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: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-13T23:25:03+00:00

    I thought I was the only one who noticed this annoyance.  Wow, I can't believe after so many months, there is still no solution.  Going to watch this thread and hope/pray that we get a working fix to this.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-21T13:05:08+00:00

    I agree.

    This is a problem affecting ALL windows versions. ALL.

    And it PISSES me off : ((( Stranges things happen, especially when you learned how to type old-school: blind. I have half a sentence typed before I notice some program / windows is asking me a question again.

    This should STOP : (

    Also, even flashing would be annoying. Just let every program do it's work. When I switch to the program, I will see what should happen next. Just like on Unix terminals, I miss my HP terminals (1995) still... 

    Peace! Except for ignorance...

    Devvie

    
Cuisvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore persevare 
------
All spelling mistakes are my own and may only be distributed under the GNU General Public License! - (© 95-1 by Coredump; 2-011 by DevNullius)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2011-03-04T14:26:02+00:00

    This is really **** me off, working on something or playing something and when another program running in background open a subwindow or a popup, focus is stealed with all the anoyances that this bring on. why is happening this??? if i am focused in a specific program, why another program have the possibility of focus my attention if i don't want to do that?? Still waiting for a solution, i think i'm not the only one looking for that solution....

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments