Alt Tab Not Working Windows 11 and How to Fix it?

What is Alt-Tab?

Alt-Tab is a keyboard shortcut used in the Windows operating system to switch between open windows or applications. By holding down the Alt key and then pressing the Tab key, users can cycle through all open windows and applications in a thumbnail view, making it easy to switch to the desired window without having to use the mouse or trackpad. The Alt-Tab shortcut is a commonly used feature in Windows and is particularly useful for multitasking and quickly switching between different programs or windows. Windows displays a list of currently running apps, allowing users to select the one they want to switch to. This feature can also be used to close running apps and windows.

Alt Tab Not Working Windows 11

Users have reported that the Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut, which helps navigate through open apps on a PC, is not functioning properly in Windows 11. To resolve this issue, several potential solutions are available, including restarting the Windows Explorer process, uninstalling conflicting apps, and running DISM and SFC scans. Additionally, it may be helpful to familiarize oneself with the most useful keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11.

Alt Tab Not Working Windows 11 How to Fix?

1. Restart the Windows Explorer process.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch the Task Manager.
• Select the Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) process, right-click on it, and select Restart from the context menu.

In many cases, the Alt + Tab not working issue in Windows 11 is caused by a minor bug in the Windows Explorer process. If this is the case, simply restarting the process should resolve the problem.

2. Try another keyboard.

If you have been using your keyboard for a prolonged period and are experiencing other issues, it's possible that the problem could be with the keyboard itself. You can confirm this by checking if other keyboard shortcuts involving the Alt or Tab key are functioning correctly. Alternatively, try using a different keyboard; if the issue disappears, then it is likely that your previous keyboard was malfunctioning. However, if the problem persists with the new keyboard, then it's probably a software-related issue. In such cases, one of the methods listed below should help resolve the problem.

3. Update Windows 11

• Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select Windows Update from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
• Next, click on the Check for Updates button on the right.
• If an update is listed after the scan, click on Download and install to get it.

Occasionally, an issue with Windows Update can also cause the Alt + Tab shortcut to stop working in Windows 11. In these instances, a subsequent update is typically released that contains a patch to resolve the issue. Therefore, updating your operating system should correct the problem for you.

4. Run DISM and SFC scan

• Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Windows Terminal in the text field at the top, right-click on the relevant search result, and select Run as administrator from the context menu.
• Click Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.
• Now, click on the downward-facing arrow at the top, and select Command Prompt. Alternatively, you can hit Ctrl + Shift + 2 to launch Command Prompt in a new tab.
• Now, paste the following command and hit Enter to run DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management).
• Once done, execute the following command to run the SFC (System File Checker) 
• Once done, restart the computer and check if the error is fixed.

5. Uninstall conflicting third-party apps

• Press Windows + I to launch Settings and select Apps from the list of tabs in the navigation pane on the left.
• Next, click on Apps & features on the right.
• Locate the conflicting app, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the flyout menu.
• Again, click on Uninstall in the confirmation prompt.

If you have experienced the Alt + Tab not working issue in Windows 11 following the installation of a third-party application, it is recommended that you uninstall it. Third-party applications can often conflict with the operating system, leading to errors. Additionally, certain third-party Alt + Tab switchers designed to enhance functionality can also cause conflicts and various issues. Therefore, it is important to remove these applications as well

6. Update the keyboard and graphics driver

• Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Device Manager in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.
• Double-click on the Keyboards entry here to view the devices under it.
• Right-click on the malfunctioning keyboard, and select Update driver from the context menu.
• Next, select Search automatically for drivers from the two options that appear in the Update Drivers window.
• Similarly, update the graphics driver in Windows 11.

If you are using an outdated driver or have not updated it in a while, this could be the cause of the Alt + Tab not working issue in Windows 11. While the operating system typically handles updates automatically, it's always a good idea to manually check for updates to ensure that your drivers are up-to-date.

7. Switch to the old Alt + Tab version

• Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter "regedit" in the text field, and click OK or hit Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
• Click Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that appears.
• Now, paste the following path into the address bar at the top, and hit Enter. Alternatively, you can navigate to it using the pane on the left
• Right-click anywhere on the empty portion on the right, hover the cursor over New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value from the menu, and name the key as AltTabSettings.
• Double-click on the AltTabSettings key that you just created to modify it.
• Enter 1 under Value Data, and click OK at the bottom to save the changes.
• Restart the computer for the changes to fully take effect.

If none of the previous solutions have resolved the Alt + Tab not working issue in Windows 11, you may want to consider reverting to the old Alt + Tab viewer, which is less susceptible to errors. With this viewer, you will see app icons instead of preview thumbnails. Although this is not the most ideal solution, it should suffice until Microsoft releases a fix for the issue.

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