Window Switcher doesn't work

[Fibbitts]

ISSUE
When using applications in game mode that spawn multiple windows, it's no longer possible to switch between them using the Steam overlay. Google Chome, Firefox, and game launchers are all examples of things that suffer from this.

REPO
- Download Google Chrome, and add it as a non-Steam game.
- Go to the three lines menu, and open a new window. Visit a different website there to make the problem more apparent.
- Press the Steam button, and try to switch between the windows.

This bug has existed since Q4 of 2023, and I guess nobody's become aware of it. This affects all programs, and some launchers are unable to be interacted with properly.

[mucoromycotina]

The workaround is to enable Developer Mode in the Steam Deck system settings. You don't have to change anything else, just turn it on. Then the window switcher will work.

[Fibbitts]

Originally posted by mucoromycotina:

The workaround is to enable Developer Mode in the Steam Deck system settings. You don't have to change anything else, just turn it on. Then the window switcher will work.

Very interesting, I wonder what could be causing it. If the "fix" is this simple I would hope this gets seen and patched. Whatever thing in developer mode that enables this feature specifically should also be working with dev mode off, provided it doesn't have any side effects.

[Baldeagle]

Originally posted by mucoromycotina:

The workaround is to enable Developer Mode in the Steam Deck system settings. You don't have to change anything else, just turn it on. Then the window switcher will work.

No. I don't have window switcher mode.

[ZY]

Developer mode no longer enables windows switching. It's practically gone for me now :(. Has this been solved?

[Fibbitts]

This is still an issue as of the latest stable build.