microsoft
[PowerToys Run] causes some fullscreen apps/3D games to minimize on launch.
Microsoft PowerToys version
0.87.1
Installation method
WinGet
Running as admin
No
Area(s) with issue?
PowerToys Run
Steps to reproduce
Clean install of Windows 10 (IOT LTSC used, but Win11 also affected), nVidia drivers, and Passmark Performance Test (Other apps affected, but this one is an simple reproducer) Install powertoys using winget. Run Passmark GPU tests. DX9 test won't run. DX11 test won't run. DX10, 12 tests run with obscenely low framerates. Run a game (I ran Quake2 RTX). Game launches directly, then minimizes to task bar. Tabbing to game results in screen changing res and game minimizing. Impossible to keep game fullscreen. Disable PowerToys Run Launch Quake 2 RTX, it runs fine. Run all Passmark GPU tests, good scores. Enable PowerToys Run Unable to keep Quake 2 RTX open fullscreen. Unable to run Passmark GPU tests as seen above.
✔️ Expected Behavior
Enable PowerToys Run Launch Quake2 it Runs fine. Run all Parrmark GPU tests, good scores.
❌ Actual Behavior
Enable PowerToys Run Unable to keep Quake 2 RTX open fullscreen. Unable to run Passmark GPU tests as seen above.
Other Software
Using Passmark Performance Test 11.1 to reproduce, but observed with multiple applications, primarily Quake2 RTX from Steam, and DeusEX: Game of the Year Edition.
PowerToysReport_2024-12-21-16-48-04 (Windows 10, Run disabled).zip
This is a bug report from Windows 10 with "PowerToys Run" disabled. Not sure if you need that feature disabled or enabled for the report, or if it matters. I'll go get reports from 11 and srv25 over the next few hours
A few hours have passed, and I've tried reproducing on Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025, and both seem unaffected. Returned to Windows 10, made sure PowerToys was updated, PowerToys is and was latest version(0.87.1), toggling [PowerToys Run] on and off continues to reproduce the issue.
PowerToysReport_2024-12-21-18-56-11 (Windows 10, Run enabled).zip So here's a second report with [PowerToys Run] enabled in case that matters.
Thanks for sharing the reports. Unfortunately they aren't useful since I can't find anything suspicious about PowerToys Run.
I myself have experienced this and I'm going crazy trying to understand why. I narrowed it down to PowerToys after closing it in which apps immediately start running fine fullscreen afterwards. I'm also on Windows 10 LTSC. I've had all sorts of fullscreen apps minimize on me, typically older games such as Worms Armageddon, RPG Maker games pre-MV era, some emulators and so on. Unfortunately this is the only issue I've seen talking about it.
same here, powertoys v 0.94.0 with fancyzones enabled, q2 rtx from steam, and w 10 LTSC
q2 runs fine with powertoys disabled, otherwise it keeps minimizing
toggling 'PowerToys Run' OFF fixes q2 behavior, at first i suspected FancyZones
