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How to Enable ALT+TAB/Winkey While Running Quake 2

By Butane

If you can't use your Windows key or ALT+TAB feature while running Quake 2, this simple guide will fix that by adding some code into your Windows registry. Should work on Windows 2000 onward.

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Created by

Butane
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Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

3 Sep, 2016 @ 7:15pm

5 Jan, 2020 @ 6:51am

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Guide Index

Overview

Create a .REG file

Run the newly created .REG file

Comments

Create a .REG file

Create a .REG file entitled (for example) q2fix.reg

Bring up the RUN dialog box (WINKEY+R) and type in:
notepad c:\q2fix.reg

Inside the file enter the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags] "{b1899c0f-fdfd-42d0-b489-c254bdbb539d}"=dword:00000001

NOTE: Make sure the VERY FIRST line in the file is Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 or it won't work.

Run the newly created .REG file

Run the file so the contents are entered into the windows registry: c:\q2fix.reg

You should get some warnings messages, say yes:

And finally a confirmation that the values have been added to the registry:

You don't need to reboot; the fix takes effect immediately. Now you're free to ALT+TAB and Winkey out of Quake 2 like a normal person.

How this guide was made possible:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170525225611/http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3200244
Special thanks to that user for actually figuring it out and coming up with the fix!

15 Comments

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ZahevARG 24 Aug, 2022 @ 6:03pm

Thx @SwiftShadow32! That was the finishing touch it needed (and thx for Butane and the guy who figured it out!)

Sas 30 Aug, 2021 @ 3:35am

It did not work at first, but after copying Yamagi again, it works. Strange

KTea 28 Aug, 2021 @ 4:08pm

This didn't do anything as far as I can tell

SwiftShadow32 23 Aug, 2021 @ 8:53pm

If you're still having issues after applying this fix and you're on the Yagami source port try running the game in Windows 7 Compatibility mode.

|NOREGRETS| 20 Apr, 2021 @ 5:46am

how to create reg file?

MDMV 8 Apr, 2021 @ 11:18am

This actually worked for Yamagi source port! Huh... thanks!

Sodie Popping 9 Feb, 2020 @ 2:45pm

how do you create a reg. file

SardonicPyro 17 Dec, 2018 @ 6:47pm

It worked, thank you so much!

Butane [author] 1 Aug, 2018 @ 5:19pm

I had the same problem on a laptop; this registry fix didn't work despite the values being entered correctly etc. I can't remember what I eventually did to fix it.
If you rename the 'quake2.exe' file to something else (ie. 'whatever.exe') it will fix the issue but you won't be able to load the game through Steam since it looks for quake2.exe

Alternatively you can use the following patch which 100% fixes this window skey issue and loads Quake 2 through Steam: https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1223177211

Happosai 八宝斎 31 Jul, 2018 @ 10:56pm

Doesn't seem to be working for me, though. :o

I copied and pasted the contents of the .reg precisely, it gives me the "successfully added to the registry." spiel, and I can even see the key/value in question if I browse there in regedit.

But when I launch Quake 2 from Steam, still no winkey or alt-tab love. Can't even ctrl-alt-del and press task manager, because while step 1 works step 2 always just dumps be back into Quake 2 again. :(

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