Preventing Game Windows From Minimizing

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DisplayFusion contains a built-in Function called "Prevent Window Deactivation," which keeps windows maximized when switching to other windows or screens. This Function can be run for a game window either manually via a key combination or automatically via a Trigger rule. The steps below will show you how to do both.

Note: Though applicable for most games, behaviour may vary. This guide will not work for online games that use anti-cheat software like Easy Anti-Cheat or Battleye.

Prevent Window Deactivation via Hotkey

Right-click the DisplayFusion icon and click "Settings."
Click the "Functions" tab and select the "Prevent Window Deactivation (keeps game windows focused)" Function. Double-click the Function or select it and click the "Edit" button.

Configure a key combination for the Function and click "OK."
From the "Functions" tab, click "OK" to apply and save your changes.

Pressing the configured key combination will run the Function with a "whoosh" sound notification. (Use Alt+Tab to exit the game the game.) If the Function fails to run, see the next section (Prevent Window Deactivation via Triggers).

Prevent Window Deactivation via Triggers

Global hotkeys may be disabled while running select full-screen games. This will negate use of the key combination, but you can still run the Function with a Trigger rule. The steps below are for an example Trigger rule which will run the Prevent Window Deactivation function after a 60 second delay.

Right-click the DisplayFusion icon and click "Settings."
Ensure the "Enable Triggers" checkbox is enabled.

Click "Add."
Enable the "Process Filename" checkbox. From the pop-up selection window, double-click your application or select it and click "OK." For games or folders not listed, use the "Browse" button.

In our example, we're using a wildcard (*) for all games in the "common" folder of the Steam application, (i.e.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\*

Beneath the Actions pane, click the "Add" dropdown and select "Wait."

Type the number of milliseconds for the Wait Action (e.g. 6000) and click "OK."
Click "Add" again and select "Run Function."

Select "Prevent Window Deactivation (keeps game windows focused)" and click "OK."
Click "OK."
From the "Triggers" tab, click "OK" to apply and save your changes.

Tips

For more widespread application of this Function, use wildcards When specifying the "Process Filename" in the Trigger rule. For example: If your games are all stored in D:\Games, enter
```
D:\Games\*
```
in the Process Filename text box to run the Trigger on all games in that directory.
Some games lock the mouse cursor to the window. Configure and run the "Lock/Unlock Mouse Cursor to Current Window" or "Lock/Unlock Mouse Cursor to Current Monitor" Functions as a solution.
This Function won't immediately work for select games. Switch the game to windowed mode (Alt+Enter) and back to full screen (Alt+Enter again), or Alt+Tab twice to back out and return to the game window.

Feb 13, 2015 (modified Aug 15, 2022) • #1

Braden Dodge22935

2 discussion posts

This does not apply anymore with the replacement of "Window Location" with "Triggers" in version 8.0/ Please adjust this guide to the new function or add the old "Window Location" function back into the program. Thanks!

Aug 30, 2016 • #2

Yep, good call! I've put this on my list. I have a couple of other workarounds to add to this guide as well

Thanks!

Aug 30, 2016 • #3

Godspeed1s

1 discussion post

Hey, having a hard time finding the workaround in version 8. Do you have the link to configure preventing full screen games from minimizing?

Nov 8, 2016 • #4

Hey all, sorry for the delay! I've finally updated the original post. Please let me know if you still have any questions at all

Nov 15, 2016 • #5

Matt Zexstar27991

2 discussion posts

cant get the apex legends game to not minimize when clicking on something on the secondary monitor!!! please help

Feb 23, 2019 • #6

I'll test with Apex tomorrow and see what I can find out

Thanks!

Feb 27, 2019 • #7

I couldn't get it working with the Prevent Window Deactivation function, unfortunately. However, changing the video mode in the Apex settings from Full Screen to Borderless Windowed allows you to Alt+Tab out while keeping the game window open.

Hope that helps!

Feb 28, 2019 • #8

Matt Zexstar27991

2 discussion posts

so i appreciate your time sir. what im having issues with now is when im running apex in window or borderless window and i alt tab out and then move my mouse cursor to my second monitor to do whatever (browse internet) and i click on any item it will then minimize on my primary monitor that is displaying apex

Feb 28, 2019 • #9

The game still minimizes even when it's set to windowed?

Mar 1, 2019 • #10

R34

2 discussion posts

No it doesn't, if its in window it won't minimize but, if i go to the second monitor and start doing stuff over there, the game starts lagging, I have been trying to test it out with full screen, because my guess is that it won't. Thing is, I can't click on my second monitor and have the game stay in full screen in the first place to test it.
Just picking up where you two left off, as I am having the same issue.

Mar 21, 2019 • #11

Ok, unfortunately it doesn't seem there's anything we can do from our end to make this work, sorry

Mar 21, 2019 • #12

R34

2 discussion posts

Thanks for letting me know.No worries.

Mar 21, 2019 • #13

jake nicol49327

2 discussion posts

alt(x) works.Is there any setting to lock my input from the controller? :controller within the game on one screen
:my mouse input to the other?
When i use my mouse on the "BROWSER SCREEN" , My controller input loses focus on my "GAME SCREEN"..... Any help would be much appreciated thanks

oh xbox bluetooth controller ..

Feb 12, 2020 (modified Feb 12, 2020) • #14

jake nicol49327

2 discussion posts

ok might be onto something here. DS4 works for the problem i stated earlier *only works with ps4 controllers*. maybe a brother program instead of using microsofts built in process for xbox..?..

Feb 12, 2020 • #15

Trey93116

1 discussion post

Quote:

ok might be onto something here. DS4 works for the problem i stated earlier *only works with ps4 controllers*. maybe a brother program instead of using microsofts built in process for xbox..?..

Hi Jake - did you ever find a solution for this for an Xbox Controller. I still have this issue and its so annoying. The only solution I've found so far is using Input Director and using a Slave Machine to perform ancillary tasks. Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Mar 30, 2020 • #16

Sullie

19 discussion posts

I've read a few forum topics, but can't get this to work with Guild Wars 2. When I ALT+TAB the full screen game minimises as per usual instead of staying open.

Jun 2, 2020 • #17

It might not work with all games, unfortunately. If the stuff in the "Tips" section of this guide didn't work, there isn't anything else to try, sorry!

Jun 2, 2020 • #18

Don28131

1 discussion post

Hi, I purchased Display Fusion Pro specifically for this feature. It seems to work with all the Steam games I've tried it on by using the Steam overlay trick where you first bring the Steam overlay up, then press the Display Fusion hotkey (the swoosh noise will be heard), then alt-tab out of the game once, alt-tab back in, and then it works perfect (I'm able to click and do anything on my 4th monitor without my game loosing focus or minimizing or whatever). Great!

Are you able to get it to work with Battlefield 3 and 4 though?... I hear the swoosh sound but when I click on my 4th monitor these games instantly still minimize. I tried the Steam overlay trick but by using the Origin overlay (BF3 and BF4 use Origin, not Steam) but that doesn't work.

It seems there's some inherent "fix" where by using the Steam overlay, this feature seems to work (at least with every single Steam game I've tried). The thing is, this Display Fusion feature doesn't seem to work unless the "Steam overlay trick" is used. There's got to be a way to get Display Fusion to sort of do the same effect in the background that the Steam overlay does as that seems to make the feature work perfectly...

Sep 28, 2020 (modified Sep 28, 2020) • #19

Hello,

As Keith mentioned earlier, unfortunately for games that it doesn't work for, there's not much we can do on our end to fix it.

Thanks!

Oct 6, 2020 • #20

Jesse Vizcarra

2 discussion posts

OMG! Been trying to get this too work for days until I found this post! Now it's working perfectly!

I tried to put the studio application in borderless window and it made the scaling terrible using borderless gaming app. I've been pulling my hair out trying to get these dual monitors working the way I want them to.

One more thing, I haven't received email with pro key yet. And I purchased it two days ago. It's supposed to email to me right? Or did I read that wrong.

Dec 9, 2020 (modified Dec 9, 2020) • #21

Hi Jesse,

Yup, you should have received your key in your email. If you send us an email through our support page, we can get it sorted out for you. I'll attach the link below.

Thanks!

https://www.displayfusion.com/Support/

Dec 9, 2020 • #22

Jesse Vizcarra

2 discussion posts

Okay, this is working good, but I am having one issue. Sometimes application windows will pop up in on the game monitor(1st, Main monitor) and I can't see them. If I hit the windows key and try to access them, the game always stays on top. How can I prevent the game from always being on top. Or is there a way I can make the app open on 2nd monitor instead?

Sorry, I am new to this software and don't really know how to use it yet.

Dec 9, 2020 • #23

Hi Jesse,

If you press the same key to activate the "prevent window deactivation" function while the game is open, it should disable the function.

We also have another function called "Move all windows to current monitor" that you could activate on your second monitor.

Hope that helps!

Dec 9, 2020 • #24

a6t4b

1 discussion post

Totally worth to pay just to only use this feature. Now I can finally multitasking while afking in Forza Horizon 5 without pausing

Jan 3, 2022 (modified Jan 3, 2022) • #25

Richard Tea40425

1 discussion post

Hi, I'm trying to get multiple windows to work to run Runelite and Minecraft Windows 10 Edition. I would like to be able to use my Xbox controller to play Minecraft, while also using the mouse to play Oldschool Runescape on Runelite. I tried looking up guides, which lead me to your software, but I cant seem to figure out how to set it up to play both games. Help would be very much appreciated.

Feb 10, 2022 • #26

Hi Richard,

Are you looking to have your mouse input on one window, and your Xbox controller input on another? If so, that's not something we support, and I'm not aware of any other software that does that unfortunately.

Sorry!

Feb 10, 2022 • #27

Denis Bogdan67113

2 discussion posts

I can't use it with CS:GO. I use 4:3 and can not switch to window bordless. I tried the Steam overlay trick but when I click on my 2nd monitor this games instantly still minimize

• Attachment [protected]: DisplayFusionDebugInfo.zip [96,669 bytes]

May 9, 2022 (modified May 9, 2022) • #28

Hi Denis,

Unfortunately Counter Strikes anti cheat system blocks our hooks, which are required for this function to run, so there isn't really anything we can do here.

Sorry!

May 9, 2022 • #29

Denis Bogdan67113

2 discussion posts

Quote:

I can't use it with CS:GO. I use 4:3 and can not switch to window bordless. I tried the Steam overlay trick but when I click on my 2nd monitor this games instantly still minimize

I found a solution for CSGO. You have to write -allow_third_party_software in steam launch options but if you're playing matchmaking for the majority, allowing third party software, could lower your trustfactor.

May 10, 2022 (modified May 10, 2022) • #30

NaKiLLo

1 discussion post

My son is playing Forza Horizon 5 in my TV while running it in my laptop (Windows 11), I need to keep working while my son plays FH5 but once the FH% loses focus, the game pauses... I set up the PREVENT WINDOWS DEACTIVATION alnd also the TRIGGERS, but doesnt work.

I've seen some people mentioning it work for them but those posts were in 2022, is it possible the game changed and now cannot ALT-TAB without pausing the game?

One more thing, FH5 doesnt allow borderless window setting, but even if windowed mode, the ALT-TAB pauses the game.

Please help!!

Thanks!

Jun 11, 2024 (modified Jun 11, 2024) • #31

From this post it looks like they added some anti-cheat detection that's likely blocking our hooks: https://github.com/ForzaMods/AIO/issues/119

There isn't much we can do there, sorry!

Jun 11, 2024 • #32