Windows 10: Allow 1 program to take focus when flashing in taskbar OR minimize it

I am having an issue with a certain program when calling it that it doesn't show in the screen, but only in the background with it's icon and title flashing in the taskbar.

However this doesn't happen when the program is minimized. It then opens in the foreground normally.

I don't want to use "Always on top" apps, as I generally call to edit those files from Explorer window or through Chrome.. etc.

How can I allow it always to come on focus when called? Or auto-minimize it when not on focus?

Thanks.



Windows 10 version 1909 os build 18363.900

:)

 

Window in focus doesn't minimize when I click on its icon in the taskbar (Windows 10)

After applying the anniversary update, Windows 10 decided it was okay to change various settings for me. I've reversed some of the changes but one persists and I can't seem to find where to fix it.

Let's say I have a number of applications running, with icons in the taskbar. I click on the icon for a minimized window. It restores itself to its previous size/position and takes focus, as expected and as wanted.

I now click the icon for the same window, still in focus. Nothing happens. What I want is for the window to minimize, as it did before the update.

Some things I have looked at:

• Right clicked taskbar -> check "Personalization" -> "Taskbar". Found no option that would remedy the situation.
  
• "System settings" -> "Multitasking" -> Looked through options for window behaviour; found nothing relevant.
  
• Googled various combinations of "taskbar" "window" "minimize" "focus" and some other keywords. Mainly found articles and questions about hiding icons in focus and one question about wanting to STOP the behavior I'm looking to get back, but the solution suggested third-party software. The behaviour I want should obviously already exist natively, so I'm looking to change a setting, not install new software, although that could be a last resort should no other fix be found.
  

So, to clarify the question:

How do I change my settings so that a window in focus minimizes when I click its icon in the taskbar?

 

minimize programs to taskbar

Hello Jenny,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

If you are unable to minimize programs to the taskbar then there might be a chance that some system files get corrupted and causing this issue.

So, I would suggest you to check the system files are they working fine or not and to check that try to run
System File Checker (SFC) tool.



SFC scan will scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions.

How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows 8.

• Press Windows key and
  X at the same time.
• Choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the context menu.
• In the command prompt, type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.
• Exit command prompt.

For more information refer to this link:




Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833/en-us

If issue persists try to create new user profile as an administrator and see if issue persists in new user profile. For creating new user profile you may refer to the steps provided in the article mentioned below.

• 
  Press Windows key + R
  
• 
  Type control userpasswords2 and click OK
  
• 
  Click on add under users tab
  
• 
  Click the option, "Sign-in without a Microsoft account
  
• 
  Click on Local account
  
• 
  Choose a name for the account
  
• 
  Add password if you want to
  
• 
  Apply and click OK.
  

For more clarification you may refer to the article mentioned below.



Create a local user account in Windows 10

Hope this would help. If issue still persists post back with current status of your computer and result of the proposed suggestion, we will be happy to assist you.



Regards,

 

How to force focus to a program


I have a desktop computer I am using as a home theater PC to play movies on my HDTV via HDMI. I've got dual monitors, the HDTV is the secondary, the VGA PC monitor is the primary. I've got it set to login automatically the user account set up for the Kodi media player program. When started, Kodi opens full screen on the HDTV and I still have the VGA PC monitor available to do other work on the PC.

I would like to set Kodi to start automatically when the user account "Kodi" logs in, either by setting a task in task scheduler or adding it to proper "run" key in the registry. I have no problems doing that, I can get that to work.

The problem is, when Kodi starts with one of those methods, the focus does not automatically go to the Kodi program. I have to run Kodi in fullscreen windowed mode to allow the VGA PC monitor to remain available for other work. I have taskbar set to autohide. Since Kodi does not get the focus automatically when it starts, I am left with the taskbar sitting below it until I move the mouse pointer over to the HDTV screen and click in Kodi, then the task bar hides. Most of the time I never use the mouse to click in Kodi, I use a remote control app on my phone or tablet and this will not shift the focus to Kodi, so the dang taskbar stays there at the bottom.

I have a temporary workaround by using a program called KodiLauncher (or something like that), which starts with the Kodi account login and that program starts Kodi and then shifts the focus to it. But to minimize the time from boot to watching movies, I would like to bypass the third party launcher and just launch Kodi with the focus switched to it, but can't figure out the focus part of it.

Any suggestions are welcome!