diff --git a/src/common/common.cpp b/src/common/common.cpp
index 7be915b19c..68465fa0a4 100644
--- a/src/common/common.cpp
+++ b/src/common/common.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 #include "pch.h"
 #include "common.h"
-#include "hwnd_data_cache.h"
 #include <dwmapi.h>
 #pragma comment(lib, "dwmapi.lib")
 #include <strsafe.h>
@@ -34,12 +33,66 @@ std::optional<POINT> get_mouse_pos() {
   }
 }
 
+// Test if a window is part of the shell or the task bar.
+// We compare the HWND against HWND of the desktop and shell windows,
+// we also filter out some window class names know to belong to
+// the taskbar.
+static bool is_system_window(HWND hwnd, const char* class_name) {
+  static auto system_classes = { "SysListView32", "WorkerW", "Shell_TrayWnd", "Shell_SecondaryTrayWnd", "Progman" };
+  static auto system_hwnds = { GetDesktopWindow(), GetShellWindow() };
+  for (auto system_hwnd : system_hwnds) {
+    if (hwnd == system_hwnd) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  for (const auto& system_class : system_classes) {
+    if (strcmp(system_class, class_name) == 0) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 WindowAndProcPath get_filtered_base_window_and_path(HWND window) {
-  return hwnd_cache.get_window_and_path(window);
+  WindowAndProcPath result;
+  auto root = GetAncestor(window, GA_ROOT);
+  if (!IsWindowVisible(root)) { 
+    return result;
+  }
+  auto style = GetWindowLong(root, GWL_STYLE);
+  auto exStyle = GetWindowLong(root, GWL_EXSTYLE);
+  // WS_POPUP need to have a border or minimize/maximize buttons,
+  // otherwise the window is "not interesting"
+  if ((style & WS_POPUP) == WS_POPUP &&
+      (style & WS_THICKFRAME) == 0 &&
+      (style & WS_MINIMIZEBOX) == 0 &&
+      (style & WS_MAXIMIZEBOX) == 0) {
+    return result;
+  }
+  if ((style & WS_CHILD) == WS_CHILD ||
+      (style & WS_DISABLED) == WS_DISABLED ||
+      (exStyle & WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW) == WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW ||
+      (exStyle & WS_EX_NOACTIVATE) == WS_EX_NOACTIVATE) {
+    return result;
+  }
+  std::array<char, 256> class_name;
+  GetClassNameA(root, class_name.data(), static_cast<int>(class_name.size()));
+  if (is_system_window(root, class_name.data())) {
+    return result;
+  }
+  auto process_path = get_process_path(root);
+  // Check for Cortana:
+  if (strcmp(class_name.data(), "Windows.UI.Core.CoreWindow") == 0 &&
+      process_path.ends_with(L"SearchUI.exe")) {
+    return result;
+  }
+  result.hwnd = root;
+  result.process_path = std::move(process_path);
+  return result;
 }
 
 HWND get_filtered_active_window() {
-  return hwnd_cache.get_window(GetForegroundWindow());
+  return get_filtered_base_window_and_path(GetForegroundWindow()).hwnd;
 }
 
 int width(const RECT& rect) {
diff --git a/src/common/common.h b/src/common/common.h
index 76eb5b18c1..a6d228361c 100644
--- a/src/common/common.h
+++ b/src/common/common.h
@@ -12,14 +12,16 @@ std::optional<RECT> get_button_pos(HWND hwnd);
 std::optional<RECT> get_window_pos(HWND hwnd);
 // Gets mouse postion.
 std::optional<POINT> get_mouse_pos();
-// Gets active window, filtering out all "non standard" windows like the taskbar, etc.
-HWND get_filtered_active_window();
+
 // Gets window ancestor (usualy the window we want to do stuff with), filtering out all "non standard" windows like the taskbar, etc. and provide the app process path
 struct WindowAndProcPath {
   HWND hwnd = nullptr;
   std::wstring process_path;
 };
 WindowAndProcPath get_filtered_base_window_and_path(HWND window);
+// Gets active window, filtering out all "non standard" windows like the taskbar, etc.
+HWND get_filtered_active_window();
+
 
 // Calculate sizes
 int width(const RECT& rect);
diff --git a/src/common/common.vcxproj b/src/common/common.vcxproj
index 21cf2fa1bb..1be0c5e93f 100644
--- a/src/common/common.vcxproj
+++ b/src/common/common.vcxproj
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@
     <ClInclude Include="notifications.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="window_helpers.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="icon_helpers.h" />
-    <ClInclude Include="hwnd_data_cache.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="json.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="monitors.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="on_thread_executor.h" />
@@ -125,7 +124,6 @@
     <ClCompile Include="d2d_text.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="d2d_window.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="dpi_aware.cpp" />
-    <ClCompile Include="hwnd_data_cache.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="json.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="monitors.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="notifications.cpp" />
diff --git a/src/common/common.vcxproj.filters b/src/common/common.vcxproj.filters
index 87b34e6bff..1cf60d71d1 100644
--- a/src/common/common.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/src/common/common.vcxproj.filters
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@
     <ClInclude Include="on_thread_executor.h">
       <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
-    <ClInclude Include="hwnd_data_cache.h">
-      <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
-    </ClInclude>
     <ClInclude Include="json.h">
       <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
@@ -132,9 +129,6 @@
     <ClCompile Include="on_thread_executor.cpp">
       <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
-    <ClCompile Include="hwnd_data_cache.cpp">
-      <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
-    </ClCompile>
     <ClCompile Include="json.cpp">
       <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
diff --git a/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.cpp b/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 38f52aea25..0000000000
--- a/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,129 +0,0 @@
-#include "pch.h"
-#include "hwnd_data_cache.h"
-
-HWNDDataCache hwnd_cache;
-
-WindowAndProcPath HWNDDataCache::get_window_and_path(HWND hwnd) {
-  std::unique_lock lock(mutex);
-  auto ptr = get_internal(hwnd);
-  return ptr ? *ptr : WindowAndProcPath{};
-}
-
-HWND HWNDDataCache::get_window(HWND hwnd) {
-  std::unique_lock lock(mutex);
-  auto ptr = get_internal(hwnd);
-  return ptr ? ptr->hwnd : nullptr;
-}
-
-WindowAndProcPath* HWNDDataCache::get_internal(HWND hwnd) {
-  auto root = GetAncestor(hwnd, GA_ROOT);
-  // Filter the fast and easy cases
-  if (!IsWindowVisible(root) ||
-      is_invalid_hwnd(root) ||
-      is_invalid_class(root) ||
-      is_invalid_style(root)) {
-    return nullptr;
-  }
-  // Get the HWND process path from the cache
-  DWORD pid = GetWindowThreadProcessId(root, nullptr);
-  auto cache_ptr = get_from_cache(root, pid);
-  if (cache_ptr == nullptr) {
-    cache_ptr = put_in_cache(root, pid);
-  }
-  // If the app is a UWP app, check if it isnt banned
-  if (is_uwp_app(root) && is_invalid_uwp_app(cache_ptr->process_path)) {
-    // cache the HWND of the invalid app so we wont search for it again
-    invalid_hwnds.push_back(root);
-    return nullptr;
-  }
-
-  return cache_ptr;
-}
-
-WindowAndProcPath* HWNDDataCache::get_from_cache(HWND root, DWORD pid) {
-  auto next = next_timestamp();
-  auto it = std::find_if(begin(cache), end(cache), [&](const auto& entry) {
-    return root == entry.data.hwnd && pid == entry.pid;
-  });
-  if (it != end(cache)) {
-    it->atime = next;
-    return &(it->data);
-  }
-  else {
-    return nullptr;
-  }
-}
-
-WindowAndProcPath* HWNDDataCache::put_in_cache(HWND root, DWORD pid) {
-  auto next = next_timestamp();
-  auto it = std::min_element(begin(cache), end(cache), [](const auto& lhs, const auto& rhs) {
-    return lhs.atime < rhs.atime;
-  });
-  it->atime = next;
-  it->pid = pid;
-  it->data.hwnd = root;
-  it->data.process_path = get_process_path(root);
-  return &(it->data);
-}
-
-bool HWNDDataCache::is_invalid_hwnd(HWND hwnd) const {
-  return std::find(begin(invalid_hwnds), end(invalid_hwnds), hwnd) != end(invalid_hwnds);
-}
-bool HWNDDataCache::is_invalid_class(HWND hwnd) const {
-  std::array<char, 256> class_name;
-  GetClassNameA(hwnd, class_name.data(), static_cast<int>(class_name.size()));
-  for (auto invalid : invalid_classes) {
-    if (strcmp(invalid, class_name.data()) == 0)
-      return true;
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-bool HWNDDataCache::is_invalid_style(HWND hwnd) const {
-  auto style = GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_STYLE);
-  // WS_POPUP need to have a border or minimize/maximize buttons,
-  // otherwise the window is "not interesting"
-  if ((style & WS_POPUP) == WS_POPUP &&
-      (style & WS_THICKFRAME) == 0 &&
-      (style & WS_MINIMIZEBOX) == 0 &&
-      (style & WS_MAXIMIZEBOX) == 0) {
-    return true;
-  }
-  for (auto invalid : invalid_basic_styles) {
-    if ((invalid & style) != 0) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-  style = GetWindowLong(hwnd, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-  for (auto invalid : invalid_ext_styles) {
-    if ((invalid & style) != 0) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-bool HWNDDataCache::is_uwp_app(HWND hwnd) const {
-  std::array<char, 256> class_name;
-  GetClassNameA(hwnd, class_name.data(), static_cast<int>(class_name.size()));
-  return strcmp(class_name.data(), "Windows.UI.Core.CoreWindow") == 0;
-}
-bool HWNDDataCache::is_invalid_uwp_app(const std::wstring& process_path) const {
-  for (const auto& invalid : invalid_uwp_apps) {
-    // check if process_path ends in "invalid"
-    if (process_path.length() >= invalid.length() &&
-      process_path.compare(process_path.length() - invalid.length(), invalid.length(), invalid) == 0) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-
-unsigned HWNDDataCache::next_timestamp() {
-  auto next = ++current_timestamp;
-  if (next == 0) {
-    // Handle overflow by invalidating the cache
-    for (auto& entry : cache) {
-      entry.data.hwnd = nullptr;
-    }
-  }
-  return next;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.h b/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 738cda0add..0000000000
--- a/src/common/hwnd_data_cache.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include <vector>
-#include <string>
-#include <Windows.h>
-
-#include "common.h"
-
-class HWNDDataCache {
-public:
-  WindowAndProcPath get_window_and_path(HWND hwnd);
-  HWND get_window(HWND hwnd);
-private:
-  // Return pointer to our internal cache - we cannot pass this to user
-  // since next call to get_* might invalidate that pointer
-  WindowAndProcPath* get_internal(HWND hwnd);
-  WindowAndProcPath* get_from_cache(HWND root, DWORD pid);
-  WindowAndProcPath* put_in_cache(HWND root, DWORD pid);
-  // Various validation routines
-  bool is_invalid_hwnd(HWND hwnd) const;
-  bool is_invalid_class(HWND hwnd) const;
-  bool is_invalid_style(HWND hwnd) const;
-  bool is_uwp_app(HWND hwnd) const;
-  bool is_invalid_uwp_app(const std::wstring& binary_path) const;
-
-  // List of HWNDs that are not interesting - like desktop, cortana, etc
-  std::vector<HWND> invalid_hwnds = { GetDesktopWindow(), GetShellWindow() };
-  // List of invalid window basic styles
-  std::vector<LONG> invalid_basic_styles = { WS_CHILD, WS_DISABLED };
-  // List of invalid window extended styles
-  std::vector<LONG> invalid_ext_styles = { WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW, WS_EX_NOACTIVATE };
-  // List of invalid window classes - things like start menu, etc.
-  std::vector<const char*> invalid_classes = { "SysListView32", "WorkerW", "Shell_TrayWnd", "Shell_SecondaryTrayWnd", "Progman" };
-  // List of invalid persistent UWP app - like Cortana
-  std::vector<std::wstring> invalid_uwp_apps = { L"SearchUI.exe" };
-
-  // Cache for HWND/PID pair to process path. A collision here, where a new process
-  // not in cache gets to reuse a cached PID and then reuses the same HWND handle
-  // seems unlikely.
-  std::mutex mutex;
-  // Handle timestamp wrap
-  unsigned next_timestamp();
-  unsigned current_timestamp = 0;
-  struct Entry {
-    DWORD pid = 0;
-    // access time - when retiring element from cache we pick
-    // one with minimal atime value. We update this value
-    // every time we query the cache 
-    unsigned atime = 0;
-    WindowAndProcPath data;
-  };
-  std::vector<Entry> cache{ 32 };
-};
-
-extern HWNDDataCache hwnd_cache;