Solved Unable to Open Apps from Taskbar: Windows Disappear

Hello everyone,
I have an issue with my taskbar, several of my applications are open in the taskbar but I can't open the windows.
If I right click on the Firefox webpage, I will see it blink at the bottom right of my screen, but the windows will immediately disappear.
The apps not opening are Firefox, Steam, Settings (windows), and some more lesser applications.
I have an anti virus up to date (bit defender) i am using an ultra wide screen.
i had no issues with windows 10 on another computer (this one is 2 weeks old)
Am i the only one with this issue?

Windows 11 V: 22h2 / 22621.2134

I can't say I'm having that problem with the apps you listed. I Use FF Ver 116.0.3 on Win Pro 22h2 22621 2134. I just tried some of the other my taskbar apps - Quicken, Photo Impact, Macrium, Open Office and Malewarebytes. All were OK - Any new MS Updates applied since this started for you ?

Hello and welcome to the forum. Things to try.
1. If you are using any third party app that alters the GUI, uninstall it.

2. Uninstall widgets Uninstall and Reinstall Widgets in Windows 11 Tutorial

3. Make sure something hasn't corrupted system files.
Open a command prompt as administrator and type sfc /scannow
Pay attention to the scan results to see if SFC found anything it could not repair.

4. Perform a clean boot to eliminate software conflict causing the issue. If it doesn't happen in a clean boot, you have some software conflicting with Windows. Brink's procedure will help you weed out which one. Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 11 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts Tutorial

Albireo said:

Hello everyone,
I have an issue with my taskbar, several of my applications are open in the taskbar but I can't open the windows.
If I right click on the Firefox webpage, I will see it blink at the bottom right of my screen, but the windows will immediately disappear.
The apps not opening are Firefox, Steam, Settings (windows), and some more lesser applications.
I have an anti virus up to date (bit defender) i am using an ultra wide screen.
i had no issues with windows 10 on another computer (this one is 2 weeks old)
Am i the only one with this issue?
View attachment 68344
Windows 11 V: 22h2 / 22621.2134

Click to expand...

What I see is that Firefox, Spotify, DuckDuckGo, Unknown to me, and Settings are all open. If you want to open another instance of Firefox, you need to click on Start>All Apps then scroll down to Firefox and click on it. Or, close the web site (which closes FF). Then you should be able to reopen FF.

Same thing for each of the others.

Thanks for your answers everyone.

After uninstaling and reinstalling firefox it's working again... i will do the same with the other apps, but why are they so easily corrupted?
It's a new computer and so a new install of windows 11....
a sfc /scannow as an admin is the first thing i have done and i had corrupted files, all clean after a second sfc /scannow but it's not changing anything. My boot is already clean, well i still have 31 msedge, when edge is not even open...
I have removed all the widgets with powershell, if i had any (i don't want and i don't need widgets anyway)
Reinstalling the apps is obviously the only thing to do, i will keep you informed in case someone has the same issue.
For now i am removing all the garbage Apps from a new install.

Wynona said:

What I see is that Firefox, Spotify, DuckDuckGo, Unknown to me, and Settings are all open. If you want to open another instance of Firefox, you need to click on Start>All Apps then scroll down to Firefox and click on it. Or, close the web site (which closes FF). Then you should be able to reopen FF.

Same thing for each of the others.

Click to expand...

Firefox is an old school ^^ web browser, duckduckgo web browser was my backup browser so i can write messages on this forum.
(i don't want and i don't trust edge)
Spotify is very famous music application.

MitchAtHome said:

I can't say I'm having that problem with the apps you listed. I Use FF Ver 116.0.3 on Win Pro 22h2 22621 2134. I just tried some of the other my taskbar apps - Quicken, Photo Impact, Macrium, Open Office and Malewarebytes. All were OK - Any new MS Updates applied since this started for you ?

Click to expand...

I am runing windows updates every 4/6 hour, and each time i have a security update....
I am more waiting for a services pack.
Win 11 is still young and like any other MS OS it need 2 to 3 services pack to be running properly.

Well, it's not working for Steam, after a full reinstall the window is still not opening properly.


this is my desktop, i have the mouse cursor on the steam mini window so i should have it in full in the middle of my screen, as you can see nothing is happening.

Probleme solved. :)
My missing apps were open in an off screen frame.


(shown on screen one only) and the problem is solved.

Albireo said:

Probleme solved. :)
My missing apps were open in an off screen frame.


(shown on screen one only) and the problem is solved.

Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, how does an app or window get 'off screen' in the first place?

retexan599 said:

Just out of curiosity, how does an app or window get 'off screen' in the first place?

Click to expand...

The tech installing windows was most certainly using 2 screens, this is why a part of the application were opening on the second screen.
This is kind of lame from to not see this simple issue. :/
Disable screen 2, show everything screen 1, and you are good to go.
The tech should have done it himself btw.
The mouse cursor disapearing on the right on the screen was an hint.
I have no excuse.

Albireo said:

Firefox is an old school ^^ web browser, duckduckgo web browser was my backup browser so i can write messages on this forum.
(i don't want and i don't trust edge)
Spotify is very famous music application.

Click to expand...

What I meant was that the icon between the DuckDuckGo icon and the Settings icon was unknown to me. Not that all the icons were unknown to me.

I don't use Edge either, nor do I use Spotify (it would distract me). Firefox, of course, is my web browser of choice. So far, I don't have a backup browser, but maybe I should give DuckDuckGo a trial run.

Wynona said:

What I meant was that the icon between the DuckDuckGo icon and the Settings icon was unknown to me. Not that all the icons were unknown to me.

I don't use Edge either, nor do I use Spotify (it would distract me). Firefox, of course, is my web browser of choice. So far, I don't have a backup browser, but maybe I should give DuckDuckGo a trial run.

Click to expand...

Sorry.
Well, originally duckduckgo is a search engine, the web browser is a new thing, Duckduckduckgo tries to be less invasive and it protects your identity a bit. This is a good combo with Firefox, it's a rather good search engine, but clearly not as good as Google.
Give it a try and see by yourself.