When the game behaves like exclusive full screen, overlays may be rendered underneath it.

Main causes of “overlays behind game” issues

In most cases one or more of the following is responsible:

• The game is running in exclusive full screen instead of windowed or borderless windowed.[1]
• A GPU overlay or performance tool (for example GeForce Experience, Radeon overlay, MSI Afterburner) is taking priority over RaceLab’s browser windows.[2]
• The game and RaceLab are running with different privileges (one as Administrator, the other as normal user).[3]
• Windows has changed which monitor is the main display, so the overlays are opening on a different screen or underneath another maximised window.[4]
• Another app is set to “always on top” (for example a streaming tool, chat window or telemetry dashboard) and is covering the overlays.

Step-by-step fix checklist

Work through these steps in order. After each change, return to the sim and check whether the overlays appear on top again.

1. Switch out of exclusive full screen.
   Open the game’s Video / Graphics settings and:
   • Change display mode to borderless windowed or windowed.
   • Apply the change and restart the game if required.
   This is the single most important setting for overlays to work reliably.[1]
2. Check for GPU and third-party overlays.
   Temporarily disable:
   • NVIDIA / GeForce overlay, Radeon overlay, ReLive, etc.
   • MSI Afterburner / RTSS on-screen display.
   • Any other performance/FPS overlays.
   Then restart the game and RaceLab and test again.[2]
3. Match the privilege level (Admin vs normal).
   Make sure you are either:
   • Running both the game and RaceLab as normal user, or
   • Running both as Administrator.
   Mixing one as admin and the other as normal can block injected windows and hotkeys.[3]
4. Confirm the correct main display and monitor layout.
   In Windows Display Settings:
   • Set your racing monitor as the main display.
   • Check that the resolution matches what the game is using.
   • Avoid mixed DPI scaling if possible (try 100% on all screens).
   Then start the game on that monitor and open RaceLab overlays again.[4]
5. Close or minimise “always on top” apps.
   Close or minimise any app you have pinned on top of other windows, such as:
   • External chat windows (Discord pop-outs, Twitch chat, etc.).
   • Streaming tools docked above the game window.
   • Extra telemetry dashboards you set to always on top.
6. Reset overlay positions in RaceLab.
   Use RaceLab’s option to reset overlay layout so panels are brought back to the main display. If overlays were positioned off-screen or on a now-missing monitor, this will bring them back into view.

Testing with a simple single-monitor setup

If you are still having trouble after the checklist above, it can help to test with a very simple configuration:

1. Disable all secondary monitors temporarily in Windows Display Settings.
2. Set the remaining monitor to 100% scaling and its native resolution.
3. Run the game in borderless windowed mode on that display.
4. Start RaceLab and enable a simple overlay (for example Relative or Standings).

If overlays appear correctly in this basic setup, you can then re-enable extra screens one at a time until you find which configuration causes them to disappear again.

What to include when asking for help

When posting in #i-need-help or #virtual-reality on Discord about overlays not appearing or hiding behind the game, it is useful to include:

• A screenshot of your in-game Video / Display settings.
• Your Windows Display Settings layout showing all monitors.
• Whether you have any GPU overlays or third-party OSD tools enabled.
• Whether you are running the sim and RaceLab as admin or normal user.

This information helps the community and moderators quickly see which of the common causes is most likely affecting your system.

Sources & references

1. RaceLab Garage – Overlay requirements and recommended display modes (windowed / borderless).
2. GPU vendor documentation – Overlay / OSD tools and their interaction with game and browser overlays.
3. RaceLab Garage & community guides – Running sim and tools at the same privilege level to avoid blocked hooks.
4. Microsoft Windows support – Multiple monitor configuration, main display selection and DPI scaling.