Problem using Alt+Tab

[Mr. F]

I recently got a wired issue with rimworld when using Alt + Tab to switch between desktop and the game. Whenever I use the command to get back into rimworld, the game instantly jumps back to the desktop (but its not crashing). When I try this around 20 times by clicking on rimworld in the taskbar, I suddenly get back into the game and everything runs fine. Until I try Alt+Tab'ing again.

Any idea what might cause this issue? Maybe too many mods active (around 86) or a bad loading order?

Thank you for some tipps, what to do to resolve this :-)


Edit:
Using borderless window helped me, to Alt + Tab again. Thank you!

Edit2:
Windows 10 Update broke Alt+Tab.
Solution: right click on taskbar -> "news and interests" -> turn off/ deactivate

[Ellie]

i have been having this for a few days. Turned off all mods and it still happens.
However if i have a second game open and alt tab between the 2 it works fine.. If i don't have a second game open i can't tab back into Rimworld.
With the second game open, if you can't immediately alt tab into rimworld, hold alt and then press tab multiple times to rotate through your things until you get back onto rimworld again and it will load the second time you select it. Works every time for me.
I'm someone who multi-tasks a lot which was how i found that out. :)

[Jigain]

I alt-tab pretty frequently, and have not encountered any issues such as what you're describing. Two things that immediately come to mind that's worth testing:

1) Update graphics drivers. If no update is available, do a clean reinstall of your current (read: the most recent) graphics drivers.

2) Run the game in borderless window if you're currently in fullscreen, or fullscreen if you're in borderless window. See if that changes things.

[pauloandrade224]

I dont have that issue at all as well.

Maybe its a resolution thing or something?

[Ellie]

Originally posted by Jigain:

I alt-tab pretty frequently, and have not encountered any issues such as what you're describing. Two things that immediately come to mind that's worth testing:

1) Update graphics drivers. If no update is available, do a clean reinstall of your current (read: the most recent) graphics drivers.

2) Run the game in borderless window if you're currently in fullscreen, or fullscreen if you're in borderless window. See if that changes things.

Actually thank you. This fixed it. It made me check my settings which i had meant to do and never got around to. I NEVER run a game in full screen but it seems Rimworld had at some point reverted back to full screen settings.
Just changed them now and can alt-tab to my heart's content!
Thanks

[Mr. F]

Originally posted by Jigain:

I alt-tab pretty frequently, and have not encountered any issues such as what you're describing. Two things that immediately come to mind that's worth testing:

1) Update graphics drivers. If no update is available, do a clean reinstall of your current (read: the most recent) graphics drivers.

2) Run the game in borderless window if you're currently in fullscreen, or fullscreen if you're in borderless window. See if that changes things.

The strange thing is, everything was fine a day ago.

I tried the driver update now, but sadly this didn't help at all. But your second idea to run the game in borderless window did it for me. Thank you very much!

[Jigain]

I'm glad I could help. :)

[average RTX5090 enjoyer]

I've got this bug too, the solution suggested above is not suitable for me because I want to play in fullscreen mode.

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by Tudalu:

..
Actually thank you. This fixed it. It made me check my settings which i had meant to do and never got around to. I NEVER run a game in full screen but it seems Rimworld had at some point reverted back to full screen settings.
Just changed them now and can alt-tab to my heart's content!
Thanks :lunar2019grinningpig:

The game reset to full-screen mode for me, too, when I patched it with the recent patch. For games like this, I almost always run in borderless window as well. It just seems to circumvent a lot of potential issues, especially with focus window and alt-tab weirdness.

[dq]

So apparently it's because of the latest Windows 10 updates. You can either revert them back or wait a bit for another update. It's happening to me as well and I'm furious

[Padawhat]

Originally posted by 308939420982195627483:

So apparently it's because of the latest Windows 10 updates. You can either revert them back or wait a bit for another update. It's happening to me as well and I'm furious

So you are telling me that Microsoft decided to break alt tabing out of a full screened game, I quickly tested with another game I have in full screen and same deal. So that's fun, and we both know that there isn't going to be a Windows update for another, at least, month so guess we have to play the waiting game until they do.

[poop]

Basically fullscreen is a depricated feature in Windows 10 only included for backwards compatibility.
Borderless is the new fullscreen.

[pauloandrade224]

Originally posted by Padawhat:

Originally posted by 308939420982195627483:

So apparently it's because of the latest Windows 10 updates. You can either revert them back or wait a bit for another update. It's happening to me as well and I'm furious :lunar2019piginablanket:

So you are telling me that Microsoft decided to break alt tabing out of a full screened game, I quickly tested with another game I have in full screen and same deal. So that's fun, and we both know that there isn't going to be a Windows update for another, at least, month so guess we have to play the waiting game until they do.

Thats very odd cause i have fully updated windows 10 and as far as i can see i don't have that bug.

Unless im in borderless somehow i dunno

[dq]

Originally posted by pauloandrade224:

Originally posted by Padawhat:

So you are telling me that Microsoft decided to break alt tabing out of a full screened game, I quickly tested with another game I have in full screen and same deal. So that's fun, and we both know that there isn't going to be a Windows update for another, at least, month so guess we have to play the waiting game until they do.

Thats very odd cause i have fully updated windows 10 and as far as i can see i don't have that bug.

Unless im in borderless somehow i dunno

Well, I went to Windows 11 (BETA) and it stopped. Nothing helped before and I'm talking about drivers, chipset etc. updates / reinstalls

[pauloandrade224]

Originally posted by 308939420982195627483:

Originally posted by pauloandrade224:

Thats very odd cause i have fully updated windows 10 and as far as i can see i don't have that bug.

Unless im in borderless somehow i dunno

Well, I went to Windows 11 (BETA) and it stopped. Nothing helped before and I'm talking about drivers, chipset etc. updates / reinstalls

How wierd then haha.

maybe im on borderless then i guess (it says fullscreen on my options menu soo yeah...)

[dq]

DX12 FS ≠ DX11 FS