Hi. I have been having ongoing issues with Outlook for over 6 months, in which Outlook will become locked to the foreground. Outlook has no add-ins enabled, and has been repaired, reinstalled, updated and downgraded many times. The affected OS is a Windows Server 2016, functioning as a terminal server. The affected users have two screens, and occasionally when a window is dragged to the same screen area as Outlook, Outlook will remain the foreground focus and the application being dragged will be "under/behind" the Outlook window. This can also happen when the user is using a single screen. This is not application specific, and even happens with the Outlook "New Email" window if popped-out from the Outlook client. We have gathered numerous ETL logs and event logs and have come up with absolutely nothing. Previously, the only known way to resolve the matter was to close and re-open Outlook. However, strangely enough I have found that opening the options menu and closing it (Not changing any options, hitting either cancel or OK) will also resolve the issue. From the options menu, we have tried with the following settings both enabled and disabled, with no luck on any setting: Hardware Graphics Acceleration Live Preview Use Animations when expanding conversations and groups We have tested the Email auto-configuration XML, and the MS partner support rep I was working with has confirmed that it is all okay. I also provided him with screenshots of the connection status when Outlook is stuck, and we confirmed that all was OK there. Another potential solution that was tried was unlocking and locking the taskbar. Both when the issue occurs and pro-actively. We also recreated one of the users Outlook profile. This did not resolve the issue. The issue is confirmed to not follow the user to other devices. I'm sure there are more solutions that we have tried, that I have simply forgotten about during the length of this ticket. At long last, the technician had advised me that I need to rebuild the affected server. This is not an option for us, as the server is used literally every single day inclusive of weekends, and the customer is entirely dependent on the running of this server. I have now been advised by the technician to log a forum post here. Please let me know if any other information should be required, but I feel this is quite extensive. I do have recordings of the issue, and all ETL + Event logs.

Hi, I have the same problem with Windows 2016 terminal server and Office 365. Unfortunately I have no solution yet. Creating a new user profile does not help either. Best regards Michael

Our affected systems are also 2012 R2. We had the same problem on 2016 but when I allowed programmatic access the problem was solved (hopefully forever).

Hi! We have the same problem... Outlook stays on top on an RDS 2012 R2 enviorment. Hope the senior technician can find the solution.. Kind regards, Tim

My programmatic access is allow everything for this server as well. We'll find something eventually I'm sure. Yesterday my case was escalated to a more senior technician who is reading over all the dump files, they said it will take a little while. I'm hopeful though, as this is further than I've gotten before. I'll keep reporting my findings.

We are also desperate to find a solution for this problem. It's driving me and some of our clients crazy. Someone suggested in a other thread to change the policies of programmatic access to allow everything. That worked for 1 of our clients but others still seem to have the issue. Microsoft needs to check on this issue asap.

Outlook "Stuck on top/Foreground". Issue is intermittent, and occurs usually after ~1 hour of use. Can be sooner

Anonymous

Hi.

I have been having ongoing issues with Outlook for over 6 months, in which Outlook will become locked to the foreground.

Outlook has no add-ins enabled, and has been repaired, reinstalled, updated and downgraded many times.

The affected OS is a Windows Server 2016, functioning as a terminal server.

The affected users have two screens, and occasionally when a window is dragged to the same screen area as Outlook, Outlook will remain the foreground focus and the application being dragged will be "under/behind" the Outlook window.

This can also happen when the user is using a single screen.

This is not application specific, and even happens with the Outlook "New Email" window if popped-out from the Outlook client.

We have gathered numerous ETL logs and event logs and have come up with absolutely nothing.

Previously, the only known way to resolve the matter was to close and re-open Outlook.

However, strangely enough I have found that opening the options menu and closing it (Not changing any options, hitting either cancel or OK) will also resolve the issue.

From the options menu, we have tried with the following settings both enabled and disabled, with no luck on any setting:

Hardware Graphics Acceleration
Live Preview
Use Animations when expanding conversations and groups

We have tested the Email auto-configuration XML, and the MS partner support rep I was working with has confirmed that it is all okay.

I also provided him with screenshots of the connection status when Outlook is stuck, and we confirmed that all was OK there.

Another potential solution that was tried was unlocking and locking the taskbar. Both when the issue occurs and pro-actively.

We also recreated one of the users Outlook profile. This did not resolve the issue.

The issue is confirmed to not follow the user to other devices.

I'm sure there are more solutions that we have tried, that I have simply forgotten about during the length of this ticket.

At long last, the technician had advised me that I need to rebuild the affected server. This is not an option for us, as the server is used literally every single day inclusive of weekends, and the customer is entirely dependent on the running of this server.

I have now been advised by the technician to log a forum post here.

Please let me know if any other information should be required, but I feel this is quite extensive.

I do have recordings of the issue, and all ETL + Event logs.

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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211 answers

Anonymous

2019-11-25T12:32:47+00:00

Hi,

I have the same problem with Windows 2016 terminal server and Office 365.

Unfortunately I have no solution yet.

Creating a new user profile does not help either.

Best regards

Michael
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Anonymous

2019-11-22T10:41:46+00:00

Our affected systems are also 2012 R2.

We had the same problem on 2016 but when I allowed programmatic access the problem was solved (hopefully forever).
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Anonymous

2019-11-22T09:16:37+00:00

Hi!

We have the same problem... Outlook stays on top on an RDS 2012 R2 enviorment.

Hope the senior technician can find the solution..

Kind regards,

Tim
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Anonymous

2019-11-21T22:05:29+00:00

My programmatic access is allow everything for this server as well.

We'll find something eventually I'm sure.

Yesterday my case was escalated to a more senior technician who is reading over all the dump files, they said it will take a little while.

I'm hopeful though, as this is further than I've gotten before.

I'll keep reporting my findings.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2019-11-21T09:59:26+00:00

We are also desperate to find a solution for this problem. It's driving me and some of our clients crazy.

Someone suggested in a other thread to change the policies of programmatic access to allow everything. That worked for 1 of our clients but others still seem to have the issue.

Microsoft needs to check on this issue asap.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments