File Explorer Windows Keep Opening in Foreground [Windows 11 Fix]

File Explorer remains one of the most effective file managers in Windows, but problems with it are not uncommon. Recently, a large number of users noticed that the Windows 11 File Explorer jumps to the foreground without any manual trigger.

This could happen while you are browsing the web, running other applications, or playing a game. But remember, the Windows Explorer only appears when it’s actively running on the PC. If there are no active sessions, the explorer window won’t open automatically.

What causes File Explorer windows to open in the foreground?

• A bug in the OS
• Misconfigured File Explorer settings
• The Windows installation has corrupted files
• An unnecessary USB drive is triggering the File Explorer
• Malware attack or virus

How do I stop File Explorer windows from going to the foreground on Windows 11?

Before we move to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick ones to try:

• Terminate Windows Explorer or the explorer.exe process from the Task Manager.
• Disconnect all non-critical external peripherals, especially any external drive.
• Disable Widgets in Windows 11.
• Disable all startup apps in Windows 11 or remove them from the default startup folder since a third-party program may be opening the minimized File Explorer window.
• Scan the PC for malware using the built-in Windows Security or an effective third-party antivirus solution.

If none work, head to the fixes listed next.

1. Update Windows 11

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to Windows Update from the navigation pane, and click on Check for updates.
2. If an update is available, click on Download & install, wait for the installation to complete, and then restart the PC for the changes to come into effect.

2. Uninstall the latest Windows update

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, navigate to the Windows Update tab from the left, and click on Update history.
2. Scroll to the bottom and click on Uninstall updates.
3. Click the Uninstall button next to the KB5021255, KB5022303, or any updates pertaining to the Windows 11 22H2 rollout.
4. Again, click Uninstall in the confirmation prompt, wait for the process to complete, and then restart the computer.

When an update with a patch is not available or doesn’t prevent Windows 11 Explorer from opening in the foreground, uninstall the update that triggered the problem in the first place. Remember, you may have to remove a few before finding the culprit. 

3. Disable autoplay

1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Control Panel in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.
2. Click on Hardware and Sound.
3. Now, click the AutoPlay entry.
4. Untick the checkbox for Use AutoPlay for media and devices, and then click on Save.
5. Restart the computer and check whether Windows 11 Explorer still opens in the foreground automatically. 

4. Change the File Explorer options

1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer, click the ellipsis near the top right, and select Options from the flyout menu.
2. Now, untick the checkboxes for Show recently used files, Show frequently used folders, and Show file history from Office.com.
3. Go to the View tab, uncheck Launch folder windows in a separate process, and click OK to save the changes.

5. Repair the corrupted system files

1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type cmd, and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
3. Paste the following command lines individually in the Command Prompt and hit Enter after each: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. Next, execute this command to run the SFC scan:sfc /scannow
5. Once done, restart the computer and check for any improvements.

6. Change the wallpaper personalization settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, head to Personalization from the left, and click on Background.
2. Choose Picture from the Personalize your background menu.
3. Now, head back to the Personalization settings, and select Colors.
4. Choose Manual from the Accent color menu, and pick one that works best.

7. Perform a clean boot

1. Press Windows + R to open Run,  type msconfig in the text field, and hit Enter.
2. Go to the Services tab, tick the checkbox for Hide all Microsoft services, and click the Disable all button.
3. Now, head to the Startup tab, and click on Open Task Manager (skip if you have previously disabled startup apps and go to Step 5).
4. Select the apps listed here individually, and click Disable.
5. Once done, go back to System Configuration, and click OK to save the changes.
6. Click Restart in the confirmation box that appears.
7. After the PC reboots, check whether the problem persists.

When Windows Explorer opens in the foreground on Windows 11, a clean boot will help identify whether the problem lies with a background application or service (when the issue disappears), or if it’s a bug in the OS (when the issue is present). 

In case it’s the former, start by enabling the third-party services and applications one at a time unless the problem reappears. And when it does, the process enabled last is the underlying cause. Keep the service disabled or uninstall the app, as the case may be, until Microsoft releases a fix.

Tip

If nothing works, we recommend reporting the problem on Feedback Hub so that Microsoft releases a patch soon. Check the official page for more information.

Additional tips for preventing future issues with File Explorer windows

• Regularly scan your computer for malware and viruses.
• Clean up unnecessary files and folders regularly. You could use the built-in Disk Cleanup utility, or for better results, go with a third-party drive cleaner solution.
• Always install updates as soon as Microsoft releases them.
• Make sure to regularly update the graphics driver and all other critical device drivers.
• Do not change any settings on Windows 11 or modify the Registry unless you fully understand how it would reflect.

Based on our research, the problem with Windows 11 Explorer automatically coming to the foreground is linked to a bug in the OS, but we can’t negate the possibility of third-party conflicts. So make sure to verify all aspects, and before you know it, the issue will be gone for good!

As a last resort, you could always ditch the built-in Windows Explorer and switch to a user-friendly File Manager for Windows 11. If you don’t, try customizing the File Explorer and get tasks done quickly!

For any queries or to share what worked for you, drop a comment below.