Apps stealing focus.

Thank you for trying all the steps and sharing the update.

Since Focus Assist and Task Scheduler didn’t seem to identify or reduce the interruptions, let’s try a few more refined steps.

First Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

Find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and choose End task.

Then click File > Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.

Now, try launching your game and test if the flickering still occurs. This helps determine if the issue is tied to your current Explorer session.

If fails then Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add account.

Create a local user account with administrative rights.

Log into that account, install one of your games, and test if the flicker still happens. This can help confirm if the issue is tied to your main profile's settings or something more system-wide.

Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode and ensure Game Mode is on.

Then, go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics.

Add your games manually and set them to “High performance.”

This can prioritize your game over background processes during resource contention.

Please get back to me with the result after try these steps.

Regards

Udit

Hello Shami,

Thank you so much for reaching out, I am Udit an independent advisor, and I am glad to assist you today with this issue. Here’s a step-by-step method you can follow:

Check Task Scheduler for Background Tasks

Open Task Scheduler by pressing Windows + S, then type "Task Scheduler" and open it.

In the left panel, expand Task Scheduler Library and navigate through the folders.

Look for tasks under Microsoft > Windows > and observe especially folders like ShellExperienceHost, Application Experience, or Customer Experience Improvement Program.

If you notice tasks triggering frequently or at short intervals, right-click on them and check their Triggers tab. If appropriate, consider disabling them to test the behavior.

Use Focus Assist to Reduce Interruptions

Go to Settings > System > Focus assist.

Set it to Alarms only and under Automatic rules, temporarily turn off all rules (like during certain times or while duplicating display).

This can help ensure that Windows notifications or system events are not interfering with your full-screen applications.

Adjust Background App Permissions

Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Background apps.

Review and disable background permissions for apps that are not essential during gaming sessions.

Clean Boot to Isolate the Cause

Type msconfig in the Start menu and open System Configuration.

Under the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services and then click Disable all.

Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. Disable all non-essential startup items.

Restart your PC and see if the issue persists during gameplay.

If this resolves the issue, you can re-enable services one at a time to find the one responsible.

Check Windows Explorer Settings

Open File Explorer Options from the Control Panel.

On the View tab, ensure that "Launch folder windows in a separate process" is unchecked.

Restart your PC after making this change.

Let me know if this helps, and I’d be happy to assist further if the issue continues.

Regards,

Udit

Hi Udit.

Based on the new things I've tried that you gave me the things that didn't work were the ending the explorer task and the setting the games to high performance but the changing accounts did. Thank you for this solution but I do have a question. Is there a way to fix my real account it'll be difficult for me to continuously switch accounts to play certain games. Thanks again for your help I really appreciate it. I would just like a small improvement to get my regular account working.

Hi Udit.

I tried all the things you gave me and even turned on focus assist and it didn't help much. I don't see anything specific in task scheduler. I appreciate your help though.