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

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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  1. Anonymous
    2023-09-07T10:05:51+00:00

    In conclusion, everyone is facing the same issue and no one has a solution. We have different version of Windows 11, different configurations, etc. My new question would be: Have you raised or voted for question in the Feedback Hub?

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/send-feedback-to-microsoft-with-the-feedback-hub-app-f59187f8-8739-22d6-ba93-f66612949332

    If the answer is No, then, please go ahead and do it. That's the right place where Microsoft people are going to prioritize this topic. If you don't think it's the case, they eventually listen: https://www.xda-developers.com/how-enable-taskbar-ungrouping-labels-windows-11/

    We need to bring this topic to the right place, here is an open forum that might never be listened by them. Some "collaborators" come here, but they can barely do anything.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-09-07T09:18:22+00:00

    Hi, I didn't read the whole conversation. So I don't know if it was already mentioned but the trigger for the popping windows explorer windows is a gpupdate which usually happens automatically in the background. After talking to a buddy of mine (also sys-admin) tried the following:

    • open two new explorer windows (don't use existing ones)
    • don't minimize this explorer windows!
    • open a cmd and hit "gpupdate" to force a gpupdate

    And here you go explorer windows should both pop up to the front. If you try this with the same explorer windows again it won't work again. It also doesn't work this way with only one new explorer window but I experienced the problem also with just one window. I hope this is a hint in the right direction. This problem is driving me nuts since a few month now. Microsoft please fix this.

    I have to say I don't know if the problem also exists on another version than Win11 Pro e. g. in the Enterprise Edt.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-09-05T14:24:58+00:00

    Eventually, we got back the Ungroup and labels back in Windows 11:

    How to enable taskbar ungrouping and labels in Windows 11 (xda-developers.com)

    It's not an easy task. We can complain in both places and will be better.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-09-05T14:12:54+00:00

    Let's try brining and voting by the cases in the Feedback Hub. This is the right place.

    Been there, done that, but it can't hurt to report it again, I guess. Seems futile though as I haven't seen any evidence that Microsoft is paying attention.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/send-feedback-to-microsoft-with-the-feedback-hub-app-f59187f8-8739-22d6-ba93-f66612949332

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-09-05T13:54:17+00:00

    Let's try brining and voting for the cases in the Feedback Hub. This is the right place.

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