Freeze when alt-tabbing out of games

[xsolane]

Hi. For about a week or 2 I have been getting a new bug. My entire PC freezes when I alt-tab out of a game, specifically VALORANT but it happens with other games as well. Playing on windowed/windowed borderless doesn't help. I can still hear sounds and can even still be heard when in a discord call but the only way to unfreeze is to hit the power button and force restart. I hate having to do this every time I play because it is harmful to my PC. I've seem similar threads before about this issue coming up since the last few weeks none with a real fix. Is Microsoft aware of /looking into the the issue? I've heard it's an issue on windows 11 only hence why I posted here. I even tried to downgrade back to windows 10 but it states it's not possible on this computer anymore. Is there a fix coming?  

edit: forgot to mention, first exiting fullscreen with F11 and then alt-tabbing out doesn't work either, still freezes

[#2]

Same

[#3]

@xsolane i have the same problem but Windows 10 Pro, and I freakin hate it 

[#4]

@xsolane same

• windows 11 (64bit)
• Valorant

Edit: sorry, i already found the solution but forgot to post here.

You just have to do is:

       •Disable any OS level gaming mode

       •Disable fast boot option in your Windows (it's some kernel level issue that making problems)

Just Google what happens when you disable/enable fast boot option to know more about this tip. (Am lazy😴)

And play without any obstruction 👍

[#5]

@xsolane it's fixed for me now, don't know what changed.

[#6]

LMK if you're able to find a solution to this problem or if anyone else knows. ive been having this problem since i got my pc@xsolane 

[#7]

This worked for me as well. Thanks

[#8]

@xsolane I’m having the exact same issue while playing valorant

[#9]

@xsolane https://www.reddit.com/r/ValorantTechSupport/comments/v5a0xc/to_anyone_whose_pc_freezes_when_tabbing... this works at least for me:D

[#10]

not a windows 11 error, this is a processing and Grafics erorr.

[#11]

@xsolane I have the same issue..

I've noticed a lot of times when the game goes into a loading screen (in dying light 2) or as soon as a match ends in valorant and I hit alt tab, my entire pc freezes.

I can hear discord call, even talk, but nothign else works. I have to hold the power button and restart too.

I recently bought my laptop, about a month and a half ago (a legion 5 pro 32gb 1tb rtx 3070) and I also have the same problem.

would love for a suggestion to have it fixed

[#12]

If a full-screen application, similar to a game, freezes and keeps you from leaving it, press Alt+F4. This shuts the application on the off chance that the game is simply encountering graphical issues, yet it won't work assuming the application has frozen totally. To check whether the PC is as yet answering, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete

[#13]

@xsolane, it will be fixed when downgraded. You can use "create installation media windows 10". search up windows 10 iso download and download the tool. You can simply open it and follow the steps. Your files will be deleted but some of them still exist on my computer after the downgrade.

[#14]

I had exactly the same issue (very annoying I know) and the solution for me was to disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling (HAGS), this can be found in Settings-->Display-->Graphics-->Default Graphics Settings, turn it off and restart. I hope this helps for you.

I have a NVIDIA 2070 GPU and Intel i5-12600K CPU.

@xsolane 

[#15]

@xsolane I had this issue on windows 10. My solution was to uninstall the nvidia ge experience drivers and reinstall them. If you open it theres an option to reinstall them if not instead of gameready drivers you can chose another option it has that it will overide the actual one, then reinstall the gameready

[#16]

@xsolane 

disable hardware accelerating from game mode\grafic settings and will be not do problems anymore

[#17]

@xsolane i have this issue but recently figured out that unplugging my display/hdmi cord and then waiting a few seconds and plugging it back in fixes it. Still super annoying but at least fixes having to force restart

[#18]

@xsolane 

First method: Disabling Integrated Graphics Driver

Step 1: Go to device manager (press windows button and search it)
Step 2: Locate display adapters and expand it
Step 3: Disable your integrated graphics (Intel UHD graphics, Intel Iris, AMD Radeon graphics, etc)

Note: When you get in game the game will laggy. So what you will do is activate your integrated graphics again while in game. This will not make your game crash anymore unless you alt tab)

Second method: Driver roll back

Step 1: Go to device manager
Step 2: Locate display adapters and expand it
Step 3: double click your integrated graphics (Intel or AMD)
Step 4: Go to drivers and locate "driver roll back"

Tips: If the option is not there then update your integrated graphics first. If the issue persist, try rolling back your driver and see if it works.

[#19]

2024 and i have the same problem
why Microsoft still no fix for this issue ?!

[#20]

this thing happened to me a couple days ago and the problem was because of some corrupted system files with Windows 10.
The fix :
1- Go to CMD and run as administrator.
2- type the command "sfc /scannow".
3- wait a couple minutes to finish the scan and to windows to fix the files.
this may not fix the issue with you, but it did for me, And even if this doesn't fix the Alt+tab problem, it's good for you pc overall.

[#21]

@xsolane 08 2024 still hasn’t been fixed, I can alt tab a few times and the 5th+ alt+tab freezes the game, forcing me to restart. Anyone got a solution??