Access 365: Control stacking order changes when using Tab key in form Design View (2309 and later)

Hi,

In June I reported the bug to the Microsoft Access team based on your description. It should now be fixed in version 2608. See the second point in the "Forms and reports" section of this Microsoft blog post.

Servus
Karl

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Hi @tsuji

Based on the information you provided, I understand that starting from Microsoft Access 365 Version 2309, there is an unexpected change in how the stacking order (Z-order) of overlapping controls behaves in Form Design View. Specifically, when navigating between overlapping controls using the Tab key, Access dynamically alters the front/back display order based on the control's geometric position (where a higher Top value, or a higher Left value if Top is equal, forces the control to the front). You've also verified that this regression bug did not exist in Version 2308 and affects multiple control types like text boxes and labels.

After doing some research and testing on my end, I am experiencing the exact same behavior. Since this is a regression bug introduced by a specific architectural update to the Tab key behavior in Version 2309, the best way to get this on the Access engineering team's radar is to submit this directly to them.

I highly recommend posting these detailed reproduction steps and results on the Microsoft Feedback Portal. This portal is actively monitored by Microsoft developers and product managers who prioritize fixes based on community impact. Sharing your precise findings there will give the technical experts the exact data they need to investigate and hopefully release a hotfix in an upcoming build.

In the meantime, while we wait for a formal update or fix from Microsoft, here are a few best practices and workarounds to manage this behavior during your design process:

• Avoid using the Tab key when working with overlapping controls
• Prioritize Mouse Clicks or the Selection Pane
• Explicitly set Z-order dynamically

Thank you again for your valuable contribution and for documenting this so thoroughly. It helps the entire Access community stay ahead of these unexpected update behaviors!

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