While Alt + Tab is a useful shortcut to switch between multiple tabs, it can disturb the flow sometimes. Likewise, the shortcut can be a distraction when playing a game. This is when you may want to disable the Alt + Tab shortcut in the game in Windows 11 to continue playing without any disturbance.
How to disable the Alt + Tab shortcut in Game in Windows 11
Alt-Tab is a built-in OS function and hence, you cannot disable it per se, unless you modify the registry. But, as an easier alternative, you can remap/rebind the key while in the game. In this post, we will cover some of the user-proven ways to disable the Alt-Tab shortcut in Game in Windows 11.
- Use PowerToys to disable Atl-Tab shortcut
- Remap keys using the AutoHotkey script
- Edit the registry settings
1] Use PowerToys to disable the Atl-Tab shortcut
PowerToys comes with the Keyboard Manager, which can help you to remap keys and shortcuts. So, if you want to turn off Alt+Tab, you can try remapping or rebinding the shortcut using this tool.
First, install PowerToys and then click on the Keyboard Manager option on the left.
Next, click on Open Settings on the right.
In the Power Settings window, click on Remap a shortcut.
Now, in the Remap shortcuts window, go to Physical Shortcut and here, first select Alt from the drop-down and then select Tab from the adjacent drop-down.
Next, go to Mapped To, and here select Disable from the drop-down and press OK to turn off the Alt+Tab shortcut even while you are gaming.
Read: How to remap Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows
2] Remap keys using the AutoHotkey script
Another quick way to turn off the Alt+Tab shortcut is to use the AutoHotkey script which is free to use.
For this, download it from AutoHotkey.com and follow the instructions to finish the setup.
Now, in the .ahk file, click on File and select Edit Script.
Next, delete the current entry in the script and type in the below command:
;Disable Alt+Tab
Once done, press Save As.
Now, set the Save as type field as All files, select a location, and hit Save.
Next time, whenever you launch this script, the Alt+Tab shortcut will be disabled automatically.
3] Edit the registry settings
Modifying the registry editor seemed to have worked for many users to disable the Alt-Tab shortcut in Game in Windows 11; however, try this only if you are confident enough. Also, before you make any changes to the registry, make sure you back up the registry to restore any lost data.
Now, open the registry editor and navigate to the below path:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Next, go to the right and look for the string value named CoolSwitch.
Double-click on this entry and set the Value data field to 0. Press OK to save the changes.
Exit the registry editor and restart your device to apply the changes.
TIP: You can use third-party free key mapping software to remap the Alt-Tab shortcut to make things faster.
Read: How to disable Keyboard Shortcuts on Windows
Can you disable Alt-tabbing?
Yes, you can disable Alt+Tab to not show the Microsoft Edge tabs. For this, open Windows Settings, click on System and then click on Multitasking on the right. Now, look for the Alt–Tab section, and select the Open windows only option to ensure that only windows are shown when using Alt–Tab.
Read: Alt Tab not working in Games on Windows 11
How do I turn off Windows shortcuts while gaming?
To turn off Windows shortcuts during gaming, press the Game Mode key on your keyboard, if it has one. Or, open Windows Settings, go to Gaming, select Game Mode, and enable it. This mode will minimize interruptions during the gaming sessions for a disturbance-free experience.
Read: How to remove Alt+Tab Blur Background in Windows 11.
