I'll be playing a game (any game, doesn't matter) or browsing the internet or in folders and Windows will randomly switch tasks to something else that's running. I have to switch back to what I was doing. It's as if I hit alt-tab or the Windows button, but I didn't. I mostly play games of all sorts in Windows.  I don't know if anyone else is seeing this problem.

Computer: 2013 iMac maxed out (16gb ram, Intel i7 3.4 ghz Dual Core) SSD HDD

Using bootcamp obviously.

Nvidia Graphics GForce 680mx

Hi Nathan,

It seems that other process cause the losing focus issue.

Please check the issue in Clean boot mode:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135  

If the issue doesnt appear, you can determine which one can be the cause by using dichotomy in MSconfig. Checking on half of Non-Microsoft service and restart, determining which half of the services cause the issue and repeating to check half of the problematic half services.

If the issue still persists, please open Task manager and once the issue happened, please check which process is starting to run but it doesn't persists before.

Also, I consider that whether there is any malware on your computer, please run the virus scan to check the results.

May be we can check Event Viewer if it identify the problem.

• Marked as answer by Brandon RecordsModerator Friday, April 11, 2014 3:58 PM

Windows will randomly switch tasks to something else that's running.

Switch to something else that is showing on the screen?  Touch Screen?  I have seen that happen due to spurious interrupts from it.  A solution is to either clear that spot of something that will activate or disable the Touch screen.  In my case it was sufficient just to disable the Multi-touch feature.  Then I was still able to use my pen, which is much more valuable to me anyway.

I have this same problem.  Running Windows 8.1 (formerly 8.0, upgraded it to 8.1) and it's been happening for a long time now.  I have spent hours and hours troubleshooting with the Event Viewer, the Resource Monitor, and the Task Manager performance tab all open and I can't see what's going on.  I tried clean boot mode, I opened MSconfig and disabled all non-Windows processes and the issue is persisting.  There are forums all over the internet with complaints about this and I am absolutely shocked that the MS devs haven't picked up on the problem.

It's on the Blizzard forums for Diablo III, it's in the StarCraft 2 forums, it's on the Steam forums.  It's on the Roblox forums.  It's everywhere.  Any person with even a slight iota of common sense could do a google search for "Windows 8.1 alt tab by itself" and see all the search hits where multitudes of people are describing the same problem, nearly all of which mention it happening after running Windows Update. 

Additionally, there is a known issue that MS confirmed with the upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 where it breaks the system restore functionality and I am flat out refusing to reinstall my OS for a problem that Microsoft has neglected to fix for the better part of 3 months.  The hotfix for rebuilding the restore functionality with command prompt just errors out for me.

No, I'm not going to provide links to all of these forums, no I'm not going to do any more troubleshooting on my end because I've already done enough.  I do not have the time to do Microsoft's job.  I'm disgusted with the service on this issue.

I have this same problem.  Running Windows 8.1 (formerly 8.0, upgraded it to 8.1) and it's been happening for a long time now.  I have spent hours and hours troubleshooting with the Event Viewer, the Resource Monitor, and the Task Manager performance tab all open and I can't see what's going on.  I tried clean boot mode, I opened MSconfig and disabled all non-Windows processes and the issue is persisting.  There are forums all over the internet with complaints about this and I am absolutely shocked that the MS devs haven't picked up on the problem.

It's on the Blizzard forums for Diablo III, it's in the StarCraft 2 forums, it's on the Steam forums.  It's on the Roblox forums.  It's everywhere.  Any person with even a slight iota of common sense could do a google search for "Windows 8.1 alt tab by itself" and see all the search hits where multitudes of people are describing the same problem, nearly all of which mention it happening after running Windows Update. 

Additionally, there is a known issue that MS confirmed with the upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 where it breaks the system restore functionality and I am flat out refusing to reinstall my OS for a problem that Microsoft has neglected to fix for the better part of 3 months.  The hotfix for rebuilding the restore functionality with command prompt just errors out for me.

No, I'm not going to provide links to all of these forums, no I'm not going to do any more troubleshooting on my end because I've already done enough.  I do not have the time to do Microsoft's job.  I'm disgusted with the service on this issue.

Im going through the same thing for a week now. This never happened before, are the support devs listening? I have a pro license too so I believe anyone who has legit windows license deserves a better answer to a known issue reported throughout, in many different configs. Also I too noticed this after an update, what gives?

• Edited by SoftwareInsanity 11 hours 18 minutes ago

I have this same problem.  Running Windows 8.1 (formerly 8.0, upgraded it to 8.1) and it's been happening for a long time now.  I have spent hours and hours troubleshooting with the Event Viewer, the Resource Monitor, and the Task Manager performance tab all open and I can't see what's going on.  I tried clean boot mode, I opened MSconfig and disabled all non-Windows processes and the issue is persisting.  There are forums all over the internet with complaints about this and I am absolutely shocked that the MS devs haven't picked up on the problem.

It's on the Blizzard forums for Diablo III, it's in the StarCraft 2 forums, it's on the Steam forums.  It's on the Roblox forums.  It's everywhere.  Any person with even a slight iota of common sense could do a google search for "Windows 8.1 alt tab by itself" and see all the search hits where multitudes of people are describing the same problem, nearly all of which mention it happening after running Windows Update. 

Additionally, there is a known issue that MS confirmed with the upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 where it breaks the system restore functionality and I am flat out refusing to reinstall my OS for a problem that Microsoft has neglected to fix for the better part of 3 months.  The hotfix for rebuilding the restore functionality with command prompt just errors out for me.

No, I'm not going to provide links to all of these forums, no I'm not going to do any more troubleshooting on my end because I've already done enough.  I do not have the time to do Microsoft's job.  I'm disgusted with the service on this issue.

Im going through the same thing for a week now. This never happened before, are the support devs listening? I have a pro license too so I believe anyone who has legit windows license deserves a better answer to a known issue reported throughout, in many different configs. Also I too noticed this after an update, what gives?

• Edited by SoftwareInsanity Saturday, April 25, 2015 8:03 PM