DCS 2.9 Alt-Tab opens all background windows instead of just the last app

[Zyll]

I alt-tab often especially when working on missions (flipping to my scripts, or my DCS.log, or even just Discord). In the past alt-tab worked like... every other application that has ever exists since Windows 95. Now if I have DCS open and alt tab, it will put DCS behind every window that is not minimized on the desktop. What should happen, is the application chooser should appear, and when you release alt-tab, it would only bring focus to the app you chose. 

I don't even know how DCS can be made to behave in a unique way within Windows, but I'd like it to work like normal. Any other windowed game will work the way I describe above.

Under DCS System settings, "Full Screen" is unchecked, as it has always been. In fact, the behaviour as it is similar to if "Full Screen" were checked.

it seems to work normally from load screens within DCS, but once the game, or the Mission Editor has loaded, it acts abnormally

[BJ55]

Maybe it's this W11 issue https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/latest-update-of-windows-11-broke-my-legacy-alt/89a495fc-d160-45f4-8e6b-ab294160009a ?

(no issues here with W10, alt-tabbing right now while using ME)

Edited January 25 by BJ55

[Zyll]

i am indeed using Windows 11, and tried turning off Game Mode per that link but it didn't make a difference. I know of at least one other person who has this issue in DCS, and in other full screen games (e.g. AOE4), it works fine. It would be nice to hear if others have this issue and what the common denominator is.

[MAXsenna]

I'm on Win10, no issues, so I'd probably ask other Win11 users. 

[Jabeitor]

Same problem here too, i´m on W11.

[AiryNyan]

This is a bug in Win11 24H2
Other games are also reporting this issue
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/alttab-bug-in-some-apps/61b5cfc7-e787-4ea8-8d9c-10b0d07e2cda

[virgo47]

Definitely a Windows 11 issue. I've never encountered it with Windows 10, but after the upgrade (which I'd willingly), any time I alt-tab from DCS, it goes to the bottom of all the apps.

For "normal" apps it shows alt-tab switcher right away, for games (and I don't have exclusive full-screen, so DCS is as Windows-friendly as it gets) it first switches the game all the way back, without even showing the switcher. Then another tab-tap shows the switching widget, but DCS is already all the way back.

The workaround is to minimize everything on the same monitor, so I can alt-tab to another app on the 2nd monitor and do my stuff while still seeing the game. E.g. to GreenShot/snip something, etc.

This is beyond stupid, as most of Windows 11 is.

Edited Friday at 10:47 PM by virgo47

[SharpeXB]

I use W11 and DCS in Full Screen mode. I’m able to cycle through any open apps by using Alt-Tab and then return to DCS in the normal way. 

[virgo47]

6 hours ago, SharpeXB said:

I use W11 and DCS in Full Screen mode. I’m able to cycle through any open apps by using Alt-Tab and then return to DCS in the normal way. 

I can return to DCS, no problem with that. The problem is that when I switch between two apps on different monitors, e.g. a browser and DCS, the DCS goes behind all the other apps on that monitor. It didn't do that with Windows 10. It's not a problem to return to DCS, just that DCS is not left on top of other windows that I don't alt-tab to.