The compatibility issue caused Chrome to stop showing windows.
The compatibility issue caused Chrome to stop showing windows.
Win Pro 11
We have noticed several cases where using Properties->Compatibility causes an application to run but leads to significant issues for the user account afterward. The most frequent problem is that Chrome stops showing its windows. The only apparent solution seems to be deleting the account entirely and recreating it.
This issue has occurred with multiple applications across various user accounts. It mainly affects Chrome and occasionally Edge, preventing users from seeing their windows. Recently, a user with no password account had its account wiped and recreated. Today, the same user is experiencing the same problem and is not eager to lose their account and start over.
Our suspicion points to something related to Steam. In the latest case, a household member installed an old game (they paid for it) and tried Properties->Compatibility to fix it. The screen behaved strangely, making nothing functional. The following day, Chrome stopped working on that account entirely—no windows visible, and logging out didn’t help.
Eventually, only that specific user could no longer display any Chrome window. They could use ALT-TAB but the windows remained hidden. Other users were unaffected. This pattern matches previous incidents.
We recommend creating a system restore before installing anything with potential compatibility problems. Then set up a new user to test everything. Install the software as that user, ensuring if it causes issues, it’s not affecting your main account. Alternatively, consider using a sandbox method for installations.
I discovered a repair technique that avoids terminating Chrome. Navigate to AppData and remove the data for
C:\Users\THISUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome.
Start Chrome in safe mode and log into Google. Your bookmarks and logins will disappear, but you can restart Chrome without wiping the account.
Unfortunately, I’m unsure how to preserve my bookmarks, history, and extensions since they’re stored there. I don’t know where those files are located.
I’m not sure if using Properties->Compatibility to run an app will affect Chrome, but it might.
It seems unsettling.