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
    2011-11-21T17:09:26+00:00

    Still looking for a resolution to this issue.  The registry fix did not work for me (Windows 7 & Office 2007).  It's extremely maddening for me because when I'm working on a bunch of similar documents, then open a new document, the last minimized document will open first. If I click on it before the intended document opens, it becomes my foreground document and the document I intended to edit will open behind.  I sometimes end up editing the wrong document which is totally unacceptable.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-27T15:17:57+00:00

    Wow, pretty dismissive answers to this obviously common issue. I had been searching the Web for an hour or so to find an answer to this issue when I found this thread. Alas, all hope dashed--"Sorry guys, yeah, it's actually not a problem. Nope, you're all crazy. Seeya." Sheesh.

    Very simple scenario. I'm using Vista (so it DOES happen in Vista) with Office 2007. I have documents minimized and appearing as separate icons on the task bar. When I open a new Word doc, the previously opened doc maximizes from the task bar and appears behind the new doc. So when I close or minimize the new doc, there it sits. I have one particular doc that I keep open all day to track work time and file usage, so it becomes a real problem when I have to re-minimize it every time I open a new document.

    This is obviously a real problem for a lot of people across multiple OS and Office combinations.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-06-11T07:31:51+00:00

    No. That is not the case and it should not be happening. Which versions of Windows are you using? Do you have it set so that when multiple documents are open, the icons in the Taskbar are stacked or are you displaying separate icons for each document?

    Without more details, I would guess that you have some third party utility that is messing with Windows/Word operation or you have a utility that 'tweaks' registry settings that is causing the problem.

    With Windows 7, if you point the mouse to the stacked icons, Aero Peak pops up a display of all the open documents so you can choose the one you need to be maximised.

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