Patch - Hotkey switching not working (April 2026)

[drphilrup]

May not be the correct spot for this. couldnt decide if its an autologin issue or patch one. since i updated my desktop with the optional patch and updated on redfetch, my hotkeys are malfunctioning when swapping windows. or maybe not the hotkeys but the windows themselves. when i hotkey swap to a different EQ window about 50% of the time it just flashes and goes into a minimized state. alt tabbing twice, or alt tab/click on the minimized tab brings it back to the front. otherwise it stays minimized and the inputs still function on whatever page is up. My laptop-which didnt get the updates-has had no effect. works as it has the last few months. not a huge deal as i can use ISboxer as well but the login profiles with the autologin were much more convenient. tried toggling on/off window optimaztions. reinstalled everything. tried resizing windows in game. gonna copy the laptop install to my desktop tomorrow to see if it fixes it

 

[Sic]

May not be the correct spot for this. couldnt decide if its an autologin issue or patch one. since i updated my desktop with the optional patch and updated on redfetch, my hotkeys are malfunctioning when swapping windows. or maybe not the hotkeys but the windows themselves. when i hotkey swap to a different EQ window about 50% of the time it just flashes and goes into a minimized state. alt tabbing twice, or alt tab/click on the minimized tab brings it back to the front. otherwise it stays minimized and the inputs still function on whatever page is up. My laptop-which didnt get the updates-has had no effect. works as it has the last few months. not a huge deal as i can use ISboxer as well but the login profiles with the autologin were much more convenient. tried toggling on/off window optimaztions. reinstalled everything. tried resizing windows in game. gonna copy the laptop install to my desktop tomorrow to see if it fixes it

That doesn't sound related to the build itself with regards to updated for live patch - but it may be related to MQ changes itself.

I noticed that mq "steals" focus as it is loading, which is super annoying for me personally - i *believe* it used to do this and then didn't for a while - I *think* that @Knightly and @hytiek had been working on something to do with focus and minimizing, so maybe your issue is related?

 

[vsab]

May not be the correct spot for this. couldnt decide if its an autologin issue or patch one. since i updated my desktop with the optional patch and updated on redfetch, my hotkeys are malfunctioning when swapping windows. or maybe not the hotkeys but the windows themselves. when i hotkey swap to a different EQ window about 50% of the time it just flashes and goes into a minimized state. alt tabbing twice, or alt tab/click on the minimized tab brings it back to the front. otherwise it stays minimized and the inputs still function on whatever page is up. My laptop-which didnt get the updates-has had no effect. works as it has the last few months. not a huge deal as i can use ISboxer as well but the login profiles with the autologin were much more convenient. tried toggling on/off window optimaztions. reinstalled everything. tried resizing windows in game. gonna copy the laptop install to my desktop tomorrow to see if it fixes it

I've noticed this too. Hopefully it will be fixed next patch as it's a real QOL pain for me and the way I play

 

[Sic]

I've noticed this too. Hopefully it will be fixed next patch as it's a real QOL pain for me and the way I play

hrm - did you skip my reply about this? this seems possibly related to an MQ change and i don't think it is related to the live patch update itself.

I've noticed this too. Hopefully it will be fixed next patch as it's a real QOL pain for me and the way I play

hopefully knightly and hytiek can chime in

 

[drphilrup]

hrm - did you skip my reply about this? this seems possibly related to an MQ change and i don't think it is related to the live patch update itself.


hopefully knightly and hytiek can chime in

Just to make sure it wasn’t my pc I updated video drivers, then rolled them back to a few days prior to when I updated eq. No change. . Still haven’t swapped the saves from my laptop to desktop but I will when I get home from work.

 

[vsab]

hrm - did you skip my reply about this? this seems possibly related to an MQ change and i don't think it is related to the live patch update itself.


hopefully knightly and hytiek can chime in

Nope - I meant MQ patch

 

[Sic]

Nope - I meant MQ patch

well the point of this thread in particular is to try and focus issues with the current live build since the mq devs stepped down and new people are now doing it.

 

[takeshi]

From the latest version of MQ2autologin, it often fails to switch sessions using hotkeys. Does anyone experience the same issue ?
below is prints from Debug console.

[2026-05-10 20:36:18.459] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.288] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=7708 hotkey=CTRL+1
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.347] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15604 hotkey=CTRL+3
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.394] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=19436 hotkey=CTRL+2
[2026-05-10 20:37:59.357] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:39:25.893] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:32.365] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:35.609] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:37.661] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:44.020] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:45.405] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.

 

[Sic]

From the latest version of MQ2autologin, it often fails to switch sessions using hotkeys. Does anyone experience the same issue ?
below is prints from Debug console.

[2026-05-10 20:36:18.459] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.288] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=7708 hotkey=CTRL+1
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.347] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15604 hotkey=CTRL+3
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.394] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=19436 hotkey=CTRL+2
[2026-05-10 20:37:59.357] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:39:25.893] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:32.365] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:35.609] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:37.661] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:44.020] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:45.405] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.

unfortunately i don't believe this is related to the live build itself but more to the updates that were made to mq as a whole i pinged hytiek and knightly earlier in this thread to get some feedback/input

 

[TVCChiver]

From the latest version of MQ2autologin, it often fails to switch sessions using hotkeys. Does anyone experience the same issue ?
below is prints from Debug console.

[2026-05-10 20:36:18.459] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.288] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=7708 hotkey=CTRL+1
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.347] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15604 hotkey=CTRL+3
[2026-05-10 20:37:58.394] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=19436 hotkey=CTRL+2
[2026-05-10 20:37:59.357] [MQ] [debug] [LoaderAutoLogin.cpp:253] Register Global Hotkey: pid=15548 hotkey=CTRL+4
[2026-05-10 20:39:25.893] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:32.365] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:35.609] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:37.661] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:44.020] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.
[2026-05-10 20:39:45.405] [MQ] [debug] [MacroQuest.cpp:722] Failed to set foreground window. Doing it with min/restore.

I just got back from being out of town, and you are not the only one. Can't really play too much with not being able to switch anything. Hopefully Hytiek and Knightly can give some input on the situation.

 

[TVCChiver]

I just got back from being out of town, and you are not the only one. Can't really play too much with not being able to switch anything. Hopefully Hytiek and Knightly can give some input on the situation.

Possibly some new information on this. Friend of mine uses the Redguides launcher still and says he isn't having any problems, so might be an issue with redfetch, is that even a possibility?

 

[Sic]

Possibly some new information on this. Friend of mine uses the Redguides launcher still and says he isn't having any problems, so might be an issue with redfetch, is that even a possibility?

no, that's not really gonna be it.

I tested on 2 pcs today with the hotkey switching and working as expected.

I haven't heard if the recent MQ changes to focus windows - if it is possible that might have some impact for some people but not others, since the issue that was being fixed on affected some people and not others - but this is why i've mentioned as far as i can determine (and i could be wrong) it is related to an MQ change and not specifically the live update

Fix foreground in some situations · macroquest/macroquest@16605f7

Scripting and plugin platform for EverQuest. Contribute to macroquest/macroquest development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[TVCChiver]

I just got back from being out of town, and you are not the only one. Can't really play too much with not being able to switch anything. Hopefully Hytiek and Knightly can give some input on the situation.

Has there been any more insight into this as of yet? Still cannot switch toons using the hotkeys setup in autologin.

 

[Sic]

no, that's not really gonna be it.

I tested on 2 pcs today with the hotkey switching and working as expected.

I haven't heard if the recent MQ changes to focus windows - if it is possible that might have some impact for some people but not others, since the issue that was being fixed on affected some people and not others - but this is why i've mentioned as far as i can determine (and i could be wrong) it is related to an MQ change and not specifically the live update

Fix foreground in some situations · macroquest/macroquest@16605f7

Scripting and plugin platform for EverQuest. Contribute to macroquest/macroquest development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

no, that's not really gonna be it.

I tested on 2 pcs today with the hotkey switching and working as expected.

I haven't heard if the recent MQ changes to focus windows - if it is possible that might have some impact for some people but not others, since the issue that was being fixed on affected some people and not others - but this is why i've mentioned as far as i can determine (and i could be wrong) it is related to an MQ change and not specifically the live update

Fix foreground in some situations · macroquest/macroquest@16605f7

Scripting and plugin platform for EverQuest. Contribute to macroquest/macroquest development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

nope, i hadn't heard anything more about it - tho i know some other folks are having other /foreground related problems with mq --- again, pretty sure this is unrelated to the april live build specifically and more to do with mq specifically, and unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it), autologin hotkeys are still working for me

 

[TVCChiver]

nope, i hadn't heard anything more about it - tho i know some other folks are having other /foreground related problems with mq --- again, pretty sure this is unrelated to the april live build specifically and more to do with mq specifically, and unfortunately (or fortunately depending how you look at it), autologin hotkeys are still working for me

Hmm alrighty, maybe if the /foreground issue gets resolved, it will resolve the hotkey switching.

 

[Sic]

Hmm alrighty, maybe if the /foreground issue gets resolved, it will resolve the hotkey switching.

@takeshi @TVCChiver I made an issue > here < if you dont mind posting your experience

I went ahead and moved this to its own thread outside of the april live build. not being able to hotkey switch would suck

 

[TVCChiver]

@takeshi @TVCChiver I made an issue > here < if you dont mind posting your experience

I went ahead and moved this to its own thread outside of the april live build. not being able to hotkey switch would suck

Done, thank you Sic!