Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

A hotkey doesn't work

• The combination may be reserved by Windows (Win+<digit>, Win+Shift+<digit>) or already used by another app — it then fails to register and you get a balloon tip on startup. Pick a different combination in the settings window.
• Numpad digits (Num0–Num9) are recognized only when NumLock is on.
• Make sure at least one modifier (Ctrl/Alt/Shift/Win) plus a key is set.

A far jump (e.g. 1 → 5) walks through 2, 3, 4

That's the smooth switch mode (default) — the native Win+Ctrl+Arrow shortcut moves one desktop at a time. For instant jumps, set SmoothSwitch: false (direct mode). See Desktop Switching for the full trade-off.

The taskbar buttons flicker when switching

This can happen in direct mode (SmoothSwitch: false) on some systems. Switch back to smooth mode (SmoothSwitch: true), which uses the native animation and doesn't flicker.

Switching is slow or seems to get stuck

In smooth mode each step waits for Windows to confirm the move via the registry (up to ~3 s if the registry lags). Far jumps therefore take about a second per step. If it stalls, pressing the hotkey again supersedes the in-flight switch. If you prefer instant jumps, use direct mode.

The overlay doesn't appear

• Check Opacity isn't near 0.05 and ShowNumber isn't false in config.json.
• Confirm the app is running (VD icon in the notification area). Double-click it for settings.
• If it's off-screen, change Position from the tray menu or reset MarginX/MarginY.

The overlay only shows on one monitor

Set ShowOnAllMonitors: true (default) — or tick Show on all monitors in settings.

Edits to config.json didn't take effect

Choose Reload config from the tray menu (or Save in the settings window). The app does not watch the file automatically.

"Run at startup" doesn't stick

• Installer build: autostart writes HKCU\…\CurrentVersion\Run with the exe path. If you moved the executable, toggle it off and on to refresh the path.
• Microsoft Store build: startup uses the MSIX startup task. Windows may show a one-time prompt; you can also toggle it in Task Manager → Startup apps. A "disabled by user" choice there overrides the app's request.

Where are the logs?

%APPDATA%\VirtualDesktopIndicator\debug.log records hotkey registration, switch attempts, and update checks — useful when reporting an issue.

Still stuck?

Open an issue with your Windows build, the relevant debug.log lines, and your config.json.