old thread; however, I've been experiencing this problem for several weeks and it's really been bugging me.  I had to reply to this thread because JLMZX's suggestion fixed my problem.  Thanks so much for your help!

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-18T14:39:03+00:00

    Remember, Microsoft cannot change this behavior.  They are bound by law to ensure that when a program says "show me", that they do indeed show the taskbar.  If they blocked this, they'd get sued as a abusing their monopoly and oppressing other programs that want to have their needy state displayed, and by companies that depend on this functionality when they want it.

    The only solution is to tell the program developers that make the misbehaving programs to change their code.

     

     

    If this solves your issue, click the 'Propose as Answer' link below, and vote as helpful by clicking the green triangle to the lelft. Thanks!

    Shawn, this is ridiculous. In your previous answer you claimed the problem does not exist and now you are trying to make lame excuses.

    Why don't you get your head out of MS' a__ and say the truth, which is that the problem is real and MS is simply ignoring it.

    As a side note this issue (amongst others) is giving me so much frustration that I'm actually at the edge of giving up on Windows and switching to Linux where I won't be at the mercy of a corporation that will take your money and feed you lame excuses.

    I think Windows is becoming too much targeted at the average user, I just need to be able to use my OS efficiently and the way I want.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-17T21:39:49+00:00

    @ Bedevere113,   Asking Microsoft to do something Intelligent for the users of its product...now that is funny.

    You know what even funnier, these forums, I get an email notification of a reply in this thread, I don't use HTML reading my email for security reasons since Windows is so insecure, it gives me no link back to this page , it does however give me a links to my Live Alerts and everything else I don't need, so I go to the live alerts link which could potentially point me back here, so I click the link for my live alerts. Just send me a link back to this thread live 99% of other forums do, not a fancy HTML message.

    "Thank-you for your interest in Windows Live Alerts. After much consideration we have decided to discontinue this service as part of the Windows Live offerings. Please sign up with Windows Live Alerts partners directly to  receive their newsletters or other content updates from them. Hotmail Calendar Alerts and reminders will continue to be managed by Windows Live Alerts for the time being."

    I suppose its too much to ask Microsoft to fix this also? Never mind.

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