How to Change Alt+Tab View to Windowed or Full Screen in Windows 11

This guide will help you change how the Alt + Tab keys work in Windows 11. You can make the window switcher show up as a small window or take up the full screen.

What is Alt+Tab?

Pressing Alt + Tab lets you switch between all open apps and windows quickly. Why would you use this? It saves time when you’re working with multiple programs at once.

You can also press Ctrl + Alt + Tab to keep the switcher open without holding down keys.

What Changed in Windows 11?

Windows 11 build 22526 started showing the Alt+Tab switcher as a smaller window instead of full screen for some users. What does this mean? The switcher took up less space on your screen.

From Windows 11 build 22554 and later, the Alt+Tab switcher is windowed by default. The full screen option was removed from newer versions.

Important: %%FLAG_ADMIN%% You need to be signed in as an administrator on your computer to make these changes.

How to Change Alt+Tab View

1. Show Alt+Tab as Full Screen

To make Alt+Tab show full screen again, you need to edit the Windows Registry. Why would you want this? Some users prefer the full screen view for better visibility.

Step-by-step:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. This opens the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to this folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\4\702590604
4. If the folder 702590604 exists, right-click it and choose Delete to remove it. What happens when you do this? Windows will switch to full screen Alt+Tab view.
5. If the folder doesn’t exist, you don’t need to do anything — full screen may already be disabled.
6. Restart your computer to apply changes.

2. Show Alt+Tab as Windowed (Default)

This is how Windows 11 shows Alt+Tab by default in newer versions. What does windowed mean? The switcher appears as a small window in the center of your screen instead of covering everything.

If you want to make sure it’s set to windowed, follow these steps:

1. Open Registry Editor as explained above.
2. Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\4\702590604
3. If the folder 702590604 does not exist, create it: Right-click on 4 → New → Key → name it 702590604.
4. Inside 702590604, create these new DWORD (32-bit) values with these exact names and data:
   • "EnabledState"=dword:00000002
   • "EnabledStateOptions"=dword:00000001
   • "Variant"=dword:00000000
   • "VariantPayload"=dword:00000000
   • "VariantPayloadKind"=dword:00000000
5. Restart your PC for the changes to take effect. What happens when you restart? Windows will apply your new Alt+Tab settings.

Extra Tips

Be careful with Registry Editor: Changing the wrong settings can cause problems. Always back up your registry before making changes. Learn how here: Microsoft Registry Backup Guide

If you want an easier way, you can try third-party apps like Switcher or use virtual desktops (Windows + Tab).

Summary

You now know how to switch between a windowed or full screen Alt+Tab view in Windows 11. The windowed version is the default in newer Windows 11 builds, but you can change it back to full screen by editing the Registry. Just remember to be careful when making Registry changes, and always back up your system first.