# IE8 question - keeping IE from overtaking active app

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205 "2009-05-12T19:45:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205/1 "2009-05-12T19:45:37Z")

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Sorry if this is Google-able. I’ve been searching for an answer, but don’t know which terms to use. I’ve recently downloaded IE8. I often will search for something on the internet, or refresh a page or whatever, but then switch to another application while the internet is doing its thing. (For example, I might refresh an SDMB thread, but then switch to Outlook to check my email.) With IE6 the internet page would update, but not overtake the current active window. With IE8, it will become the active window when it’s done doing its thing. I don’t want that. How do I make it stop? IOW I always want the active window to stay the active window and never be overtaken by IE8 unless I manually make the switch. Does that make sense?

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**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205/2 "2009-05-12T23:35:48Z")

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Happens to me with both IE6 and IE7

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**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205/3 "2009-05-12T23:50:31Z")

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This is referred to as “taking focus” or “stealing focus”. I tried to do a Google search, but there are many solutions. One of them is to use TweakUI from Microsoft.

> **[How to Prevent Programs From Stealing Focus in Windows](https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-prevent-programs-from-stealing-focus-in-windows-2624453)**
>
> Follow these steps to stop programs from popping up in front of other ones, called "stealing focus." This should never happen. Here's what to do.

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**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205/4 "2009-05-13T13:02:15Z")

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For Vista you need to make the change in the registry. You can paste this code into a Notepad text file, save it as “focus.reg” and double-click on it to make the change. Restart the computer for it to take effect.

```auto

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"ForegroundLockTimeout"=dword:00000000

```

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ie8-question-keeping-ie-from-overtaking-active-app/496205/5 "2009-05-13T13:53:51Z")

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> [@Iggins](#):
>
> This is referred to as “taking focus” or “stealing focus”. I tried to do a Google search, but there are many solutions. One of them is to use TweakUI from Microsoft.
> 
> [http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/ht/stealingfocus01.htm](http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/ht/stealingfocus01.htm)

That’s it. Perfect. Thank you, **Iggins**.