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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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!

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
0 comments

166 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2012-03-22T11:02:26+00:00

    Hmm, I tried maximizing an app and launching another app but the second app still popped up on top. Just like always.

    David Salahi

    Yes, I believe all applications will become the active window once they complete their startup.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2012-03-22T02:48:32+00:00

    Hmm, I tried maximizing an app and launching another app but the second app still popped up on top. Just like always.

    David Salahi

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2012-03-21T20:08:37+00:00

    I use Windows 7 Professsional on my work laptop and inactive windows which steal focus is driving me crazy and it is very dangerous.

    My experience has been that if the window of the active application is maximized and the inactive window of another application is minimized to the taskbar it will NOT steal focus, it will just simply flash in the taskbar.

    However, if the active window is not maximized and another inactive window which is not minimized completes a task it will steal the focus and become the active window.

    In my opinion, all applications which are running in the inactive window should be prevented from becoming the active window and simply flash in the taskbar.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments