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
    2013-05-22T21:50:49+00:00

    Arrrrgh!  Sorry, ignore that "Never combine" line, what I really was talking about was unclicking "Show all windows..." in Word>Advanced>Display, and then right-clicking on the icon to select which doc to view; attempts to hack around this constant irritation has scrambled my brain.

    BUT!  Doing that, what looks like what is happening is that your minimized doc is friggin' CLOSED, rather than remaining minimized, and when you open your next doc, Word has to reopen too.  And this doesn't work for squat for me because what I deal with mostly is templates, and opening/reopening them this way hoses the filename (blahblah.dot becomes "Document1.docx).

    Sheet, this sux.....

    C'mon, Microsoft, there's gotta be a way, and claiming it's "by design" is horsesch~ and not true, it is just a byproduct bug between Aero and Word you can't yet figure out how to avoid, so quit trying to blow smoke up our tails.  Either admit it IS a bug you can't get around (and that's where my money is because it has been a problem for over 3 generations of Word and at least 3 OS's), or fix it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-22T20:30:55+00:00

    But it does seem like it can't be that hard to fix, since this ridiculously-irritating action is avoided when Taskbar buttons is set to "Never combine".  Definitely not ideal, but all we have until MS can fix it.

    I have my Taskbar set to "Never combine" icons and I still experience this bug.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-05-22T20:08:17+00:00

    I think this has more to do with a fundamental of the app itself rather than literally an inherent bug.  Notice how when you have multiple Excel files minimized, clicking any one will unminimize all with the one you clicked in front.  It's not a hassle since all are in the same Excel workspace, with only one instance of Excel running.  It's the same in Word, only one instance is running, but the difference is they each have an individual workspace.  This apparently is complicating resolving the issue, especially since both Word and Aero have influence.  But it does seem like it can't be that hard to fix, since this ridiculously-irritating action is avoided when Taskbar buttons is set to "Never combine".  Definitely not ideal, but all we have until MS can fix it.

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