Windows 10: Why is ALT+F4 closing my background apps?

As the title says. After I updated my Windows 11 to the latest version, pressing ALT+F4 is now closing my background apps instead of the active app in front of my screen. Here's a video example.

:)

 

Alt-F4 change back to close window

Alt+F4 will shut down whatever app/window currently has focus. If that is a window for an app then that app will close, bringing up it's closing dialog if needed (eg Notepad's 'Do you want to save changes.....?' prompt).

But if you first click on an empty part of your Desktop or Taskbar before using Alt+F4 then the 'app' that currently has focus is the Windows UI (user interface) - and asking that to close down will bring up the Windows UI closing dialog....





So just make sure that you have clicked on the window that you want to close before using Alt+F4 and it should work as you expect.

 

Prevent Alt+F4 from closing a specific program

I have a program (program 1) that goes dormant (not sure exactly what it is doing) when you run another program (program 2) from it (i.e. you go into program 1 and hit a button and program 2 launches, sending program 1 to the background). When you exit program 2, it brings program 1 out of dormancy. I am trying to use alt+F4 on a regular basis to close program 2 and bring program 1 back (this is from a controller). This used to work, but now hitting alt+F4 closes out program 1 first for some reason.

Is there a way to make a program (in this case my program 1) "immune" to alt+F4?

I never have any reason to use alt+F4 on this particular program, so I have no problem specifying somewhere "from this day forth, program 1 will never be alt+F4'ed!"

 

Alt-F4 change back to close window

Idk what happened to alt-f4 that it changed to shut down/change user menu, but I want it back as close window. I dont want to use AHK just for 1 hotkey, and afaik win10 does not have a way to change/edit windows hotkeys without editing the registry. So, what can i do to edit the F-keys to change or create shortcuts? (like changing alt-f4 back to close window)