Empty Illustrator background window

[Just-B]

Can someone tell me what Illustrator’s seemingly pointless (and very annoying) empty background window is all about? Or better yet, how to get rid of it?

I can minimize it, but each time I start up Illustrator, it reappears. Is there some hidden preferences checkbox somewhere that will just zap the thing into non-existence? Is this a new thing in Illustrator 2022 or am I just being clueless about something?

[Smurf2]

Think you need to turn off the application frame.

Do this with no docs open

[Just-B]

@Smurf2

Think you need to turn off the application frame.

Yes, of course!

I have a vague memory of needing to do that a couple of years ago. I must have recently reset the preferences somehow. Thank you — it was starting to drive me nuts.