Cannot switch between windows by hovering on taskbar and clicking a popup

Question

This has started to happen since a few weeks ago. I have Windows 11 Pro, 10.0.26100 Build 26100 on a i5-9600 @ 3.7GHz, 6 Cores with 32 GB RAM. Before this started to happen, I could hover over an icon on the task bar and then click the small version of the program that is running and that window would become focused. Now I cannot do that. I have to use ALT+Tab to switch between windows and it gets frustrating mainly because this has been a feature in Windows for as long as there has been a task bar (at least since Windows 8) and if it is no longer a feature...fine...just change the behavior so that those small versions of the running apps are no longer clickable at all. Otherwise this is a bug that should be fixed.

Just to give additional information: I have zero ease of use enabled. I have a 3 monitor setup.

Answer 1

Hi, Microsoft need to fix this annoying bug.

However, this easy work around works for me. Simply hold down shift and I am able to select as pre windows 11.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

This has been absolutely driving me insane.....I really wish you guys would just fix this problem it's beyond ridiculous.

The only solution I have found is to press "Show Desktop" and suddenly I can begin switching between applications on my Taskbar normally again.....for the longest time I thought this was a bug in Unreal Engine until I realized it was doing it when Chrome is opened I tried to switch to Sticky Notes but it simply for the life of me wouldn't switch until I pressed "Show Desktop" on the task bar....it did this after a Fresh Installation of Windows 11 too, so it's definitely a Windows 11 bug and not a Corruption issue.

If you guys could get it through your head and spend 10 minutes trying to debug this then perhaps you could patch it and make millions of people around the globe less annoyed by Windows.

By the way, this bug has been in Windows 11 since it was in Beta.....and you guys still have not fixed it....very sad.

Answer 3

sfc /scannow didn't work for me. :-(

Answer 4

Thanks for the comprehensive info, however...

1. There seems to be no such option as 'Task view and Widgets' under Taskbar settings:

2. I'm not sure restarting Explorer will do anything as this behaviur comes and goes as I'll explain.
3. Again, my graphics drivers are up-to-date and in any case, this behaviour comes and goes in one session so a 'bad' screen driver does not seem consistent with the behaviour.
4. I can confirm HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarGlomLevel does not exist.

As to the behaviour, it is intermitant with no discernable pattern. Often it's possible to swtich between open windows by hovering over the Taskbar pop-up windows. But it's also not uncommon that Windows simply ignores the window selection. You hover over the pop-up for the window you want, the windows appears in the foreground, you click to select and the window disappears. Everything works exceptng the actual selection. On selection, the window disappears to the background/minimsed.

When Windows is having 'one of these fits', it will sometimes select and keep the desired window open and in focus if you select it 2, 3 or maybe more times. Also, sometimes hovering but not selecting the windows for maybe 4s and then clicking, works, but it's all random.

What I cannot fathom is how something SO central to Windows ... the clue is in the 's' on then end of Windows ... to allow selection of/movement between windows can just screw-up like this. I know my wife is an Alt+Tab kind of girl, but most professionals I know use the Taskbar to switch between open windows, so just how can Microsoft put out a product that breaks this core functionlity ... and on an entirely random basis, sometimes working, othertimes not, soetimes if you try multiple times, other times if you give it 'a few seconds' to catch up. You'll also see why I doubt the restarting Explorer and graphics driver solutions as in the one session, it will work normally, it won't, will work later, then not

Answer 5

Same issue for my laptop and PC since the last update KB5055627. It's really annoying and I hope it can be addressed soon...