Why is Microsoft Neglecting Very Basic Issues that Have Been Problems for Many Years? Word Minimized Document from expanding/popping up

Question

I did a search for an issue with Word that returned as the top two results:

(1) Created August 23, 2013: "How to prevent minimized word documents from expanding when I open another document."

(2) Created March 9, 2022: "How to prevent minimized word documents from poping [sic] up underneath when I open another document."

Both threads are now locked. The solution in both requires a registry edit that AmyH0 offered in 2017. (When I tried it, I immediately got a message that the second document I was opening was in use by me and whether I wanted to use a Read Only copy, etc. It wasn't open or in use. I then closed out of Word entirely, and it now appears to be working okay on an initial test.)

Since this problem has existed since at least 2013, my question is: How long would it take for a Microsoft technician to fix the issue? A few hours? Is the problem so complicated that the only solution is for potentially many millions of users to learn to edit the Registry?

In this instance, I believe the many millions of users fall into one of four categories: (1) live with the annoyance for many years, (2) consider the Registry Editor too complicated and live with the annoyance for the rest of their lives, (3) live with the annoyance for their entire lives without even looking for a solution, and (4) handle the registry edit and don't alert Microsoft to its failing (probably a tiny fraction of the millions of users).

My question is whether a few hours of a technician's time is more important than decades of annoyance for the many millions? Am I missing something?

My sense is that senior Microsoft management is so wrapped up in AI, OneDrive, etc., etc., that it has lost sight of the basics on which the company was built. (Perhaps they are waiting for AI to fix all the issues? Another decades-long wait?)

I have seen this with other basic Microsoft problems that still need solutions, particularly with New Outlook and trying to reasonably mirror a Windows 10 computer to a new Windows 11 one.

I hope this gets directed to senior Microsoft Management to watch out for your basics. After being a loyal Microsoft customer for decades, I recently seriously considered Apple. If you lose too many people to Apple, you lose. Microsoft can do better.

Answer 1

You can send feedback to Microsoft regarding each of the issues you mention. Use Help > Feedback from within each affected program.

Note that Microsoft rarely reveals how they prioritize bugs, and minor ones may never be fixed.

Answer 2

Hi，SteveC44

Welcome to Microsoft Community！

I understand that you are experiencing a problem with "how to stop wod minimised documents from popping up"!

I have read your description carefully and searched for it, as well as tested it with Microsoft 365, which I own, and found that this is indeed the case!

When you open a new document, it expands a minimised Word document at the same time.

From your description and my search results, it does appear that some users have resolved this issue through the registry. However, I understand the reluctance to edit the registry because the process is cumbersome.

Microsoft welcomes suggestions from every user, especially those who, like you, are detail-oriented and willing to make constructive suggestions for Microsoft's development and improvement. However, I should tell you that the development team does not actually follow this forum, and I recommend that you submit your ideas and suggestions in the Feedback Centre:Word · Community (microsoft.com)Not only for this feature, I noticed that you have ideas about OneDrive, AI, etc. You can also post your ideas in the Feedback Community, in the appropriate section.After posting your suggestion, you can share the feedback link here as this will allow us to vote for your submitted feedback and also please let me do my bit for your idea.Looking forward to your reply!Best Regards,Mila.L-MSFT| Microsoft Community Support Specialist