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
    2023-08-22T15:42:21+00:00

    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.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-10T20:36:53+00:00

    It almost makes one wonder if Microsoft engineers are themselves using... Microsoft Windows... :(

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-08-10T14:14:13+00:00

    This issue has a way of continually finding new ways to be disruptive to work flows. Latest thing I've noticed is that if I'm working with multiple opened Explorer windows, I'll be performing an operation on one Explorer window when another will suddenly pop in to take it's place. Extremely disruptive to work flow.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-08-09T14:32:34+00:00

    Windows 11 Home updated to version 10.0.22621 Build 22621 this morning, but still no fix. Same ****, different day.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-07-27T06:47:36+00:00

    This seems to have helped

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