Alt + tab no longer switches to last window in Windows 11

Anonymous
2023-08-25T00:15:33+00:00

Hi all,

One of the most useful shortcuts I use all the time is not working for me on my new laptop with Windows 11. I used to use ALT + TAB to switch between the current window and the last window I used. Now if I use it it switches between the current window and the first open window (not the most recent). How can I get it so it switches between the two most recently used?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-04-16T05:17:04+00:00

    hello,

    I have purchase a new laptop of HP. software window 11.

    I face a problem of "alt tab" option. not coming last window.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-11T13:29:14+00:00

    You beat me to it Tom!

    I plugged in a different keyboard and suddenly I can Alt-Tab on that keyboard, but still not the original.

    Remember the days when if the OS had trouble exactly identifying your keyboard layout, it might pop up a window asking you to press certain keys (like left-Alt and then right-Alt), to figure out which key mapping you had?

    Or it might have asked, does your keyboard look like this, or this? What's on this key, versus that key? etc

    I searched Win11 for a tool that would help me correctly configure my other keyboard and found nothing to do it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-04-11T10:55:55+00:00

    I just stumbled onto something. I have two Lenovo laptops and one is docked using an external keyboard. On my laptop that's not docked, the Alt/Tab works as expected (bringing me back to previous window). Pressing the Tab/Windows keys opens up all open windows which is the same thing Tab/Alt does using the external keyboard (which does not have a Windows key).

    Seems like there might be an issue with external keyboard layout assignments and Windows 11.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-04-11T06:21:41+00:00

    The same problem when you are watching YouTube (Fullscreen) Then you alt-tab. I need to press the tab 3 times to go to the previous tab. Stupid updates of Microsoft.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-04-10T19:25:55+00:00

    This is not working for me unfortunately.

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