Windows 11--most recently opened Explorer window keeps popping up into the foreground

Anonymous
2023-01-01T17:15:47+00:00

About a month ago Windows Explorer started the annoying habit of routinely moving its most recently opened window into the foreground. Is there a way to stop it from doing this?

For example, I'll open an Explorer window to open a file into another application, and a few minutes later, for no apparent reason, Windows Explorer will interrupt the application by popping its Explorer window into the foreground. The same thing will happen when watching a video: a minute or two into watching the video and the most recently opened Explorer window will move into the foreground interrupting the video.

The only way to stop this behavior is to close all Explorer windows while watching a video or working in another application. Annoying as heck. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Microsoft Windows 11 Home Version 10.0.22621 Build 22621

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-09-25T14:00:58+00:00

    aww you must have missed my post that says 23H2 pretty much is expected to fix this issue back in June 15, 2023

    Was back on Page 21 I think, pretty buried now ;-)

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-24T12:45:59+00:00

    or just R-click explorer and 'close all windows'?

    Turning off the computer would work just as well. The problem is that both solutions are an enormous productivity impediments. I routinely work with multiple computers across a local network where opened File Explorer windows is not a luxury, but a necessity.

    I don't know whether it's because of hubris or ineptitude or both, but Microsoft has clearly gone around the bend on this. Could it be that this issue is the canary in the coal mine foretelling the collapse of Microsoft as a producer of reliable operating systems?

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-08-24T07:40:02+00:00

    This issue can be easily reproduced in Win11Pro only.

    To reproduce:

    Launch a new windows explorer window.

    Put any other programs above the explorer window.

    Open CMD or Powershell.

    Run the command gpupdate /force

    ...

    Profit.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-08-18T07:32:31+00:00

    ... just to fix a slight issue...

    Slight issue? There have been people here who have reported this issue has caused interruptions during live presentations. This issue has lost countless hours of productivity since October 2022 through breaking flow, and is a serious frustration for those affected.

    Whilst I appreciate the concern in your message about users making admin changes to their systems without fully understanding the repercussions, I take issue with your minimisation of the issue at hand.

    That people are driven to blindly make these administrative changes at all - that they would risk the wrath of their employer or risk damage to their home PC to solve this through tinkering in the registry - is testament to the frustration felt by those users.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-06-27T21:33:52+00:00

    On page 21, user Alan Chambers1 says it is fixed in the 23H2 preview build. But it doesn't release until this fall. Looks as if we're stuck with it until then. :/

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