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
    2023-12-04T23:36:04+00:00

    This is fixed in the update KB5032288 currently available as a Cumulative Update Preview.

    • This update addresses an issue that affects File Explorer windows. When you do not expect them, they appear in the foreground.

    https://www.neowin.net/news/kb5032288-for-windows-11-23h2-and-22h2-is-out-with-multiple-copilot-improvements-and-more/ 

    fool me once…

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-04T20:46:16+00:00

    The same ting keeps happening to me its so annoying it happens every 2 mins it seems like Microsoft can you fix this please.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-01T02:54:51+00:00

    Well, that's the oddity about this situation here. I didn't expect that this issue could still actually be happening about a year or so later.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T15:57:11+00:00

    Not sure if I'd class it as an improvement but MS do seem to have got this bug working far more efficiently - Updated to the latest version of Win 11 - opened an app and within seconds Windows Explorer pops to the fore ... I suppose this gets it over and done with right at the start and then ... happily there were no more interruptions for the rest of the day.

    Thanks, c-duncan, your update made me laugh! 😂

    Microsoft update: All bugs now happen when the user first logs in.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-11-17T22:12:09+00:00

    I presume much of the recent discussion is a joke.

    And if Microsoft is suggesting multi-key commands .. well ... forcing something like that might violate the law (ADA). They should try using it with only one hand. This product has been around for what .. over 30-years and causing File Explorer to now pop up at random is an enhancement?

    True! We find it absolutely highly unusual that this significant problem goes on for that long, without having any proper mention from official representatives from there. This problem for a year. We recently did have somebody doing a professional presentation - projected on large screens in a large theater. They were talking and not touching anything. And guess what abruptly popped up over the top of the presentation slide?

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