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I recently converted to Windows 7 and I usually have Office Communicator running. When someone else instigates a conversation with me, the notification pops up, but behind everything else, and as just another item in the taskbar.

How do I make it pop up, so I notice that someone is trying to contact me? It does flash once, but if I'm already in another conversation, it's very easy to overlook that a new window has opened. And if I overlook that flash, then there's very little to make me notice it after that.

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3 Answers 3

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There's no built-in way to do this on an ongoing basis, according to Microsoft.


You can set an individual chat window to "stay on top" which doesn't exactly do what you request.. and doesn't last once the window is closed.

Or you can slightly improve the contrast of the window flashing. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprogeneral/thread/38ed53f4-753c-411d-8f88-e661daebd145

I'm trying to keep the user window on top, which should let me see which users have pending notifications next to their names.

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I wrote a script in AutoHotKey to do this with Office Communicator. I've released the source and the compiled executable here:


Just put the exe in your startup folder. One caveat – if you have an existing IM window open, and a new one comes in, nothing will happen. You have to go from 0 IM windows to 1 IM window for this to trigger.

I actually also did this for meeting reminders with MS Outlook, as they have that same problem. I've put that version up there too.

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Too bad I'm at a new job that doesn't even have communicator. But thank you anyway, because I'm sure others will find that useful! –  thursdaysgeek Apr 11 '13 at 23:54

Office Communicator can be configured to always make a sound for an incoming message regardless of one's status. Problem is most of us have sound turned off.

Then the trick is to use Win7 accessibility 'use text or alternatives for sounds'. There are several options, I chose 'flash active window'.

Then turn volume down to nothing on sounds, window will still flash.

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