Alt tab not working means that when you hold Alt and press Tab, the box of open windows either never appears or appears and will not move. Often Alt F4 stops working at the same time, since both shortcuts depend on the same Alt key and on Windows Explorer being healthy.
The cause is usually simple: a dirty or stuck Alt key, a function lock on a laptop keyboard, or the Windows shell needing a restart. A smaller number of cases come from a full screen game, a program running as administrator, or a setting in Multitasking. Start with the first steps below, because they take a minute and solve most cases.
Common causes
1Alt or Tab key is faulty or stuck
How to tellOther shortcuts with Alt also fail; typing the key shows nothing in a key tester
What fixes itTest both keys, clean around them, try an external keyboard
2Windows Explorer has hung
How to tellTaskbar and Win shortcuts are slow or dead too
What fixes itRestart the Explorer process in Task Manager
3Fn lock changes the key behaviour
How to tellAlt F4 closes nothing, or Fn is needed to reach F4
What fixes itPress Fn Lock, or hold Fn together with Alt and F4
4Sticky Keys or Filter Keys is on
How to tellKeys need to be held longer or act like a toggle
What fixes itDisable both from the Accessibility page
5A game or program in full screen blocks it
How to tellWorks on the desktop, fails inside one app
What fixes itRun the game in windowed or borderless mode
6Alt Tab setting changed in Multitasking
How to tellSwitcher shows browser tabs or fewer windows than expected
What fixes itReview the Alt and Tab option under Multitasking
7Driver or keyboard software conflict
How to tellStarted after installing keyboard software or an update
What fixes itClose that software or uninstall the keyboard in Device Manager
How to fix it, step by step
Try the left and right Alt keys
Use the left Alt with Tab, then the right Alt with Tab. If one side works, the other key is worn or stuck. Press it a few times hard to free a trapped crumb.
Check the keys in a tester
Open Notepad and press Alt and Tab slowly. For a proper check, use an on-screen keyboard from Start. When you press a physical key, the matching key on the screen should light up. If it does not, the key is not sending a signal.
Release the Fn lock
On many laptops the F keys act as media keys unless Fn is held, which changes Alt F4 into something else. Press Fn + Esc to toggle Fn Lock where your keyboard has the small lock symbol, or press Alt + Fn + F4 to close a window.
Switch with the Task View shortcut
Press Win + Tab to open Task View. If it works, the keys are fine and only the Alt Tab layer is stuck. That also gives you a way to switch windows while you fix this.
Restart the Explorer process
Open Task Manager, pick the Explorer entry from the list, and restart it. Then try Alt Tab again.
Disable the keyboard helper options
Open the Accessibility page in Settings, choose the keyboard options and disable Sticky Keys and Filter Keys. Five quick Shift presses usually turned them on by accident.
Review the Multitasking setting
Open Settings, System, Multitasking and look at the option for what Alt and Tab shows. Choose the setting that shows open windows only if you want a cleaner list.
Refresh the keyboard software in Windows
Open Device Manager from the Start button's right click menu, remove the keyboard under Keyboards, and reboot so Windows installs it again. Also run Windows Update, since a recent fix may already be waiting.
Why Alt F4 is not working either
Alt F4 closes the active window, so it fails when no window has focus or when the F key is held back by the Fn layer. On the bare desktop, Alt F4 opens the shut down box instead, which can look like a different problem. A frozen program that ignores Alt F4 has hung completely; use Task Manager and choose End task. If the key combination does nothing anywhere, treat it like the Alt key problem above.
You press Alt and F4 on a laptop and the volume drops. The F4 key is being read as a media key. Hold Fn along with the two keys, or turn off the lock for good.
Alt Tab not working in Windows 11 games and full screen apps
Some full screen programs grab the keyboard and keep Alt Tab for themselves. Switch the game to windowed or borderless mode, and the switcher returns. If a game stays on screen and you cannot leave, press Win + D or Ctrl + Shift + Esc to get out. A program running as administrator can also ignore shortcuts sent from a normal app, so close it and reopen it normally.
Tell whether it is the key or Windows
| Test | Good result means | Bad result means |
|---|---|---|
| External keyboard | Laptop keys are faulty | Problem is in Windows |
| Win + Tab | Alt layer or key is the problem | Explorer is hung |
| New user account | Your profile settings are the cause | System files or driver |
| Key tester on screen | Key sends signal | Key hardware is dead |
For wider key trouble see some keyboard keys not working and Windows key not working.
When to repair the keyboard
If a key is dead on every keyboard test, only the hardware can help. External USB keyboards are cheap to replace. Laptop keyboards cost more because many are part of the palm rest, and the bill varies with the model. If liquid was spilled, switch the laptop off and take it to a technician quickly, since corrosion spreads. Before that, try the Windows troubleshooting guides for settings.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Alt Tab not working on Windows 11?
The common reasons are a stuck Alt key, a locked Fn layer or a hung Explorer. Test both Alt keys, then restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager.
Why is Alt F4 not working on my laptop?
Your F keys may be set to act as media keys. Hold Fn with Alt and F4, or turn off Fn Lock so the F keys work normally.
Alt Tab works on the desktop but not in a game. Why?
Many full screen games take control of the keyboard. Switch the game to windowed or borderless mode in its display settings.
Can I switch windows another way if Alt Tab fails?
Yes. Press Win and Tab for Task View, or click the app icons on the taskbar.
Does a Windows update break Alt Tab?
It can, rarely. Restart Explorer and check for a newer update. If it started right after one, System Restore to an earlier point is an option.