Window focus is a mess in W11

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 12, 2025

a very annoying bug, and its been present since the launch of windows 11....for example, minimized windows suddenly come back to focus when you launch a different program, or even just by moving the mouse (especially when on-screen keyboard is active), or focus is moved away from the active window to the desktop.....anybody else having the same issue, or found a solution ?

Kees · Jan 12, 2025

Can you please give an example of what you did when you lost focus on a window?
I myself never experienced that, unless I am using some program that is demanding focus in all circumstances.

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 12, 2025

Kees said:
Can you please give an example of what you did when you lost focus on a window?
I myself never experienced that, unless I am using some program that is demanding focus in all circumstances.

I minimized a window (ntlite) that was doing some work, then launched virtualbox and started a vm, only for ntlite to come back to focus (wasn't done with its work)....it happens a lot with different programs, and seems a bit random.

I've searched the net, and found many threads complaining from similar issues, with hit-or-miss workarounds, none have worked for me

Kees · Jan 12, 2025

As I don't use NTLite I would not be able to check it for you.
But I am a very regular user of VirtualBox and with that it never happened to me that when I used a Virtualbox VM, in the meantime the focus was taken over by some other app.

To my opinion it has to be some app or a combination of apps that is causing the problems you have. Maybe it is useful if you would post a list of the apps you normally are using.

Please fill in the computer specs in your profile too. Windows 11 is all we know now about your system! Version and all kind of similar stuff. Like specified in 'My Computer' (please click the link below my answer to get an example), may be important to get help.

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 12, 2025

@Kees
I mainly use:
Windows Explorer
7z
Microsoft Edge
Steam
NTLite
VirtualBox
Microsoft Paint
Windows Photo Viewer
Rufus

it seems I'm not alone, these are some threads that complain from the same issue:
Active windows lose focus randomly and I get ...
Apps losing focus randomly
Windows 11 active window losing focus periodically Reddit · r/techsupport 10+ comments · 2 years ago

Kees · Jan 12, 2025

In your last link, Windows 11 active window losing focus periodically Reddit · r/techsupport 10+ comments · 2 years ago, the OP stated that he did find the solution, by "watching Task Manager to see what happened every time the focus loss occured" and then found a process that was causing the trouble.

Did you already try to watch Task Manager?

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 12, 2025

Kees said:
In your last link, Windows 11 active window losing focus periodically Reddit · r/techsupport 10+ comments · 2 years ago, the OP stated that he did find the solution, by "watching Task Manager to see what happened every time the focus loss occured" and then found a process that was causing the trouble.

Did you already try to watch Task Manager?

this is too advanced for me...

Kees · Jan 12, 2025

In that case I think the only thing that you can do is uninstall all apps that are not Windows-specific, like Windows Explorer, MS Edge, Windows Photoviewer and MS Paint are.

So uninstall (from your list):
7z
Steam
NTLite
Rufus
And others that you have been installing in the past.

And just keep VirtualBox on it to test if the problem has gone.
If it has gone, install other apps one by one and do intensive tests inbetween to find out which one causes the problem.

No garantee that you will find the reason for taking over focus, but better than nothing.
But it takes a lot of work to find out it that way. Better you would learn to use Task Manager. Is not that hard to learn, there are many tutorials to find in the Internet.

You might have a look here:

Windows Task Manager: The Complete Guide

Here's a 5500+ word guide explaining each and every feature and technical term in Windows 10's Task Manager

www.howtogeek.com

BTW. The problem will probably not be caused by a bug in Windows 11, but most likely by a bug in one of the apps you are using...

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 12, 2025

@Kees
I am dual booting an exact same OS version without any apps installed, and right of the bat I noticed this behavior.....I guess I'll have to adapt...

Kees · Jan 13, 2025

AsadAlrafidain said:
I am dual booting an exact same OS version without any apps installed, and right of the bat I noticed this behavior.....I guess I'll have to adapt...

Sorry, but in that case I can't help you any further.

AsadAlrafidain · Jan 13, 2025

Kees said:
Sorry, but in that case I can't help you any further.

thanks for your time and concern.

Winuser · Jan 14, 2025

Did you use the same Installer for both installs? If you did. try downloading Windows again and do a In-place repair install. Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

Window focus is a mess in W11

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