10 Fixes For Game Keeps Minimizing Error On Windows

The complete gaming experience can be enjoyed by people who can be completely immersed in the game developed by developers. Gamers achieve this experience using a widescreen display, excellent sound system, lighting, etc.

However, Windows 10 might occasionally decide on its own volition to refrain you from enjoying your game. It will constantly minimize your game.

Games Minimizing To Desktop Windows 10: Problem Overview

Different PCs come with varying configurations in hardware and software, which can sometimes result in bugs or errors due to incompatibility.

Many avid gamers have run into Windows game mode errors that the game keeps minimizing, affecting gaming performance.

It is quite possible that a solution for full-screen games minimization error that works for you might not work for your friend due to different PC configurations.

We will discuss the potential causes and methods to fix minimizing games error for full-screen games to assist you.

What Causes Games To Be Minimized To Desktop In Windows?

Due to distinct PC configurations, it is difficult to pinpoint the reason for “games keep minimizing” errors in your Windows 10 systems. There could be a variety of reasons for game minimizing error, such as:

Malware or virus: Your computer could be infested by these hidden malicious applications that keep launching other applications over your game window and hence affect the gaming performance by minimizing the window.

Windows 10 game mode: Streaming apps like OBS can get affected by Windows game mode and cause the game window to minimize.

Cortana: Windows 10 Cortana sometimes interrupts gaming and causes “games keep minimizing” error. It is possible that Cortana considers gaming voice commands as a trigger and interrupts thinking the user has triggered it.

Multiple screens: To overcome some gaming settings, your game station might minimize the game on one of the screens while it works fine on other screens.

Solutions To Solve “Game Keeps Minimizing” Error On Windows 10?

Here are some of the methods that you can implement for fixing the Game Keeps Minimizing error on Windows 10.

  1. Update Your Graphics Card Driver
  2. Stop The Background Applications
  3. Turn Off Game Mode
  4. Run This Game In Different Compatibility Mode
  5. Disable Cortana
  6. Disable Action Center Notifications
  7. Disable Dual-GPU
  8. Scan For Viruses
  9. Show Taskbar On All Displays For A Multi-Display Setting
  10. Disable Windows Error Reporting Service

Fix 1. Update Your Graphics Card Driver

An incompatible or outdated is the most common cause for most Windows errors, including “game keeps minimizing” error.

Drivers are essential bridges of communication between hardware and software and hence need to be kept updated.

Step 1. Simultaneously press the Windows icon key and R key. The hotkey combination will open a run dialogue box.

Step 2. In the Open text box, input devmgmt.msc and hit enter to open the Device Manager window.

devmgmt.msc

Step 3. Scroll in the Device Manager window for the Graphics Driver or Display adapters category and expand it.

Step 4. Right-click on the graphic card driver available in your system and select the Update driver option.

Fix games by manually update graphic driver

Step 5. In the next window that opens, allow Windows to search for drivers and update automatically. This will download drivers and update them to their latest version.

However, it could be that the automatic driver searches for a GPU driver return no result. In such a case, either the driver is already up-to-date, or Windows search produced no result.

You can use third-party applications such as Driver Easy, DriverFix, etc. these applications are specifically designed to cater to your drivers’ needs and keep them updated at all times.

Fix 2. Stop The Background Applications

When your computer boots, there are specific applications that keep running in the background while you are gaming. Some of these are necessary programs and applications that assist your system, while others may not be that necessary, and you can stop those applications.

These unnecessary programs and applications interrupt your gaming experience by causing the game to be minimized. You can change the priority of the applications so that they fire up after your game and do not generate any pop-ups.

Step 1. Go to the bottom of your screen. Right-click on the taskbar and select task Manager from the displayed options.

Step 2. In the Processes tab of the open task manager window, search for programs that consume more memory and are unnecessary while you are playing games.

Stop background game process to fix game minimizes error

Step 3. Right click on such applications and choose the End Task option from the list.

Step 4. Launch your game now and minimize it. Do not close or exit from it.

Step 5. Switch to the task manager window and navigate to the Details tab next to the Users tab.

Step 6. Look for the name of your game in the displayed list of applications.

Step 7. Right click on the game and press the Set Priority option from the menu to expand it.

Set High priority for your game

Step 8. In the priority context menu, set the game priority to High.

Step 9. Close task manager and all other open windows, including your game.

Step 10. Restart your computer to allow the changes to take effect.

Once the Windows 10 boots, launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing the error on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 3. Turn Off Game Mode

Windows 10 recently released a creator’s update, which came with some possible improvements for avid PC gamers by enhancing the gaming experience.

Microsoft included a gaming mode in the update that allows the operating system to configure system resource allocation in a way to improve overall gaming performance.

However, the update wasn’t welcomed by everyone. The game mode came with the drawback of dropping the FPS substantially for some users.

It is possible that the “game keeps minimizing” error is caused by game mode, and hence disabling game mode can help you fix the error.

Step 1. Simultaneously press the Windows logo key, and I key. It will open the Settings app window.

Step 2. Navigate to the Gaming section and select it.

Step 3. On the left pane, look for game mode.

Step 4. Select the game mode and click on the Use Game Mode toggle.

Feel free to disable game to fix game randomly minimize error

Step 5. Disable game mode and launch your game.

Check if the minimizing games error on Windows 10 is fixed. If you are still unable to play a full screen game without game minimizing, check out the next fix.

Fix 4. Run This Game In Different Compatibility Mode

Sometimes players play games with lesser permissions which causes the full screen apps and games to be minimized. There are some games that require you to have administrative privileges to run them due to the permissions they need.

Additionally, playing older games on Windows 10 runs into many interruptions, thereby minimizing the game window. You must launch these games in compatibility mode for smooth performance.

Step 1. Please navigate to the folder where the game is installed. By default, it is a Program files folder in C: drive.

Step 2. Look for the main.exe file of the game and right click on it to open the context menu.

Step 3. Choose properties from the menu to open the game’s properties window.

Step 4. Navigate to the Compatibility tab and go to the compatibility mode section.

Step 5. Check the Run this program in the compatibility mode checkbox and select Windows 7 for the drop-down menu below.

Step 6. In the Settings section, check the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.

Step 7. Tap the Apply and OK buttons to confirm the changes.

Launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing errors on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 5. Disable Cortana

Cortana is a voice assistant feature provided by Microsoft for all Windows 10 users. The assistant monitors and listens for your voice during the active hours of the computer, including the times when you are playing games.

Sometimes, when you give voice commands in the game, Cortana gets activated as it considers those commands as commands for itself and forces the game to minimize.

Due to its interference and breaking other products, Cortana has faced a lot of backlashes in the community. You can disable Cortana by following the below steps:

Step 1. Simultaneously press the Windows key and S key to open the search window.

Step 2. Input Cortana in it.

Step 3. Go to Cortana settings and disable all toggles that activate Cortana on voice command.

Step 4. Restart your computer.

Launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing errors on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 6. Disable Action Center Notifications

Action center stores all the notifications that you receive on your PC, including the ones from social media, web browsers, etc. These notifications can get displayed over your game and cause your game to minimize.

You can disable these action center notifications using the Focus Assist feature. It has an option to snooze the notifications while an application is running in full-screen mode.

Step 1. Simultaneously press the Windows key, and I key to open the settings app.

Step 2. Navigate to the System option.

Step 3. In the left panel, click on Focus Assist to view its settings.

Step 4. Choose whether to turn off to get all notifications, show Priority notifications, or show alarm notifications only.

Set Focus Assist to fix game minimizing error

Step 5. Restart the computer.

Launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing errors on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 7. Disable Dual-GPU

Gaming laptops often come with dual GPUs. The main powerhouse GPU card activates when you play games or run applications that require heavy graphics, while the integrated graphic driver runs continuously.

The system preserves energy but could create problems when software switches between the dedicated and integrated graphics cards while gaming.

Here’s how you can resolve the minimization issue in ATI Catalyst or NVIDIA Control Panel.

Step 1. Go to the notification area and open the Catalyst or Control panel.

Step 2. Select 3D settings from options and go to Program Settings in the menu.

Step 3. Choose the games in which you face a minimizing error from the drop-down.

Step 4. For all the selected programs, set the dedicated GPU as the preferred graphics processor card. Press the Apply button.

Launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing errors on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 8. Scan For Viruses

Malware and viruses have a significant impact on your computer and can affect the performance and activities in multiple ways.

A virus or malware-infected computer crashes often. Viruses and malware could be a possible reason for the game to keep minimizing errors on Windows 10.

To remove these viruses and protect your system from future attacks, it is recommended that you use Windows Defender or another third-party application for antivirus software such as Quick Heal, etc.

Here’s how you can perform a malware scan on your computer and remove this malicious software using Windows Defender.

Step 1. Press Windows icon key and start typing “Defender” in the search box.

open Defender to scan for viruses and malware

Step 2. Click on the Windows Security option from the results to open Windows Defender.

Step 3. Navigate to the Virus & Threat protection section and click on the Advanced scan option. By default, only a quick scan is available.

Perform Full System Scan to fix game minimizing error

Step 4. Select the Full Scan radio button and press the Scan Now button. Please wait patiently for the scan to successfully complete and deal with all the potential threats. Since it is a long process, you can continue doing your work while the scan progresses in the background.

Once the threats are successfully neutralized or dealt with, launch your game and check if the game keeps minimizing error on Windows 10 is fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 9. Show Taskbar On All Displays For A Multi-Display Setup

For users facing game screen minimization errors with multiple displays, this fix is for you. The game might work perfectly on all screens except one on which it keeps minimizing.

Luckily there is a simple solution to the problem. A simple tweak in taskbar settings can help you get rid of your troubles.

Step 1. Hover your mouse over the taskbar and right click on the taskbar.

Step 2. Tap to open taskbar settings.

Open taskbar settings

Step 3. Scroll down the settings window to locate the Show taskbar on all displays and click on it.

Disable Show taskbar on all displays toggle

Now kick off your game and see if the game keeps minimizing on Windows 10 is fixed or not. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Fix 10. Disable Windows Error Reporting Service

Windows provides an error reporting service which might sometimes interfere with your game and cause the game to keep minimizing error. You can disable the service by following the below given steps.

Step 1. Simultaneously press the Windows icon key and R key to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2. Input services.msc in the Open: label text box and press Enter.

Step 3. The services window will open, showing a list of all available services on your PC. Scroll down to locate Windows Error Reporting Service and right click on it.

Step 4. In the open context menu, click the Properties option.

Step 5. Navigate to the Startup type drop-down in the Windows Error Reporting Service Properties window.

Step 6. Select the Disabled option from the drop down menu and click the Apply button to apply the changes.

Step 7. Now click the OK button.

Step 8. Restart your PC.

Launch your game and check if the game minimizing errors on Windows 10 are fixed. If it’s not, check out the next fix.

Conclusion

Windows 10 offers a variety of features that make it easy to use. It is the most preferred operating system. However, it often has bugs that affect the users.

Game minimizing error is one such bug that can quickly become annoying to the users. The potential reasons for the error could be malware, Windows settings, or something else.

We hope with this article, we were able to help you fix games, keep minimizing errors and provide a permanent fix for the same.