Windows 11 is here, offering great sets of features for its users and much better aesthetics and customizability when compared to Windows 10. However, Windows 11 also has its fair share of issues; a non-functioning Alt+Tab is one such issue. Many users across the globe have reported that Alt+Tab Shortcut is not working on their Windows 11 devices.
We hope this issue is solved very soon via an official Windows 11 update. Windows 11 is a fairly new Operating System; therefore, it will take time before such issues are addressed. Meanwhile, we have figured out some ways to fix this issue. Continue reading our article for all the possible fixes to resolve this issue; we will address hardware and software problems that could potentially cause this error.
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How to Fix If Alt+Tab Shortcut Not Working on Windows 11
The Alt+Tab shortcut was introduced for Windows way back in 1987. It has been present since the days of Windows 2.0, this is a highlight feature of Windows that allows users to quickly switch between multiple applications they have open on their Windows machine, by pressing the Alt and Tab keys simultaneously, users are able to switch between applications. This feature also allows users to close multiple applications quickly when combined with mouse clicks.
Method 1: Restart your Windows 11 device
Now, it is very important to solve issues such as these from the very basic methods we are familiar with. A Windows Restart may be completely able to resolve such issues. A Windows Restart can fix many minor bugs that your Windows 11 device might be facing, to do this, follow these steps.
- Click on the Windows logo icon from the taskbar present at the bottom of your display.
- Select the Power Button icon that is visible at the bottom right.
- Finally, select the Restart option.
- After the Restart process, check if the issue is resolved.
Method 2: Try a different Keyboard
It is possible that the fault does not lie within Windows 11 itself, it could instead, be your input device, which in this case would be your Keyboard. Keyboard failures are highly unlikely to occur, but the Alt or the Tab keys could not be functioning on your keyboard.
We suggest you connect another keyboard and try the Alt+Tab shortcut to see if the issue resolves, if it does not, then the issue still lies within Windows 11 itself. In case the issue is your keyboard, there are some steps you could try to fix your keyboard.
- It is recommended to download the latest Keyboard drivers from your manufacturer’s website.
- Reconnect the keyboard, it might resolve some misbehaving keys.
- Uninstall the keyboard driver from the Device Manager completely so that Windows 11 can find a driver on its own for your keyboard.
- If all the above-suggested methods fail, it is better to purchase a new keyboard as the old one is facing issues.
Method 3: Restart File Explorer from the Task Manager
The Alt+Tab is an integrated feature of File Explorer in Windows devices. Restarting File Explorer could be a potential fix as it could be misbehaving on its own. To do this, users must follow these steps.
- To open Task Manager, press the Ctrl, Shift, and Esc keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
- It can also be opened by right-clicking on the Windows logo on the Taskbar and selecting ‘Task Manager‘.
- Once it is open, select the processes tab from the left side of the Task Manager.
- Out of all the listed applications, select File Explorer –> Select the Restart Task button present on the top right of the Task Manager.
Method 5: Check your Windows 11 device for the latest updates
A Windows update is highly recommended as it addresses many issues at once. It could also possibly fix the Alt+Tab issue that is present on your Windows 11 device. To do this, users must follow these steps.
- Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open the settings application.
- Select the Windows Update tab from the left side.
- Now, select the ‘Check for Updates’ button.
- After a few minutes, a Download & Install button will appear if any updates are available.
Method 6: Run a Windows scan to check for corrupted files (Sfcscan)
Running a Sfcscan can be very helpful, it restores missing files and repairs corrupted files on your Windows 11 machine. To do this, users must follow these steps.
- Run Command Prompt as admin.
- A UAC prompt will appear, select the Yes option.
- Once the Command Prompt opens, type ‘sfc /scannow‘ in the console.
- If any issues are present, a repair or installation process will accompany after the verification process.
Method 7: Enable Sticky Keys on your Windows 11 device
The Alt and the Tab keys both come under Sticky keys, by any chance, if sticky keys are disabled, the Alt+Tab shortcut will not work at all. To enable Sticky keys, users must follow these steps.
- Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open the settings application.
- In the search bar on the left, type ‘Sticky Keys‘ –> Select the first search option.
- On the right, make sure the ‘Turn off Sticky keys when two keys are pressed at the same time’ option is toggled off.
Method 8: Switch to the Legacy Alt+Tab option on your Windows 11 device
This option can be performed if none of the above-suggested fixes resolve your issue. To switch to the Legacy Alt+Tab option, users must follow these steps.
- Open Regedit on your device by pressing the Windows + R keys on your keyboard.
- Copy the following address and navigate to it in Regedit.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
- Right-click anywhere in the right pane of the Regedit and then select the option that says ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value‘.
- Type AltTabSettings and press Enter to create a DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Double-click on the newly created AltTabSettings entry in the Regedit and then set its Value data to 1. Click on OK and save the changes.
- Restart your Windows 11 system, you should now be able to use the Legacy Alt+Tab feature of Windows 11.
Method 9: Reinstall Windows 11 or roll back to Windows 10
Since we are familiar with the fact that Windows 11 is fairly new and it might take a while before all issues are addressed, we suggest you reinstall Windows 11 or roll back to Windows 10 for a smoother user experience. It is suggested that you back up your data and perform this act before running into further issues. Perform this action only if all the above-suggested methods fail to resolve your issue. To reset windows, users must follow these steps.
- Press the Windows + I keys on your keyboard to open the settings application.
- On the left side, select the System tab.
- Now, select the Reset PC option that is present and follow the steps instructed by Windows.
Method 10: Reinstall Windows 11 On Your Device
If none of the above methods helps you, then probably somewhere in the system files and can not be fixed easily. So our recommendation will be to take a backup of your data and re-install Windows 11 on your device. You may install it yourself, or you can take assistance from your local computer technician.
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Conclusion
This brings us to the end of this guide for fixing the Alt+Tab shortcut not working on many Windows 11 devices. Please note that the above methods should help you, but if not then re-installing Windows 11 will be the best solution.