How to Enable or Disable Windows 11 Last Active Click

Method 1Using the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a special Windows tool that lets you change settings not found in the normal Windows settings ⚙️ menus. This tool provides the fastest way for you to make this change.

Open the Registry Editor

1. Click the Start button ⊞.
2. Type “Registry Editor” in the search 🔍 bar.
3. Click on “Registry Editor” when it appears in the search 🔍 results.
4. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click “Yes” to allow it.

Registry Editor (a tool for changing advanced system settings) is required to adjust your windows 11 last active click preferences. Click the Start button ⊞, type Registry Editor into the search 🔍 bar, and select the app from the results. Click Yes if a User Account Control prompt appears on your screen.

Go to the Correct Folder

🗝️HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advancedcopy is the exact registry path you need to find the windows 11 last active click setting. Type or paste this path into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window and press Enter to open the correct folder.

The "Advanced" folder, found within Taskbar Settings version 1.0, contains many settings that control how Windows looks and works, offering you direct access to customize your system's behavior.

Find or Create the 'LastActiveClick' Setting

LastActiveClick is the specific registry value that controls your windows 11 last active click behavior. Look for this entry on the right side of the Registry Editor. If it is missing, right-click an empty space, choose New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it LastActiveClick.

• If you find it: Double-click on LastActiveClick to open its settings.
• If you don't find it: No problem! We'll create it. Right-click on an empty spot on the right side. Then, go to New › DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new item will appear that you can name. Type LastActiveClick and press Enter. Now, double-click the new LastActiveClick you just made.

Set the Value to Turn the Feature On or Off

Value data in the windows 11 last active click setting determines how your taskbar behaves when you click an app icon. Change the value data from 0 to 1 to make clicking an app open its last active window, or change it from 1 to 0 to show all open windows instead.

• To turn the feature ON (so clicking an app opens the last window you used): Change the "Value data" from 0 to 1.
• To turn the feature OFF (so clicking an app shows all open windows again): Change the "Value data" from 1 to 0.

Click OK when you are finished.

The "Value data" setting controls the "Last Active Click" feature on the taskbar. Entering 0 turns the "Last Active Click" feature off, while entering 1 turns the "Last Active Click" feature on. This setting helps you manage how the taskbar responds to clicks.

Apply the Changes

Close the Registry Editor. Your changes won't take effect until you restart your computer. After it restarts, try clicking an app icon on your taskbar with multiple windows open. You should notice the difference immediately!

Method 2Using the Command Prompt

If you prefer using text commands or are comfortable with the Command Prompt, this is a good alternative. It's also useful for managing multiple computers or automating the process.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type "Command Prompt."
3. Right-click on "Command Prompt" in the search results.
4. Select "Run as administrator."
5. Click "Yes" if asked for permission by User Account Control.

Enter the Command to Turn the Feature On or Off

Command Prompt lets you modify the windows 11 last active click feature without digging through the registry menus. Type reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f and press Enter to turn the feature on quickly.

• To turn ON the "Last Active Click" feature:

  reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

• To turn OFF the "Last Active Click" feature:

  reg delete "HKCU\Software\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /f

What these commands mean:

• reg add or reg delete: These are commands to change the Windows Registry.
• "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced": This is the exact location (registry path) where the setting is saved.
• /v LastActiveClick: This tells the command which value to change, named "LastActiveClick."
• /t REG_DWORD: This means we are setting a number (a DWORD value).
• /d 1 (to turn on) or /d 0 (to turn off): This is the number we are setting – 1 to turn it on, 0 to turn it off.
• /f: This makes the command run without asking for confirmation, which is helpful for automation.

Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.Warning: Be very careful when typing these commands. A small mistake could cause problems. Double-check everything before pressing Enter.

Method 3Using Windows PowerShell

Like the Command Prompt, PowerShell is another powerful text-based tool in Windows. This method is especially useful for IT professionals managing many computers.

Open PowerShell as Administrator

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type "PowerShell."
3. Right-click on "Windows PowerShell" in the search results.
4. Select "Run as administrator."
5. Click "Yes" if asked for permission by User Account Control.

Run the PowerShell Command

PowerShell provides a quick command-line method to configure windows 11 last active click preferences. Type or paste Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 1 -Type DWord and press Enter to turn the feature on instantly.

• To turn ON the "Last Active Click" feature:

  Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 1 -Type DWord

• To turn OFF the "Last Active Click" feature:

  Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 0 -Type DWord

Understanding the command:

• Set-ItemProperty: This is a PowerShell command used to change a property, in this case, a registry value.
• -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced": This shows the exact registry location. The colon after HKCU: is how PowerShell indicates a drive or registry hive.
• -Name "LastActiveClick": This tells PowerShell which specific value in that location to change.
• -Value 1 or -Value 0: This sets the value – 1 to turn it on, 0 to turn it off.
• -Type DWord: This confirms we are working with a number (DWORD) data type.

Restart Your Computer

Your taskbar should now work the way you want it to.Tip: PowerShell is very powerful. If you want to learn how to automate computer tasks, it's worth exploring!

Summary

Windows 11 last active click is a taskbar feature that lets you choose whether clicking an open app icon opens its most recent window or shows a preview of all open windows. You can easily turn this setting on or off using the Registry Editor, Command Prompt, or PowerShell.