What does HRESULT 0x802A0201 (UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED) mean?

UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED

The scope of UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED is Windows Animation Manager: animation work reached a window whose close lifecycle is already in progress. Preserve 0x802A0201 beside the returning call before cleanup or retry creates a more generic secondary failure.

Read the boundary first

When UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED is returned, Windows Animation is a stateful COM subsystem. During a UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED investigation, animation variables, transitions and storyboards are created under a manager, scheduled against a monotonic animation time, updated before drawing, and eventually sealed or released. For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, a visible glitch can therefore be downstream of a lifecycle, ownership, timeline, callback, or numeric contract failure.

During a UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED investigation, window teardown can race queued animation updates, completion handlers, and composition work. For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, the animation objects may still be referenced while their visual target and message-loop ownership are ending.

For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, the first owner to inspect is the animation manager, storyboard, transition, timer, or callback that returned the HRESULT.

Keep neighboring conditions separate

When UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED is returned, UI_E_SHUTDOWN_CALLED is manager shutdown; WINDOW_CLOSED is the visual host lifecycle.

For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, do not retain an HWND value and assume it still names the same live target.

Incident record for this HRESULT

Reproduce without destroying evidence

For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, the investigation should change one variable at a time and keep the original failing sample.

1. First: Cancel or detach animations when close begins.
2. Next: Tag posted work with the window generation.
3. Then: Drain or reject late callbacks.
4. Finally: Release visual targets before the manager thread exits.

Three useful controls

• Fresh storyboard or animation object: For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, a changed result separates retained object, connection, path, host, or device state from the original input. Hold constant: For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, keep the timeline, transitions, and manager version fixed.
• Reduced failing operation: If UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED follows the reduced step, the rejecting transition is localized. Hold constant: For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, retain window handle and generation and remove only unrelated work.
• Targeted corrective control: Use this as a diagnostic branch rather than a blanket workaround: cancel or detach animations when close begins. Hold constant: For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED, keep the original UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED sample available for the final regression test.

Definition of done

Closure for UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED requires closing the window produces no late animation calls, while a new window generation animates normally; then repeat the next lifecycle operation to detect stale state.

Technical references

The references below define the API family or storage/protocol behavior used to interpret UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED.

• For UI_E_WINDOW_CLOSED: Microsoft: Windows Animation error codes
• Microsoft: Windows Animation overview
• Microsoft: Schedule a storyboard
• Microsoft: IUIAnimationManager interface

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