Windows 11 Windows logo key + number keyboard shortcut issues, causes blank black/gray pop up

Here is a dead simple AutoHotKey script to fix the problem. The trick in preventing this issue is to always release the number key before releasing the windows key. This script handles that case, and emulates pressing them in the right order.

; Register Win + 0-9 with our custom handler to add key delay.

LWin & 1::WinNumber(1)

LWin & 2::WinNumber(2)

LWin & 3::WinNumber(3)

LWin & 4::WinNumber(4)

LWin & 5::WinNumber(5)

LWin & 6::WinNumber(6)

LWin & 7::WinNumber(7)

LWin & 8::WinNumber(8)

LWin & 9::WinNumber(9)

LWin & 0::WinNumber(0)

; Custom handler

WinNumber(numberKey) {

    ; Wait until the user has released the number key. This allows us to emulate

    ; standard windows behavior of "cycling" through the multiple open windows

    ; in taskbar position of the number key.

    KeyWait, %numberKey%

    ; If the Win key is still pressed, windows will not bug out and create

    ; the grey box window. Just press the number key here to select the window

    ; from the taskbar.

    if GetKeyState("LWin", "P")

        Send, {Blind}%numberKey%

    ; If the user has already released the windows key before releasing the

    ; number key, press the windows key back down along with the number key.

    else

    {

        ; Manually press down on the Win key without releasing, then press the

        ; number key. 

        Send, {Blind}{LWin down}%numberKey%

        ; Wait 1/10th of a second before releasing the windows key.

        ; This is what prevents the bugged window from popping up. Without a

        ; delay, the bugged window occurs. I tested a delay of 50 ms instead

        ; of 100 here, but the bug still ocurred. 100 is reliable.

        Sleep, 100

        Send, {Blind}{LWin up}

    }

    return

}

This registry tweak only works if "Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels" is set to "Never". With labels showing, the LastActiveClick does not immediately toggle between open windows when using the Win+# keyboard shortcut, the window thumbnails/previews are still shown. This is still a very easily reproduceable bug, ever since Windows 10.

The key to reproducing this issue is pressing the shortcut quickly / fast.

Oddly, SanderJoon'srecommendation of enabling always use LastActiveClick via the registry does seem to resolve this for me.

1. In Registry Editor, in HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer create a new Registry entry by right-clicking Advanced within the Explorer key and selecting New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
2. A new entry will appear on the right side. Name it LastActiveClick.
3. Double-click this entry you just added and change Value data from 0 to 1.
4. Reboot the computer.

I've only been using it for a couple of hours after enabling and it seems like it has resolved it for me. Based on the description of what LastActiveClick does I did not suspect it would have any impact. However, I noticed enabling LastActiveClick via holding down the Ctrl key when using Winkey-# did not seem to exhibit the same symptoms, so I tried it, and so far so good.

Sometimes the content of the thumbnail is blank, but to me that's irrelevant. I can at least switch windows and applications.

Here's an example of how they're different after enabling LastActiveClick

I have been experiencing the exact same issue. My specs are also very decent (5600X, 16GB of Ram, 6800XT) so it might not even related to Intel or AMD. This costs me tons of time and annoys me to the extent that I was considering switch back to Windows 10.

Simple patch for this bug.

https://github.com/wuutae/fix-win-num-popup/releases/tag/v1.0

Hope this helps.