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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  2. Anonymous
    2023-03-22T14:51:59+00:00

    Any update yet when this problem will be addressed by Microsoft? In the next a week? Month? Decade?

    Thanks.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-03-22T15:14:37+00:00

    I no longer have the problem. I backed up all my software and data files but not the upgraded Windows 11 pro from Windows 10 OS system files. I then purchased a new Windows 11 Pro OS system and installed it and my backups. I have been using the new system for several weeks now without any pop-ups.

    You may try what I did to remove the problem. You can purchase a Windows 11 Pro Retail Microsoft Global Cd Key relatively inexpensively on line.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-03-22T15:51:04+00:00

    That's a great tip, but needless to say I'm very reluctant to pay Microsoft $100 USD to fix a problem that they should fix without additional cost.

    Flashback: I experienced issues with Windows Home some 20 years ago, and upgrading to Pro fixed them. I hate that.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-03-22T16:01:47+00:00

    I'm with @Diplocaulus on this. If we're saying this issue is caused by the upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, that's potentially useful info for Microsoft.

    However, I do have a spare Windows 11 Pro key and am tempted to try this approach to see if it resolves this highly frustrating issue.

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