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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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-24T18:18:07+00:00

    Oh, I should add one note to the fix mentioned in my previous reply.

    In the process of confirming that the registry key value updates worked, I encountered contention over the normal.dotm file when closing the windows.  It was somehow related to the "Send to Bluetooth" add-in.  Since I don't need that add-in I just removed it.  Instructions for that:

    From any open Word window:

    1.  FILE menu
    2.  Options
    3.  Add-Ins
    4.  Down at the bottom click the "GO" button to the right of "Manage" with "COM Add-ins" selected in the drop-down box.
    5.  In the "Add-Ins available" section, un-check the "Send to Bluetooth" option

    In step 5 you could just as easily remove that add-in.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-24T17:47:51+00:00

    Fix that worked for me with Windows 8 (actually Windows 8.1) 64-bit, with Word 2013.

    I have the "Word restores one minimized doc when I open another doc" problem.

    I tried several variations of the registry edits suggested above.  In doing so I realized I was actually opening different document versions in different modes (e.g., MacroEnabled).  So I looked for the related keys.

    Here's what finally worked for me.

    Do add /q in front of /n, but don't delete the /o "%u", to both the (Default) and command values for these keys:

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

         HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\Open\command

         HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.DocumentMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open\command

         HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Template.12\shell\Open\command

         HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Template.8\shell\Open\command

         HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.TemplateMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open\command

    Now whenever I open a Word doc, no other open-minimized doc get restored.  

    I imagine changes to some subset of the keys might work just as well, but I'm not arguing with success so I didn't try the various combinations.

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