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File Explorer app module: remove support for Windows 8.x Start screen workarounds#19117

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SaschaCowley merged 7 commits into
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josephsl:explorerRemoveWin8StartScreenSupport
Oct 21, 2025
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File Explorer app module: remove support for Windows 8.x Start screen workarounds#19117
SaschaCowley merged 7 commits into
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josephsl:explorerRemoveWin8StartScreenSupport

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Link to issue number:

Closes #18757

Summary of the issue:

NVDA includes Windows 8.x Start screen workarounds which are no longer needed.

Description of user facing changes:

None

Description of developer facing changes:

Revmoes Windows 8.x Start screen support symbols from the File Explorer app modules: SuggestionListItem, SearchBoxClient, GridTileElement, GridListTileElement, GridGroup, ImmersiveLauncher.

Description of development approach:

Removed the no longer used Windows 8.x Start screen attributes, test it after compiling NVDA on Windows 10/11.

Testing strategy:

Manual: make sure Windows 10/11 File Explorer support code such as notificaiton area and UI property objects do not cause errors for NVDA.

Known issues with pull request:

None

Code Review Checklist:

  • Documentation:
    • Change log entry
    • User Documentation
    • Developer / Technical Documentation
    • Context sensitive help for GUI changes
  • Testing:
    • Unit tests
    • System (end to end) tests
    • Manual testing
  • UX of all users considered:
    • Speech
    • Braille
    • Low Vision
    • Different web browsers
    • Localization in other languages / culture than English
  • API is compatible with existing add-ons.
  • Security precautions taken.

@josephsl josephsl requested a review from a team as a code owner October 19, 2025 01:38
@josephsl josephsl requested a review from seanbudd October 19, 2025 01:38
@SaschaCowley SaschaCowley added the conceptApproved Similar 'triaged' for issues, PR accepted in theory, implementation needs review. label Oct 21, 2025
@SaschaCowley SaschaCowley enabled auto-merge (squash) October 21, 2025 01:23
… item support.

File Explorer hosts Start screen elements in Windows 8.x whereas a dedicated SearchUI app hosts Start menu elements in Windows 10. Since NVDA requires Windows 10 (1507) or later, drop support for Windows 8.x Start screen suggestion list item overlay class.
…er overlay class.

Windows 10 (1507) is the minimum required version, therefore remove Windows 8.x Start screen immersive launcher overlay class (Widnows 10's Start menu is hosted by SearchUI).
Windows 8.1 uses File Explorer to show the search box client whereas Windows 10 and later uses SearchUI and friends. Since NVDA supports Windows 10 and later, remove this workaround for Windows 8.1.
auto-merge was automatically disabled October 21, 2025 02:42

Head branch was pushed to by a user without write access

@josephsl josephsl force-pushed the explorerRemoveWin8StartScreenSupport branch from c8e2df6 to 5bdb73b Compare October 21, 2025 02:42
@SaschaCowley SaschaCowley merged commit 75cbd8a into nvaccess:master Oct 21, 2025
29 checks passed
@github-actions github-actions Bot added this to the 2026.1 milestone Oct 21, 2025
@josephsl josephsl deleted the explorerRemoveWin8StartScreenSupport branch October 31, 2025 20:35
seanbudd pushed a commit that referenced this pull request May 8, 2026
Fixes #20021
Summary of the issue:

In File Explorer on Windows 10, pressing Ctrl+F should move focus directly to the search edit field. Since NVDA 2026.1 beta, NVDA first reports the search edit field, but then reports a pane, so users need to press Ctrl+F a second time before they can reliably type in the search box.

This is a regression from #19117. That PR removed several old Windows 8.x Start screen workarounds from the Explorer app module, including SearchBoxClient. Although that class was described as a Windows 8 workaround, it was still filtering a redundant File Explorer search band focus event. On Windows 10, the redundant object has:

role == controlTypes.Role.PANE
windowClassName == "Search Box"

Description of user facing changes:

Same behavior as before 2026.1Beta.
Description of developer facing changes:

Restores a small Explorer app module overlay for File Explorer search band pane objects. The overlay suppresses redundant IAccessible focus events from Search Box and UniversalSearchBand pane objects.

Search Box has been confirmed on Windows 10. UniversalSearchBand is retained from the pre-#19117 filter because it appears to be another Explorer search band class, and the match is still limited to IAccessible pane objects.
Description of development approach:

This keeps the #19117 cleanup intact, except for the part that affected File Explorer search focus. The Windows 8 Start screen tile, group, launcher, and suggestion overlays are not restored.
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File Explorer app module/Windows 10 requirement: remove Windows 8.x start screen workarounds

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