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In Linux I can do this but can you do this in Windows?

I launch a new application and it takes awhile to load. In the mean time I am tying text in an application or searching for an application in classic shell. While typing the launching application finally takes focus and interrupts my typing. Is there a way to prevent this in windows?

I did see this Preventing applications from stealing focus but that was back pre Windows 8.x days. Does anyone know since the newer OSes that this has become possible?

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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  1. Start the Registry Editor (Start button + R, then type regedit)
  2. Search for HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ForegroundLockTimeout
  3. Change the value from 0 to 30d40
  4. Save and restart the computer

(…) it does not stop 100% of applications from stealing focus, it's considerably better.

Source: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/c22363e5-802c-4f43-b4e3-8a7259865648/windows-10-stop-any-application-from-stealing-focus-ever-is-it-possible?forum=win10itprogeneral#123b4fea-0a57-491d-bdfa-a5ee0771f2de

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  • 2
    Recent Windows 10 versions have the magic value of 20000 in ForegroundLockTimeout, but I don't really see any difference in behaviour. macOS and Linux handle this so much better.
    – Jari Turkia
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 13:26
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    It's already 0x00030d40.
    – Dieter Pisarewski
    Commented May 17, 2021 at 13:50
  • Doesn't work, sadly enough. I'm not sure this actually was in XP but it definitely was in W2k. I remember being upset when this setting stopped working.
    – Barleyman
    Commented Oct 15, 2021 at 15:58
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Sadly there is no built-in way to do this but TurboTop (free as in beer) works OK for me. It allows you to tick several programs that you want to be kept on top. While that may sound paradoxical, those programs respect each other but ignore everything else. At least most of the time.

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