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

Trying to execute complicated CGI, Photoshop or video editing procedures when a File Explorer window suddenly pulls focus can be disastrous; happens to me several times a day, every day. Maybe Microsoft engineered Windows 11 to be the Annoying Anti-Productivity OS, for reasons unknown.

Totally agree with you Diplo. Just yesterday, I was editing an MS Word document (and has happened before) -- where a string of background explorer windows came up, as I was typing and back-spacing etc. Even though there might be safeguards to prevent particular key combinations (eg. backspace, delete) from activating when those explorer DIRECTORY windows pop-up -- there is always the 'worry' that important directories or files or something could eventually be unknowingly impacted negatively under some unforeseen and unaccounted conditions. Also the fact that it is disruptive when you're working and those windows just pop-up at random. It's unsatisfactory.

My suggestion is keep a log of all the time spent or wasted due to this issue. Once enough people/companies start to see how much time and money they are losing due to Microsofts inactivity and incompetence the lawsuits will start. At that point and only at that point will Microsoft get off it's high horse and start taking this matter seriously. At 126 location with over 20+ thousand clients we have set up our help desk for the clients to use a simple form every single time they are interrupted with is issue and what happened/damage was caused when the issue occurred. We provide this compiled data every week and provide it to our legal teams.

This issue is known to not be consistent with Windows 11 Home, but can be reproduced and happens a lot more often on Windows 11 Pro.

Windows 11 Home is not meant for business or enterprise use, so group policies might update at a longer intervals than Win11Pro.

Windows 11 Pro is for professional computer users, business and enterprise usages, so this version runs group policy updates a lot more often.

This issue we are experiencing where the explorer window goes to top and takes focus is due to the computer is checking for group policy updates.

Trying to execute complicated CGI, Photoshop or video editing procedures when a File Explorer window suddenly pulls focus can be disastrous; happens to me several times a day, every day. Maybe Microsoft engineered Windows 11 to be the Annoying Anti-Productivity OS, for reasons unknown.

Totally agree with you Diplo. Just yesterday, I was editing an MS Word document (and has happened before) -- where a string of background explorer windows came up, as I was typing and back-spacing etc. Even though there might be safeguards to prevent particular key combinations (eg. backspace, delete) from activating when those explorer DIRECTORY windows pop-up -- there is always the 'worry' that important directories or files or something could eventually be unknowingly impacted negatively under some unforeseen and unaccounted conditions. Also the fact that it is disruptive when you're working and those windows just pop-up at random. It's unsatisfactory.

As an fix you can either minimize or close the windows. After they have popped into the front once, they wont do it again. So if you manage to re-use only your current opens ones then they will not go into the front again.

I've been having this issue for ages. Same as everyone else, it's random when exactly it happens but it WILL happen everytime i'm watching anything.

My System is:

AMD 5800x3d

Gigabyte Aorus Pro Wifi iTX mobo

32gb ddr4 3600mhz

Zotac RTX 4090 (was previously MSI 6900xt gaming trio Z - same issue)

2tb 980 pro

512gb PM9A1

1TB 860 evo sata

2tb 860 evo sata

500gb 860 evo sata

2tb seagate hdd

Winver:

22621.2215