Ghost window (DesktopWindowXamlSource) is shown again (see issue #6507) #20686

New Issue

@TuxTom commented on GitHub (Oct 20, 2023):

In most of the cases, the ghost window appears immediately when performing a "cold launch" of the terminal. Yet, in some rare cases the ghost window is not shown.

One more observation: I have the application window on the second display, it also appears there when it's launched. In most cases when the ghost window is shown, the window is opened on the second display and the ghost window is also shown in the taskbar of the second display. The taskbar entry for the actual window appears on the first display, though. When I move the application window to the first display and back, the taskbar entry is taken along to the second display.

I even had one case, where no ghost window was shown but the taskbar entry for the application window was still shown on the wrong display.

@TuxTom commented on GitHub (Oct 20, 2023): In most of the cases, the ghost window appears immediately when performing a "cold launch" of the terminal. Yet, in some rare cases the ghost window is not shown. One more observation: I have the application window on the second display, it also appears there when it's launched. In most cases when the ghost window is shown, the window is opened on the second display and the ghost window is also shown in the taskbar of the second display. The taskbar entry for the actual window appears on the first display, though. When I move the application window to the first display and back, the taskbar entry is taken along to the second display. I even had one case, where no ghost window was shown but the taskbar entry for the application window was still shown on the wrong display.

claunia commented

@fighur commented on GitHub (Oct 25, 2023):

I've also been experiencing this recently. In my case, it seems to happen only when I have FancyZones enabled.

@fighur commented on GitHub (Oct 25, 2023): I've also been experiencing this recently. In my case, it seems to happen only when I have FancyZones enabled.

claunia commented

@TuxTom commented on GitHub (Oct 26, 2023):

Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur !

I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone".

@TuxTom commented on GitHub (Oct 26, 2023): Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur ! I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone".

claunia commented

2026-01-31 07:21:17 +00:00

@Jonas1312 commented on GitHub (Oct 26, 2023):

I have the same issue on Windows 10, using Terminal 1.18.2822.0, and I'm using FancyZones too

@Jonas1312 commented on GitHub (Oct 26, 2023): I have the same issue on Windows 10, using Terminal 1.18.2822.0, and I'm using FancyZones too

claunia commented

@BADF00D commented on GitHub (Nov 10, 2023):

Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur !

I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone".

I can confirm that behavior. Win10 22H2, Window Terminal 1.18.2822.0, PowerToys 0.75.1

@BADF00D commented on GitHub (Nov 10, 2023): > Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur ! > > I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone". I can confirm that behavior. Win10 22H2, Window Terminal 1.18.2822.0, PowerToys 0.75.1

claunia commented

2026-01-31 07:21:17 +00:00

@guntern commented on GitHub (Nov 10, 2023):

Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur !

I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone".

I also have this issue and can confirm, that disabeling this single fancyzone option is enough to get rid of the ghost window.

@guntern commented on GitHub (Nov 10, 2023): > Thanks for bringing this up, @fighur ! > > I'm also using FancyZones and can confirm that the issue goes away when I disable it. It even seems sufficient to disable the FancyZones option "Move newly created windows to their last known zone". I also have this issue and can confirm, that disabeling this single fancyzone option is enough to get rid of the ghost window.

claunia commented

2026-01-31 07:21:17 +00:00

@4W5ZeZPMc commented on GitHub (Nov 16, 2023):

Yes, I can confirm that too. The extra window is gone after deactivating the FancyZone option

@4W5ZeZPMc commented on GitHub (Nov 16, 2023): Yes, I can confirm that too. The extra window is gone after deactivating the FancyZone option

claunia commented

@erropix commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2024):

Instead of turning off the Power Toys Fancy Zones feature, I just added the terminal process name WindowsTerminal.exe in the excludes field.

Or, you can just change the terminal window position or size to unpin it from the screen zones.

Both methods solve the issue.

@erropix commented on GitHub (Jan 2, 2024): Instead of turning off the Power Toys Fancy Zones feature, I just added the terminal process name `WindowsTerminal.exe` in the excludes field. ![image](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/assets/6576868/cb869cfe-a144-4aab-82a7-c6972c1501cc) Or, you can just change the terminal window position or size to unpin it from the screen zones. Both methods solve the issue.

claunia commented

@DejayRezme commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2024):

Both methods solve the issue.

Just to be clear, this does NOT solve the issue. It's a workaround, the bug is still there. Please fix it. I quite like my workflow with fancy zones.

@DejayRezme commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2024): > Both methods solve the issue. Just to be clear, this does NOT solve the issue. It's a workaround, the bug is still there. Please fix it. I quite like my workflow with fancy zones.

claunia commented

@PinkPanther901 commented on GitHub (Jan 8, 2024):

Also experiencing the exact same thing, FancyZones + WindowsTerminal.

@PinkPanther901 commented on GitHub (Jan 8, 2024): Also experiencing the exact same thing, FancyZones + WindowsTerminal.

claunia commented

@cprusprus commented on GitHub (Feb 20, 2024):

I think I have a workaround which can be used for now if someone can confirm. Close all Terminals. In FancyZones, uncheck "move newly created windows to their last known zones", then in Excluded apps put (note no extension) exactly DesktopWindowXamlSource

Then recheck "move newly created windows to their own zones". I haven't had a repro since (I had a reliable one before this workaround where it appears when you open a terminal, then switch to another program in the same zone, then close the terminal, and finally launch a terminal [now it shows the ghost window - i.e. switching to a 2nd program before closing was significant for the repro]).

@cprusprus commented on GitHub (Feb 20, 2024): I think I have a workaround which can be used for now if someone can confirm. Close all Terminals. In FancyZones, uncheck "move newly created windows to their last known zones", then in Excluded apps put (note no extension) exactly DesktopWindowXamlSource Then recheck "move newly created windows to their own zones". I haven't had a repro since (I had a reliable one before this workaround where it appears when you open a terminal, then switch to another program in the same zone, then close the terminal, and finally launch a terminal [now it shows the ghost window - i.e. switching to a 2nd program before closing was significant for the repro]).

claunia commented

@albeec13 commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024):

I think I have a workaround which can be used for now if someone can confirm. Close all Terminals. In FancyZones, uncheck "move newly created windows to their own zones", then in Excluded apps put (note no extension) exactly DeskopWindowXamlSource

Then recheck "move newly created windows to their own zones". I haven't had a repro since (I had a reliable one before this workaround where it appears when you open a terminal, then switch to another program in the same zone, then close the terminal, and finally launch a terminal [now it shows the ghost window - i.e. switching to a 2nd program before closing was significant for the repro]).

Thanks for pointing this out! Just want to note 2 things about your procedure:

There is no box for "Move newly created windows to their own zones". Perhaps you mean, "Move newly created windows to their last known zone"? In any case, I did not uncheck this, and simply adding the exclusion and re-launching Terminal made the problem go away.
You have an important typo above where it says "exactly DeskopWindowXamlSource". Note missing 't' in "Deskop"

That said, simply adding the FancyZones exclusion for "DesktopWindowXamlSource" seems to have fixed the issue for me, but it would be better if it was fixed properly.

@albeec13 commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2024): > I think I have a workaround which can be used for now if someone can confirm. Close all Terminals. In FancyZones, uncheck "move newly created windows to their own zones", then in Excluded apps put (note no extension) exactly DeskopWindowXamlSource > > Then recheck "move newly created windows to their own zones". I haven't had a repro since (I had a reliable one before this workaround where it appears when you open a terminal, then switch to another program in the same zone, then close the terminal, and finally launch a terminal [now it shows the ghost window - i.e. switching to a 2nd program before closing was significant for the repro]). Thanks for pointing this out! Just want to note 2 things about your procedure: 1) There is no box for "Move newly created windows to their own zones". Perhaps you mean, "Move newly created windows to their last known zone"? In any case, I did not uncheck this, and simply adding the exclusion and re-launching Terminal made the problem go away. 2) You have an important typo above where it says "exactly DeskopWindowXamlSource". Note missing 't' in "Deskop" That said, simply adding the FancyZones exclusion for "DesktopWindowXamlSource" seems to have fixed the issue for me, but it would be better if it was fixed properly.

claunia commented

@dan-hampton commented on GitHub (Mar 4, 2024):

I have been plagued by this issue for many months. It takes up valuable taskbar space.

PowerToys 0.77, Terminal 1.19.10573.0

@dan-hampton commented on GitHub (Mar 4, 2024): I have been plagued by this issue for many months. It takes up valuable taskbar space. PowerToys 0.77, Terminal 1.19.10573.0 ![image](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/assets/80153931/77da15ed-f7d3-4ab9-bca5-8bd16dd454bb)

claunia commented

@maaneeack commented on GitHub (Apr 3, 2024):

PowerToys 0.79.0, Terminal 1.19.10573.0, Windows 10 22H2 19045.4046
Adding DesktopWindowXamlSource to FancyZones exclusion seems to work for a workaround

The DesktopWindowXamlSource ghost opens when I launch Terminal fresh from a reboot or closing all other terminal windows/tabs.

@maaneeack commented on GitHub (Apr 3, 2024): PowerToys 0.79.0, Terminal 1.19.10573.0, Windows 10 22H2 19045.4046 Adding DesktopWindowXamlSource to FancyZones exclusion seems to work for a workaround The DesktopWindowXamlSource ghost opens when I launch Terminal fresh from a reboot or closing all other terminal windows/tabs.

claunia commented