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
    2013-04-25T15:59:39+00:00

    I am having this problem at work on Word 2007, win XP.  It is extremely annoying.  I, too have just wasted a couple of hours on this now to no avail.  I have tried every suggestion posted on the forum from Macros to Registry edits and Taskbar options. For one reason or another, each "fix" doesn't work.  There should just be an on/off button for this "feature."  How hard can that be?

    Please fix this PROBLEM or at least keep posting until Microsoft finaly notices.   Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-04-10T02:40:07+00:00

    U sure got THAT rite!!

    I too found this VERY annoying, so I googled this question today & found this thread, & just spent an hour reading 3 YEARS WORTH of posts (90 - count 'em)  w/ NO SOLUTION!! WOW!!

    I wonder if ever in the history of the world, there has been a company as deeply & widely HATED as Microsoft!  Can't WAIT till google eats them for lunch!

    Yes indeed and Google is well on the way to doing just that.  Unfortunately, Google has started showing problematic signs of evil too but oh well...eventually a company will come along to oust Google as well.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-11-01T15:06:15+00:00

    I would just like to chime in and say that I am also experiencing this bug and would like a solution from Microsoft.  I've searched the web and found thread after thread of people with this same problem, but no workable solutions.  The Registry edit solution did not work for me either.

    Steps to reproduce problem:

    1.  Open Windows Explorer and navigate to a directory with a Word document

    2.  Double-click the Word document to open it

    3.  Minimize the Word document

    4.  Return to Windows Explorer and double-click on another Word document

    5.  Word restores the minimized window and then puts the newly-opened document on top

    System Specs:

    Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit)

    Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010

    Word Version 14.0.6123.5001 (32-bit)

    Intel Core i7-2600K

    AMD FirePro V4900

    16GB RAM

    Crucial M4 SSD Boot Drive

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