How do I prevent Word from redisplaying multiple minimized open documents when opening a new document?

Anonymous
2010-04-01T09:17:27+00:00

When I have multiple Word documents open, but minimized and I open an already created document, all of the minimized documents will get redisplayed (ie. maximized) to the screen.  Additionally, I believe the last edited document will be displayed on top and its listing on the start/task bar will begin flashing and it will not turn off until the flashing listing is clicked.  I then have to reminimize all of the documents and navigate to the document that I originally wanted open.

As a user, I would want all of the open minimized documents to remain minimized and the document that I'm opening to be presented without having to click anything on the start/task bar.

dmurf

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2012-08-11T17:55:48+00:00

Try this:  Right-click on the lower taskbar (the dark band that runs across the bottom of your screen), in an empty space, not on an icon.  You should see a small window open up that gives you different options for displaying the documents you are working on.  Cascade windows is sometimes helpful if you are going back and forth between different documents.  You can drag the edges of a document so that you can see two documents at the same time.  You just need to click on one to bring it more to the  front.  Stacked windows is another option.  Then you will see all of the documents at once.  That may be what you have had selected.  Side-by-side windows is another.  Experiment with these options.  It may help you.

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Anonymous
2010-04-01T21:52:51+00:00

A newly opened document will not cause other minimized or open Word documents to come to the front. But the newly opened document will not come to the front itself, it launches as an open window. 

The easiest way to eliminate that is by using keyboard shortcuts:

To minimize all the windows and get back to the desktop:        Windows + D

To open a new word blank document                              :       CTRL + N

To open a word document from a location                       :       CTRL + O        

There's an option under Word Options / Advanced / Display, named Show all windows in the taskbar. Turning it off hides all Word icons in the taskbar but one. This way the described behavior disappears but at the same time goes the ease of restoring a minimized document.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-07T23:00:06+00:00

    Hi, This problem was driving me insane. I managed to fix it on my Windows 7 Pro desktop with Office 2013.

     

    My registry had these settings under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command:

     

    Default: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\WINWORD.EXE" /n "%1" /o "%u"

    Command: yh1BV5!!!!!!!!!MKKSkWORDFiles>!2-1&m&8y@Nmo2r)^f-C /n "%1" /o "%u"

     

    I changed them to this (removing the, "/o "%u"" and adding "/q" before "/n" to remove the splash screen :

     

    Default: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\WINWORD.EXE" /q /n "%1"

    Command: yh1BV5!!!!!!!!!MKKSkWORDFiles>!2-1&m&8y@Nmo2r)^f-C /q /n "%1"

     

    I did the same for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\Open\command, and am now able to open other files without restoring or maxmizing other minimized Word .doc or .docx files. Please let me know if this works for you as well.

     

    Regards,

    Keith

     

    This seems to work for me fine on opening files on local and network drives. On Windows 7 x64, running Office 2010.

    I have one question though. I open documents from Sharepoint also. Does anyone know which HKCR reg key i need to hack to get this working for Sharepoint?

    EDIT: Nevermind. I think i have figured it out.

    Whacked in /q like above for this location. Did the trick for me.

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\OpenAsReadOnly\command

    Thanks, DM.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-06-13T05:14:48+00:00

    Hi, This problem was driving me insane. I managed to fix it on my Windows 7 Pro desktop with Office 2013.

     

    My registry had these settings under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command:

     

    Default: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\WINWORD.EXE" /n "%1" /o "%u"

    Command: yh1BV5!!!!!!!!!MKKSkWORDFiles>!2-1&m&8y@Nmo2r)^f-C /n "%1" /o "%u"

     

    I changed them to this (removing the, "/o "%u"" and adding "/q" before "/n" to remove the splash screen :

     

    Default: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\WINWORD.EXE" /q /n "%1"

    Command: yh1BV5!!!!!!!!!MKKSkWORDFiles>!2-1&m&8y@Nmo2r)^f-C /q /n "%1"

     

    I did the same for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\Open\command, and am now able to open other files without restoring or maxmizing other minimized Word .doc or .docx files. Please let me know if this works for you as well.

     

    Regards,

    Keith

     

    Keith, I tried this on my Word 2007 running on Windows XP Pro SP3 and unfortunately, it didn't make any difference.  I didn't have quite the same registry entries that you indicate above but instead had Winword.exe parameters of "/n /dde" only.  I tried adding a "/q" before the "/n" and it didn't make a difference.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-06-12T22:59:39+00:00

    Keith:

    Your solution also works for me on Office 2013 on Windows 8 Pro.

    Cool! I found that the problem still exists when opening a .doc/.docx file in readonly mode, like you might do from Sharepoint. I haven't found a workaround for it yet, but I'm just glad that it's not opening every minimized Word window when I open through File Explorer.

    I have to say your solution has worked!!! for me with win 7 ultimate 64bit with office 2010.

    Keith i don't think you realize how much frustration you have saved us with your solution.

    This has been ongoing for a long time. I thought i could accept but nahhh. Today i was thinking how could this be fixed and decided to visit the thread for news.

    Such a simple solution and you found it. Feel free to charge all of us here in the thread and so on 1$. You deserve it!

    As far as MS goes i suggest everyone to keep ripping them off. They simply don't care and i don't consider this issue a small one. Instead they keep bringing new often useless features, instead of keeping things bug free and working well.

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