DisplayFusion RSS: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/RSS/?TopicID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326 DisplayFusion RSS: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? Wed, 20 May 2026 14:54:05 GMT en hourly 1 https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/RSS/?TopicID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326 RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#7 Thu, 03 Aug 2023 17:20:58 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#7 DisplayFusion We've released a new beta that might fix this up, can you try it out and let me know if the issue persists? ]]> RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#6 Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:14:42 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#6 DisplayFusion I was able to reproduce that as well on my end so I've added it to our list to look into.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#5 Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:10:53 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#5 DisplayFusion
Quote:
We've released a new beta that should have this fixed up.


Thanks!

I just tried it out. It works!

I'd say there's a slowdown bug in it, though. It takes ~3.002 seconds instead of the normal instant alt-tab of windows. I timed it (timer & pause & timer commands, alt tab away, and back, divide by 2). But also it takes like 4 seconds sometimes.

I see it draw/undraw about 7 windows and it is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from instant like a normal alt-tab.

At least when in opera, firstly the opera alt window comes up, which i'm sure is because the alt key is depressed slightly before hitting the tag key when one hits alt-tab and normal behavior

Then I see the alt-tab window get drawn on all 4 of my screens, but curiously the screen i'm focused on is last in that algorithm, and I think it should be first in the list because a user's attention is usually focused on the screen that the operating system is focused on, so it would make sense to draw the alt-tab display box (which is for the user to see) on that screen first, rather than last.

But also, if it was happening at the speed I have been accustomed to since Windows 98 or so, the order wouldn't matter because it would be simultaneous.

By the time even the first alt-tab window is drawn, I've already long (my inner brain is very impatient) let go of the alt-tab key and am wondering what's happening.

I then see them un-draw slow enough to experience the fact that they are undrawn in the same order -- when in fact I'd suggest to undraw the one on the monitor of the window we are switching to, since the user's attention will be moving to the screen they are alt-tab'ing to, and this will get the alt-tab window out of their way ASAP.
Note that this isn't the same order as the draw order.

I think draw first should be current screen, and remove first should be the screen we are alt-tabbing to. That way, even though it shoudln't be slowing down, at least when it does, it interfere's with the user's attention as little as possible.

Now be all that as it may, IT'S AWESOME THAT ALT-TAB IS GOING TO THE RIGHT SCREEN!!! WOOOO!!! BEEN WAITING YEARS FOR THIS!!!!! ：）：）：）：）：）：）：）：） ]]> RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#4 Tue, 11 Jul 2023 15:53:24 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#4 DisplayFusion We've released a new beta that should have this fixed up.

Thanks! ]]> RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#3 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:50:04 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#3 DisplayFusion So glad to hear, thank you!! ]]> RE: Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#2 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 14:34:52 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326#2 DisplayFusion We have this on our list to fix up, we'll post here if we have anything further.

Thanks! ]]> Why doesn't hitting alt-tab once default to switching to the last focused app? https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326 Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:15:05 GMT Binary Fortress Software https://www.displayfusion.com/Discussions/View/why-doesnt-hitting-alt-tab-once-default-to-switching-to-the-last-focused-app/?ID=cf68de14-5c1a-4fb6-b8fe-586c4f3da326 DisplayFusion I kind of have had to stop using alt-tab for quickly switching in between two tasks in the years since using DisplayFusion, becuase it just won't work the way it does without using DisplayFusion

which is to ALWAYS go to the last-focused task

So alt-tab lets you quickly switch between 2 tasks (example: editing a script in your text editor, and pasting lines of the script into your command line)

For years now, I just have to mouse back and forth

Is this a bug, or a setting i can change? ]]>