Windows 10: Restore Classic ALT+TAB A-B B-A switching with mouse, not random

The very three critical combinations to understand before even participating in this thread:

• Windows 10 with classic ALT+Tab registry key restoration (all over the web, look it up).
• Use any program that customizes the key bindings to the fourth and fifth mouse buttons (the thumb buttons); I have been using X-Mouse Button Control.
• Set the forward-thumb button to ALT+Tab (if using X-Mouse Button Control set to "Simulated Keys (pressed)" and paste {ALT}{TAB}.

This is not about using the physical keyboard to ALT+Tab, this thread is about assigning the Classic Alt+Tab function to a mouse and having it switch between the two active windows only instead of randomly wandering around different unrelated windows.

Here is list of open Windows for both Windows 7 and 10:

Window A [code/work browser]
Window B [IDE/code editor]
Window C [notepad]
Window ♣ [funny cat pictures]
Window Beta [separate browser for developer chat]
Window Waldo [browser used to find an answer drowning in responses by people who just don't get it]

Typically when I work I switch between my code editor and my test browser however this is just an example as I use the Classic non-borked Alt+Tab all the time between any two windows and when I'm done with a pair I will manually switch to another pair typically.

To trigger the correct behavior press and hold ALT, press Tab once and then let go of both keys.

Windows 7 Classic Alt+Tab (correct mouse-ALT+Tab behavior):

Window A

Code:

 Window B [browser / reload / worked? No? Back to code!]
 Window A [code]
 Window B [browser / reload / worked? No? Back to code!]
 Window A [code]
 Window B [browser / reload / worked? No? Back to code!]
 Window A [code]
 Window B [browser / reload / worked? No? Back to code!]
 
 Windows 10 Classic Alt+Tab restored via registry (incorrect mouse-ALT+Tab behavior):
 
 Window A [code]
 Window X [WTH?!]
 Window ♣ [huge vein on forehead appears]
 Window Beta [violence likely]
 Window Waldo [divided by zero]
 
 Even when you get rid of the crappy GUI garbage they dumped on users in Windows 10 the behavior of Alt+Tabbing once (pressing Tab [i]once[/i] and letting go of the Alt key) is now absolute and utter chaos. I'm a GUI designer (UI/UX etc) and the goal is to always achieve maximum results with minimum input.
 
 No:
 
 [list][*]I'm not going to use ALT+Esc
[*]I'm not going to use Windows+Tab
[*]I'm not going to add twenty seconds staring at window explosions in place of 20ms action.
[*]I'm not going to post on Microsoft Answers because the last thing you ever get there is a frigin answer.
[*]My work won't allow me to dump Windows 10 like the released-two-years-too-early-mess it is and just go back to Windows 7.
[/list]
 
 Please, fellow beings of competence, hear my plea! I've probably had [i]hours[/i] of my time wasted by [i]just[/i] this Windows 10 "feature" alone. 

[trace]44189[/trace]

 

Swtching Between Windows in Windows 10

Hi JN,

ALT+TAB is the main way or the usual way of switching tasks. It lets you switch between currently open Windows on your computer. However, you can also use
WINKEY+TAB to display all open windows at once. You can use the arrows keys or the mouse to select a task.

Let us know if you need further information.

Regards.

 

Can't switch windows manually or with Alt + Tab- issue won't go away

Thank you Jesrael,

But this is not my situation. The person in that post was having problems switching between Excel workbooks with Alt + tab. My issue is I cannot switch windows in
any program or in between programs with Alt + tab or by manually clicking a window with my mouse.

As my post describes, I have had this problem for many months and it will not go away. Any fix I try only lasts temporarily, as I described in this post and the previous ones. The only way I can switch windows once this issue comes up is to manually minimize
any windows that are displayed and manually maximizing the window I want to show.