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
    2023-05-23T11:59:11+00:00

    alright, that is interesting, since your home PC shouldn't have any GPO bind.

    That means the problem is calling the policy processing itself, what also mean, we can not fix it...BUT...since millions of clients are a part of an domain with W11 clients, it seems still a fact, that not any client does have that issue or in my case, less clients do have the problem than having the problem.

    Regarding to this, it must be an issue with the GPO call AND something other, that is similar to our clients but not to any client.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-05-23T10:40:00+00:00

    Works only if i do the exact steps there, new explorer windows, DONT minimise it, then do the update.

    but this issue happens even when explorer windows are minimised, so i don't think this is the whole story, but perhaps making steps towards it at least!

    It is worth noting that on 11th April, @KingWigglett reported that the pop-up issue can be mitigated by minimising Explorer windows via the "Minimise" button (top right), but that if the window is minimised via other means (e.g. Task Bar icon or WIN+D), the issue still occurs.

    Having said that, I am unable to reproduce the issue using the gpupdate steps when the Explorer windows are minimised via any means, so you might be right that this is only part of the story.

    Big thanks to @Bill Moller for spotting the link with group policy and allowing us to move forward, and for @Michael_Michael_1 for the gpupdate /force suggestion. We should now be able to provide evidence in the form of a recording for these steps - which was requested by @Mitchell - MSFT back on 10th Jan. I will also note the progress on the related MS Feedback entry (https://aka.ms/AAjevpi).

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-05-23T09:56:32+00:00

    I also tested it on my home computer which is not AD joined at all, still works.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-05-23T09:49:01+00:00

    You are right, with that exact process "open Explorer, do not touc it" I also can reproduce it. If I find some time today, I will try to curtail the GPOs to the one that causes the issue.

    This, i can consistently reproduce it now. Works every single time.

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