Tekken 7 Monitor Mayhem: Switching Screens Randomly

Several players of Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 have reported issues with the game randomly switching monitors. Players with dual-monitor setups have experienced the game jumping from one screen to another, particularly when using the Alt+Tab function or exiting the character customisation menu. While some players have found temporary solutions, such as switching to Borderless Fullscreen mode or using the Win + Shift + Left or Right Arrow Keys shortcut, others have been unable to resolve the issue. The problem appears to be related to the game engine and how it handles multiple monitors, with similar issues reported in other games using the same engine.

Dual monitor bug

The dual monitor bug is a known issue in Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, where the game randomly switches between two monitors. This issue is particularly annoying for players as it requires them to restart the game to fix it. The problem seems to be triggered by exiting the character customisation menu or by using the Alt+Tab function.

There are several suggested workarounds for this bug. One player recommends using the "win + shift + left or right arrow keys" to switch monitors without restarting. Another player suggests using Borderless Windowed mode or changing the game to windowed mode while it is open, moving it to the second monitor, and then changing it back to fullscreen. A third player suggests making the second monitor the main monitor in Windows settings and using the Steam Overlay for dual monitoring.

Some players have also suggested more technical solutions, such as installing Borderless Gaming (BG), running Tekken, and then changing some settings in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\TekkenGame\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor folder. Another player suggests changing the WindowsPosX value in the GameUserSettings.ini file to the resolution of the first monitor.

While these workarounds may help, the dual monitor bug is a significant issue for players with multiple monitors and has not yet been officially addressed by the developers of Tekken.

Alt+tab bug

The "Alt+Tab bug" is a well-known issue in Tekken 7, where the game crashes when players use the Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut to switch between applications. This issue has been a source of frustration for many players, especially those with dual monitor setups, as it can cause the game to open on the secondary monitor or switch screens randomly.

While there is no universal fix for the Alt+Tab bug, some players have found ways to mitigate the issue. One common suggestion is to play the game in "Borderless Windowed" or "Borderless Fullscreen" mode, which allows players to switch between applications without minimising the game. This can be done through the game's graphics settings or by using third-party applications like Borderless Gaming.

Another workaround is to use the Steam overlay, which can be accessed by pressing Shift+Tab while in-game. This allows players to switch to their second monitor without minimising the game, although this method may not work for all games. Additionally, some players have reported that turning off VSync and lowering graphics settings can reduce the frequency of crashes when alt-tabbing.

Some players have also suggested that the issue may be related to specific hardware configurations or updates to the game. For example, one player reported that the bug only started occurring after the Negan/Julia update, while others have speculated that it could be due to the game being coded on a shoestring budget or issues with the Unreal Engine 5.

Despite these workarounds, many players are still affected by the Alt+Tab bug, and some have expressed frustration with the developers for not addressing the issue. It is important to note that the bug may not affect all players, and those with more powerful hardware may experience fewer crashes when alt-tabbing.

Borderless window mode

If you're experiencing issues with Tekken 7 randomly switching monitors, one solution is to switch to Borderless Fullscreen mode. This can be done by first selecting "windowed mode", then selecting your resolution, and finally clicking ALT+TAB to go to any other window. Then, click and drag the Tekken window to the top of the screen and release the mouse button when the mouse does a circle thing and a ghost window appears. This should go borderless without causing FPS drops or stuttering.

Another way to solve the dual-monitor bug is to install Borderless Gaming (BG). Set the second monitor as the main monitor in Windows settings, then run Tekken and set all video settings. In BG, move Tekken7 and TekkenGame-Win64 to Favourites on the right side. Then, by right-clicking on Tekken 7, select the favourite screen. Go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\TekkenGame\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor and set ReadOnly for GameUserSettings.ini. Finally, return the first monitor as the main monitor.

There are also a few other suggested workarounds to the dual-monitor bug. One is to use the Steam overlay for dual monitoring. Another is to make the second monitor the main screen in Windows options.

Unreal Engine 5 issue

Several players have reported issues with Tekken 8 randomly switching between monitors. This issue seems to be prevalent among players with dual-monitor setups, where the game keeps switching from one monitor to another, especially when exiting the character customisation menu. While some players have found temporary solutions, such as switching to Borderless Fullscreen mode or using specific keyboard shortcuts, others have attributed the problem to Tekken 8 being built on Unreal Engine 5.

Indeed, Tekken 8 is the first game in the series to be built from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5, with no assets reused from Tekken 7. This engine switch might be the root cause of the monitor-switching issue, as players suspect it is an "Unreal Engine 5 issue". Previous Unreal Engine games, such as Tekken 7, which was built on Unreal Engine 4, did not seem to have the same problem.

The issue appears to be specific to Unreal Engine 5 and Tekken 8, as players with dual-monitor setups have not reported similar problems with other games or even the Tekken 8 demo. This suggests that the problem is unique to the full version of Tekken 8 and its underlying engine.

While there is no definitive solution as of yet, players are experimenting with various workarounds, such as those mentioned earlier, and are hoping for an official patch or update to address this issue.

Windows key + shift + left/right arrow keys

If you're playing Tekken 7 on a dual-monitor setup and the game keeps randomly switching monitors, there are a few things you can try to fix this. Firstly, try pressing "Win + Shift + Left or Right Arrow Keys" to move the game window between your monitors without having to restart the game.

However, note that this may not work if you have multiple monitor resolutions. In this case, you can try changing your displays to only extend to the second screen, which should allow you to access your desired resolution when switching screens.

Another workaround is to play the game in "Borderless Fullscreen Mode", which seems to prevent the issue from occurring, except when exiting the character customisation menu.

If none of these solutions work, you may need to try a more technical fix, such as the one described by a user on Steam, which involves installing third-party software and editing the game's configuration files.

Finally, if you're using Windows 10 or 11, ensure that the "Arrange windows automatically by dragging them to the sides or corners of the screen" option is enabled under "Multitasking" in the Control Panel or Settings. This setting must be active for the "`Win + Shift + Arrow Keys`" shortcut to function.

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