Troubleshooting Unexplained Window Flickering and Performance Issues on Windows 10
Experiencing sporadic flickering of focused windows on Windows 10 can be both frustrating and disruptive, especially when it affects your gaming experience and general workflow. If you find that the window in focus occasionally flickers without warning, and this issue extends to applications like League of Legends (LoL) or prompts error messages, you’re not alone. Many users encounter similar challenges, and understanding potential causes and solutions can help restore stability.
Overview of the Issue
The core problem involves the active window intermittently flickering or losing focus in a seemingly random pattern. This behavior isn’t constant but occurs sporadically, making it difficult to pinpoint the root cause. Additionally, some users have reported related issues impacting game performance and triggering errors.
What Has Been Tried
If you’re troubleshooting this issue, here are some common steps already attempted:
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Disconnecting input devices: Mice and keyboards were disconnected temporarily to rule out unintended input disruptions.
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Hardware upgrades: Changing the graphics card from a GTX 960 to a GTX 2060 offered an opportunity to test if GPU-related issues were at fault.
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Driver management: Keyboard drivers were forcibly reinstalled and updated, and graphics drivers were also updated to the latest versions.
Key Observations
One notable aspect of this problem is that only the focused window flickers, which suggests the issue may be linked to how Windows handles window focus, graphical rendering, or input events. The random nature and the fact that it impacts demanding applications like games add layers of complexity to the troubleshooting process.
Potential Causes and Solutions
While the exact cause remains elusive without further diagnostics, here are some potential avenues to explore:
- Display Driver Conflicts or Bugs
- Ensure you’re using the latest stable graphics drivers from the official manufacturer (NVIDIA/AMD).
- Try rolling back to a previous stable driver version if the problem started after an update.
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Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to completely remove existing drivers before reinstalling.
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Windows System Settings and Updates
- Make sure your Windows 10 system is fully updated with the latest patches.
- Check for any optional updates related to graphics or system stability.
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Adjust Windows visual effects: Navigate to System > Advanced system settings > Performance Settings and select “Adjust for best performance” or customize settings related to visual effects.
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Hardware and Connection Checks
- Verify that the monitor connections are secure and
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