Can't Alt+Tab in League of Legends (fixed)

League of Legends might be one of the most popular games around, especially in the MOBA genre, but it requires a significant amount of time. After all, the average League of Legends match takes anywhere from 35 to 50 minutes, so it’s understandable that some players may want to multitask while playing the game.

This is where the alt+tabbing strategy comes into play. Many players tend to alt+tab out of the League of Legends application when playing the game to do something else at the same time. This is usually done when the player is dead and waiting to respawn or the game is loading. However, the issue of players not being able to alt+tab has plagued the game for years now.

Today, we’re here to go through multiple potential fixes that can help you start alt+tabbing in League of Legends. These fixes include disabling full-screen optimization and checking for Windows updates.

Disable Full-Screen Optimization

To solve the Alt-Tab problem in League of Legends, turning off Windows Full-Screen Optimisation is one of the best fixes. Although full-screen optimization usually enhances gameplay, older games like League that may require a lot of resources can frequently clash with it. 

To disable it, right-click the League of Legends shortcut or.exe file, choose "Properties”, and then select the "Compatibility" tab to turn off this feature. Next, be sure to implement the adjustments by checking the "Disable full-screen optimizations" box. This should assist in avoiding the game freezing or becoming unresponsive when you click Alt+Tab.

This fix usually works for players with low-spec systems. RAM especially plays a huge role in ensuring that games like League of Legends run smoothly, and not having at least 8GB or more can cause major issues with the game’s performance. 

Use Borderless Window Mode

Another workaround is to switch the game to Borderless Windowed Mode. League of Legends runs in full-screen mode by default, which frequently causes issues with the Alt-Tab function. Open the game, select the "Settings" menu, then select the "Video" settings to modify this setting. 

You can choose between the "Borderless Windowed" and "Windowed" modes from here. This guarantees that the game runs more like a standard window, which allows alt-tabbing out without stuttering or freezing the screen. It also provides a smoother transition between the game and other apps without significantly impacting in-game performance.

If you don’t remember enabling full-screen optimization then don’t worry. As mentioned above, League of Legends runs in full-screen mode by default, even if it can interfere with the alt+tab feature sometimes. It’s worth disabling it and seeing if it fixes your issue. Of course, if it doesn’t then you can move on to the next fix.

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Update Graphics Drivers

League of Legends Alt-Tab problems are also frequently caused by outdated or incompatible graphic drivers. Whether you use AMD, Intel, or NVIDIA GPU drivers, you should update them frequently to keep the game running properly. 

To get the most recent drivers, go to your GPU manufacturer's official website or make use of their automatic update tools. Restart your computer and reopen the game after your drivers have been updated. This fix can also fix other game-related issues and boost overall performance.

Close Unnecessary Background Applications

Excessive CPU or memory consumption by background apps can make the Alt-Tab issue worse. Applications such as Chrome, Discord, or even some system utilities can interfere with the Alt-Tabbing of the game. Press "Ctrl+Shift+Esc" to launch the Task Manager, where you can see the list of background apps that are active while you're playing. 

Shut off any unnecessary apps that could be consuming system resources. In some circumstances, turning off overlays like those from NVIDIA's GeForce Experience or Discord can also help in reducing latency while navigating between windows.

Adjust Windows Game Mode Settings

Windows 10 and 11 come with a built-in Game Mode feature designed to optimize the system for gaming. However, this feature can sometimes interfere with Alt-Tab functionality in games like League of Legends. 

To check your Game Mode settings, open the Windows Settings menu, go to "Gaming," and click on "Game Mode." Try toggling Game Mode off if it’s enabled to check if this resolves the issue. On the flip side, if it's off, try enabling it to see if the problem still exists.

Check For Windows Updates

It’s crucial that you keep your operating system up to date so your PC runs smoothly. This is especially important if you want to enhance the compatibility between games and other software. Sometimes, an outdated Windows version can potentially cause issues with core Windows features like alt+tabbing, though updating to the newer version of Windows usually fixes this.

After all, newer Windows versions often come with bug fixes, performance enhancements, and updates that just generally improve how the operating system handles things like multitasking and window management.

Here are the steps you can follow to check for Windows updates:

1. Press the Windows Key + I to open the Settings menu.
2. Navigate to Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Update in the sidebar.
4. Select Check for updates. If updates are available, Windows will download and install them automatically.
5. Restart your computer if needed after the updates are installed.

If you haven’t updated the Windows version for a while then you might notice multiple changes. Fortunately, these changes will likely be positive and full of system stability and performance enhancements.

Increase Your Computer’s Ram

As mentioned above, RAM plays a huge role in ensuring games like League of Legends run smoothly. Not having enough RAM can cause general performance issues, like loading into the game late and getting frequent FPS drops. It’s because of these performance issues that players might struggle with alt+tabbing.

Fortunately, League of Legends doesn’t require high specs. While 2GB RAM is the minimum and 4GB is the recommended, we highly suggest you go for 8GB if it’s possible. While League of Legends won’t take too much RAM, especially if you’re playing in low-quality mode, the computer’s background applications can require you to go above the 4GB mark.

Increasing the computer or laptop’s RAM can also generally help players play the game better. Those who buy a League of Legends boost from Eloking will likely agree that high-level players usually have decent or above-average specs to ensure they don’t experience any FPS drops.

Why does the alt+tab issue happen?

The Alt+Tab issue in League of Legends is a fairly common problem, arising when players try to switch between League of Legends and other applications by pressing "Alt+Tab" on their keyboard. Instead of smoothly transitioning to another window, the game gets stuck, refuses to minimize, or freezes entirely.

In some cases, the issue can cause significant delays, resulting in missed game moments or unresponsive actions, forcing players to restart the game or their computer. This can be really frustrating, especially in ranked matches or crucial moments in the game when you need to quickly switch between screens to talk to your teammates on Discord or check a guide.

FAQs

Why do League of Legends players alt+tab?

Alt+tabbing can be convenient for players who want to multitask while playing the game. Whether it be to reply to messages while the death counter is going down or to change the current song while the game is loading, alt+tabbing out of League of Legends and using some other software or application can be pretty handy.