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

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@Microsoft, your users have spent a lot of time and energy sorting this out for you because you have been unresponsive. They didn't ask to be your beta testers, you've forced them into it.

The least you could do is respond with an update or a "thank you."

I've been posting here for years and I've never seen evidence of anybody in the employ of Microsoft making a contribution; in fact, I suspect it would be a miracle if anybody from Microsoft actually reads these posts. Best as I can tell, contributors identified as "Microsoft community support expert from MSFT" are volunteers.

Regarding community support experts--and some are very good at what they do--occasionally one will make a claim regarding Microsoft policy, e.g., a former bug has been reclassified as a feature, but if you ask them how they know this, or if they will provide a link, they won't respond.

I'm wondering if I have a related issue. I'm not having an explorer window pop up over things, but rather my PC suddenly shows the desktop while I'm in the middle of a full screen app (game, video, etc). Basically, acting like I hit ALT+TAB or something similar.

All the focus tracking apps/logs/etc that I can find don't show any specific process grabbing focus. The most I've found is a general reference to Explorer, but no windows actually came up or showed anything.

First, I have to CLOSE (get rid of) all EXISTING windows explorer windows. So absolutely NO explorer windows running at all.

Once every single explorer window is removed (closed) - ie. no windows explorer windows in the background at all, I then start up an explorer window (fresh one). It is only then - a "gpupdate /force" will consistently bring the explorer window to the foreground.

Excellent work everybody. You have nailed it.

The procedure of closing all existing windows explorer windows was conveyed by Diplocaulus already.

If not already added, then I will just add that the multiple explorer pop-up situation can be reproduced using the same method. The only extra thing to do is to close all windows explorer windows to start with. Then open one explorer window to start with. Then right-click on any existing directory in that explorer window, and choose 'open in new window'. Do that a few times to get multiple different explorer windows open. And then go into the command window and do the 'gpupdate /force' thing. All of those background explorer windows will pop to the foreground.

you can add gpedit to Windows home so yes I guess gp is still lurking there somewhere

First, I have to CLOSE (get rid of) all EXISTING windows explorer windows. So absolutely NO explorer windows running at all.

Once every single explorer window is removed (closed) - ie. no windows explorer windows in the background at all, I then start up an explorer window (fresh one). It is only then - a "gpupdate /force" will consistently bring the explorer window to the foreground.

Excellent work everybody. You have nailed it.

The procedure of closing all existing windows explorer windows was conveyed by Diplocaulus already.

If not already added, then I will just add that the multiple explorer pop-up situation can be reproduced using the same method. The only extra thing to do is to close all windows explorer windows to start with. Then open one explorer window to start with. Then right-click on any existing directory in that explorer window, and choose 'open in new window'. Do that a few times to get multiple different explorer windows open. And then go into the command window and do the 'gpupdate /force' thing. All of those background explorer windows will pop to the foreground.

FWIW (almost nothing if MSFT isn't even reading these posts), I tried this specific method and am unable to make multiple "File Explorer" windows pop-over with these instructions. Only the first window instance steals foreground/focus during "gpupdate /force."

Thank you