6 Fixes for Alt + Tab Shortcut Not Working on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Alt + Tab usage can be confusing when multiple desktops are enabled in Windows.
• Other software can overwrite the Alt + Tab hotkey for something else.
• Enable Peek to make Alt + Tab work if it was disabled for performance reasons.

Fix 1. Check for Keyboard-Related Issues

First, check whether there’s any issue with your keyboard. To check whether it’s a malfunctioning keyboard or a software-related issue, connect the keyboard to another PC and inspect if it works as expected. If the keyboard doesn’t work, refer to our guide on fixing the keyboard not working on Windows 11.

Alternatively, almost all Windows-compatible keyboards come with two sets of Alt keys—one on the right and one on the left. Test both Alt keys to check which one functions to narrow down the faulty one.

Fix 2. Check if Alt + Tab Is Properly Configured in Settings

Step 1: Press the Windows + I Keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app. Then, scroll down and click on Multitasking.

Step 2: On the Multitasking page, expand Desktops.

Step 3: Under the Desktops section, click on the drop-down beside Show all open windows when I press Aft + Tab and select On all desktops.

Fix 3. Restart the Windows Explorer or File Explorer

Step 1: Press the Windows + X keys to open the Power User menu and select Task Manager.

Step 2: Head to the Processes tab and select the Windows Explorer process in the Task Manager window. Then, click on Restart task at the top.

If you see multiple processes related to Windows Explorer, select the one with more memory usage.

Fix 4. Enable Peek at Desktop

The Peek feature in Windows lets you hover on the right-hand corner of the Taskbar or use the Ctrl + , (Comma) shortcut to peek at the desktop. Further, the Alt + Tab shortcut also relies on Peek to work correctly. If the peek feature is not on your PC, the Alt + Tab shortcut might not work as expected.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run tool and type sysdm.cpl. Then, press Enter.

Step 2: In the System Properties window, select the Advanced tab. Then, click on Settings under the Performance section.

Step 3: When the Performance Options dialog box appears, check the box for Enable Peek if it isn’t already enabled. Then, click Apply.

Fix 5. Check if Windows Hotkeys Are Enabled

Step 1: Type Edit group policy in the Start menu search. When it appears in the search results, click on Open.

Step 2: Navigate to the following path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer

Step 3: Open the Turn off Windows Key hotkeys policy and double-click on it.

Step 4: In the Turn off Windows Key hotkeys dialog box window, check whether the policy is not enabled and is set to Not Configured or Disabled.

Step 5: If this policy is enabled, click Not Configured, followed by Apply. Then, restart your PC and check if it fixes the Alt + Tab shortcut.

Fix 6. Switch to the Legacy Alt + Tab Viewer

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R keys to open the Run dialog. In the text field, type regedit and press Enter.

Step 2: Copy and paste the following location into the Navigation bar:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

Step 3: Right-click anywhere in the right pane and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 4: Type AltTabSettings and press Enter to create the DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 5: Double-click the newly created AltTabSettings entry and set its Value data to 1. Then, click on OK to save the changes.

Step 6: Restart your computer to apply the registry changes and check if pressing the Alt + Tab shortcut opens the app switcher.