Solved Windows 11 - Weird Foreground/Active App Issue

Only other thing I can suggest is to go straight to the source. Links to support in this article. I have to admit getting to a human being is pretty easy if you request a callback.

I am using Snipping Tool too and every time I capture the screen it automatically switches to the Snipping Tool to save the picture. My default browser is Microsoft Edge, if that makes any difference. I have Outlook but I don't use it, don't remember which is the default email application, I check my Yahoo mail online.

And there lies the main point- default == Edge, everything seems to work as intended.

I am actually getting even weirder behavior than before.

Decided to daily drive Edge for a couple of days to see how it is/performs, and I have noticed on a few occasions that it doesn't take focus either when opening links from outside it (in Outlook primarily). Whilst its a lot more consistent then Chrome, it does fail every now and then.

This is with Edge set as the default HTTP and HTTPS app, and Outlook specifically set to open with Edge.

Weird.

Seems like the File Explorer focus issue is also present in 23H2 still. Urgh.

Edit: For reference, this was in response to someone suggesting to change nearly all default apps/protocols to Edge.

I doubt any firm would be setting all of those options to Edge... and I am certainly not going to be doing that.

So whilst I appreciate the response - I don't think it's particularly helpful/relevant.

I don't have any idea why it is now working right for me with Firefox set to open http and https links. If I change the default of those 2 types to Edge, outside links open with Edge and take focus. Office 365 must have different settings than my Office 2021 because I do not see File and browser preferences settings in my Word. (maybe I'm blind)
The only thing that remains with a focus issue is snipping tool (old one)
After Thanksgiving dinner, I will test this using my husband's computer. It has a clean install of 11 on it.

I suspect some security setting in either Outlook or Edge... Check carefully all settings in both applications.

glasskuter said:

I don't have any idea why it is now working right for me with Firefox set to open http and https links. If I change the default of those 2 types to Edge, outside links open with Edge and take focus. Office 365 must have different settings than my Office 2021 because I do not see File and browser preferences settings in my Word. (maybe I'm blind)
The only thing that remains with a focus issue is snipping tool (old one)
After Thanksgiving dinner, I will test this using my husband's computer. It has a clean install of 11 on it.

Click to expand...

How weird that you are also getting mixed results though.

I’ll also see if I can spend some time tomorrow testing various browsers/defaults.

Happy Thanksgiving from across the pond!

spapakons said:

I suspect some security setting in either Outlook or Edge... Check carefully all settings in both applications.

Click to expand...

I did at first think it was policy related/some setting we defined in our environment. However as others have mentioned, it seems sort of widespread and isn’t just browser related.

Snipping tool being a case in point.

That being said, I may have another look through Edge settings specifically.

Hey all,

On the off-chance anyone stumbles upon this thread in the future and is wondering what the fix was, check if you are running SecondChance by KnowBe4. Turns out this was the cause of our issue unbeknownst to myself / Microsoft.

Seems the product is being switched off at the end of this year, but we were not informed of any version updates (and clearly this was a bug fixed in later versions).

So yeah. Weird issue sorted.

Thanks to all who inputted. Hopefully this helps anyone else who may be running SecondChance.