With Windows Easy Switcher, you can switch from one window to another of the same application

Windows Switcher is one of my favorite features on Mac because it helps me navigate through different windows of the same application without using my touchpad. However, this is a feature I lack on my Windows 10 PC. Fret not, Windows Easy Switcher already has a solution to this problem. With this free software, you can use Alt+’ as a multi-tab between windows of the same application. Not only should this tool significantly improve your utility, it can also help Mac users upgrade to Windows 10.

Windows Easy Switcher

April 2021 Update:

We now recommend using this tool for your error. Additionally, this tool fixes common computer errors, protects you against file loss, malware, hardware failures and optimizes your PC for maximum performance. You can fix your PC problems quickly and prevent others from happening with this software:

• Step 1 : Download PC Repair & Optimizer Tool (Windows 10, 8, 7, XP, Vista – Microsoft Gold Certified).
• Step 2 : Click “Start Scan” to find Windows registry issues that could be causing PC problems.
• Step 3 : Click “Repair All” to fix all issues.

I have been using this application for some time and it keeps its promises. Installation is fairly simple and the application is easy, which means it doesn’t take up your valuable IT resources. The program can also be run at startup. The new Easy Windows Switcher update also supports international keyboards, unlike the days when only American keyboards were supported.

The Alt-Tab (16) between windows of the same application is very useful. After installing (to run the.exe) Easy Windows Support, you can simply press the Alt key and the key to the left of the number 1, as shown in the screenshot above. For British keyboard users who translate into Alt+§. For the French keyboard AZERTY it is Alt+², while on the German keyboard it is Alt+^.

The Alt+Tab key combination on Windows could most likely be confused with the Windows switch. Alt+Tab allows you to switch from one Windows program to another, while Easy Windows Switcher helps you switch from one window or instance of the same application.

It should be mentioned that Windows can also switch natively between Windows of an application by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking the left button of the taskbar. But even then, the Ctrl+Click function could eventually disrupt Internet Explorer’s tanning, and for those of you who prefer a keyboard-only approach, the Easy Windows switch seems like child’s play.

The latest update not only supports non-US keyboards, but also removed the addition of the 48×48 icon to reduce binary size and supports switching between maximized Windows. The Easy Windows Switcher doesn’t have many features on board and that’s exactly why you should like this little program. I like this utility because I usually have many instances of Word or Chrome Browser tabs open.

You can download Easy Windows Switcher from Neosmart.

What is windows switcher

An AutoHotkey script for Windows that lets a user switch virtual desktops by pressing CapsLock and a number row key at the sime time (e.g. CapsLock + 2 to switch to Desktop 2). It also provides other features, such as customizing the key combinations, creation/deletion of desktops by hotkey, etc. (see Hotkeys section below).

Action	Keys
Switch to virtual desktop 1, 2, etc. (you can also use the Numpad)	CapsLock + 1 CapsLock + 2 . CapsLock + 9
Switch back to the last desktop used	CapsLock + Tab
Switch to the virtual desktop on the left (auto-cycles from the first to the last desktop)	CapsLock + A CapsLock + P
Switch to the virtual desktop on the right (auto-cycles from the last to the first desktop)	CapsLock + S CapsLock + N
Create a new virtual desktop	CapsLock + C
Delete the current virtual desktop	CapsLock + D
Move the current window to another desktop, then switch to it Keys Q , W , etc. correspond to 1st, 2nd, etc. desktops	CapsLock + Q CapsLock + W . CapsLock + O
Move the current window to the previous or the next desktop, then switch to it	CapsLock + ← CapsLock + →

Note, CapsLock continues to function normally even when it is used as a modifier. But you can make the button do more useful things such as open overview, or disable it altogether.

If you’d like, you can enable the alternate configuration, to use Ctrl + Alt as hotkey combination keys instead of CapsLock (e.g. use Ctrl + Alt + 1 to switch to the Desktop 1, just as you would use CapsLock + 1 ).

Additional hotkeys, such as pinning a window or app on all workspaces, can be added as well.

You can also customize the hotkeys and actions as described in the section below.

This script creates more convenient hotkeys for switching virtual desktops in Windows 10. I built this to better mirror the mapping I use on linux (with dwm), and it’s always annoyed me that Windows does not have better hotkey support for this feature (for instance, there’s no way to go directly to a desktop by number).

Install AutoHotkey v1.1 or later, then run the desktop_switcher.ahk script (open with AutoHotkey if prompted). You can disable the switching animation by opening «Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows» and then unselecting the checkmark «Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing».

Notes about Windows 1809/1903≤ Updates

This project relies partly on VirtualDesktopAccessor.dll (for moving windows to other desktops). This binary is included in this repository for convenience, and was recently updated to work with the 1809/1903≤ updates.

This may cause instability for users running older versions of Windows. If this is the case, download the older DLL, rename it to VirtualDesktopAccessor.dll , and overwrite the previous DLL.

If a future Windows Update breaks the DLL again and updating your files from this repository doesn’t work, you could try building the DLL yourself (given that it was since updated by its’ creators).

To change the key mappings, modify the user_config.ahk script and then run desktop_switcher.ahk (program will restart if it’s already running). Note, ! corresponds to Alt , + is Shift , # is Win , and ^ is Ctrl . A more detailed description of hotkeys can be found here. The syntax of the config file is HOTKEY::ACTION . Here are some examples of the customization options.

Single line of code example	Meaning
!n::switchDesktopToRight()	Hotkey: Alt + N Action: Switch to the desktop on the right
#!space::switchDesktopToRight()	Hotkey: Win + Alt + Space Action: Switch to the desktop on the right
CapsLock & n::switchDesktopToRight()	Hotkey: Capslock + N Action: Switch to the desktop on the right (& is necessary when using a non-modifier key such as Capslock)
!n::switchDesktopToRight()	Hotkey: Alt + N Action: Switch to the desktop on the right
^space::send, #	Hotkey: Ctrl + Space Action: Open Desktop Manager by sending Win + Tab

A more detailed description of hotkeys can be found here: AutoHotkey docs.
You can find the explanation for the Desktop Manager hotkey here.
After any changes to the configuration the program needs to be closed and opened again.

Running on boot

You can make the script run on every boot with either of these methods.

Simple (Non-administrator method)

1. Press Win + R , enter shell:startup , then click OK
2. Create a shortcut to the desktop_switcher.ahk file here

Advanced (Administrator method)

Windows prevents hotkeys from working in windows that were launched with higher elevation than the AutoHotKey script (such as CMD or Powershell terminals that were launched as Administrator). As a result, Windows Desktop Switcher hotkeys will only work within these windows if the script itself is Run as Administrator , due to the way Windows is designed.

You can do this by creating a scheduled task to invoke the script at logon. You may use ‘Task Scheduler’, or create the task in powershell as demonstrated.

The task is now registered and will run on the next logon, and can be viewed or modified in ‘Task Scheduler’.

How to prevent cycling of desktop switching when end desktop or start desktop is reached?

Solution is described in #66.

How to create a specific number of desktops after the application is started?

Solution is described in #69

• Thanks to Ciantic/VirtualDesktopAccessor (DLL) and sdias/win-10-virtual-desktop-enhancer (DLL usage samples), our code can now move windows between desktops.

To see debug messages, download SysInternals DebugView.

This script is intended to be lightweight in order to prioritize performance and robustness. For more advanced features (such as configuring different wallpapers on different desktops) check out https://github.com/sdias/win-10-virtual-desktop-enhancer.

About

An AutoHotKey script for Windows that lets a user change virtual desktops by pressing CapsLock + .

How to Quick-Switch Between Tasks in Windows 10

One of the most frequently done action while working on the computer is switching between apps or tasks. There are numerous options to switch tasks in Windows 10. Moreover, the task-switching process becomes complicated when you have multiple monitors or virtual desktops.

Fortunately, Windows 10 is packed with many more features than its predecessors to support superior multitasking. You only need to learn and use these features to boost productivity.

That is why I am going to cover all its features along with some third-party tools to help you speed up task-switching in Windows 10. Let’s get started.

Guide to Automating Repetitive Tasks on Windows 10

Do you often find yourself deleting old files, cleaning the unrequired data, starting some programs, etc. manually? If. Read more

Task Switcher Shortcuts

First of all, let’s learn about the essential task switcher shortcuts, which everyone must know; no matter you are a beginner or an expert user.

Alt + Tab

When you press Alt + Tab , you can see the task switcher, i.e., thumbnails of all running apps. You can move your selection forward (left to right) by pressing Tab while holding down Alt . Whenever you release the Alt key, the selected app or task gets active, and the task switcher disappears as well.

Meanwhile, if you change your mind, you can press Esc to exit the task switcher without changing the active application.

Also, if you press these keys and release them quickly, you get directly switched to the last app, thus allowing you to quick-jump from active to last active app and vice versa.

Shift + Alt + Tab

You can use Shift + Alt + Tab to open the task switcher and move your selection backward (right to left) in the task switcher. Even if you first press Alt + Tab , you can press Shift in the middle to shift the selection in the other direction in the scenario where you go past a thumbnail.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab

You can use Ctrl + Alt + Tab to open the task switcher in sticky mode, i.e., you can release the keys, and the task switcher will still stay in view. You can use the arrow keys to select an app and press Enter to switch to it.

Win + Tab

Task View opens up on pressing Win + Tab . It lets you switch to a different task, work with virtual desktops, and resume timeline activities, interestingly. You can switch to a virtual desktop or a running application by clicking with the mouse pointer or using the arrow keys and pressing Enter .

More Switcher Shortcuts

After you are comfortable with the essential task-switching shortcuts, let’s get to know about the advanced shortcuts for a superior multi-tasking experience.

Switch b/w pinned apps

If you have some favorite apps that you pinned to the taskbar, then you can press Win + 1 to 9 to open or switch to the pinned apps. If the application is already opened, it becomes active then.

For example, if File Explorer is your first pinned app, then pressing Win + 1 for the first time opens the app if it is not opened and maximizes it if it is already opened. If you press it for the second time, it minimizes it.

Switch b/w same app’s windows

Easy Window Switcher is a tool to switch focus to one of the app’s windows using the keys Alt + ` (backtick). That means you no longer need to use Alt + Tab to surf through several windows of the same application. Please note that you must restart your system after installing it to make it work.

Switch b/w apps on the virtual desktop

Windows brings in a new feature for multitasking — the virtual desktop. I find it useful for grouping apps, for example, you can have office apps and personal apps separately.

You can use Alt + Tab to switch between apps on the same virtual desktop, and Win + Ctrl + Left and Win + Ctrl + Right keys to move an application between virtual desktops without opening the Task View. The first shortcut moves the app to the left virtual desktop and the second to the right desktop. This way you can confine to a few apps on one desktop.

Switch b/w Apps on all Virtual Desktops

If you use multiple virtual desktops, Alt + Tab will not allow you to switch between the apps on various desktops, by default. Fortunately, you can change this behavior. Follow these steps to switch between apps on all desktops:

1. Open the Start menu go to Settings and click on the System tile.
2. Choose Multitasking from the right panel, then under “Virtual desktops“, choose “All desktops” from the dropdown for the setting named “Pressing Alt + Tab shows windows that are open on“.

Switch b/w Apps on the Physical Monitor

If you work in a multi-monitor setup, it becomes complicated to switch between apps as Windows 10 does not provide any good feature for switching apps between multiple monitors. Fortunately, there are a few apps that help in this situation and allow better app-switching between monitors.

Dual Monitor Tools

Dual Monitor Tools is an excellent tool for users having multiple monitors. Its “Swap Screen” options enable you to move apps between monitors and thus confine some apps on one monitor. There are many more features as you will see in its Options. Let’s see how to tweak its settings in “Swap Screen”:

1. Right-click on the icon of Dual Monitor Tools in the notification area and choose Options from the context menu.
2. Under “Swap Screen” on the left, click on “Active Window“.
3. Click Change with the option named “Move active window to next screen“, check “Enable this Hotkey” and set a key combination.
4. Repeat the same for the option “Move active window to previous screen“.
5. Finally click Close to save the changes and exit from its Options.

Finally, you will be able to use the set key combinations to move an active app window to the next or the previous monitor. Although they function similar to Win + Shift + Left and Win + Shift + Right yet I found they perform better as DMT moves a window while preserving its size unlike the latter.

VistaSwitcher

VistaSwitcher is an alternative to the task switcher, which shows a list of thumbnails of the running apps like the other. When you press Alt + Tab , it shows a list of all running tasks along with their previews.

You can press Tab to scroll the application list and release it to choose one of them. You can also change display settings and limit switching of apps between a single or multiple monitors. Follow these steps to set its options:

1. Press Alt + Tab to open the task switcher (VistaSwitcher).
2. Hold down Alt and right-click on its screen > choose Preferences.
3. Switch to the Behavior tab > under Position, select “Monitor #1” (or your choice) for “Show VistaSwitcher on” and click OK.

Switch b/w Apps on all Physical Monitors

By default, when you press Alt + Tab , task switcher is shown, which shows all applications running on all physical monitors. However, if you wish to see the apps running on the current monitor, just press Win + Tab .

Customize Task Switcher

Finally, let’s check out some tools to customize the task switcher. You can use these tools to tweak as well as replace the original task switcher.

Winaero Tweaker

Winaero Tweaker is an all-in-one customization utility as well as a task switcher tool. It helps modify numerous hidden settings of the task switcher. I have compiled some of my favorite customizations below.

Enable Classic Task Switcher

It is possible to get back the classic task switcher, which showed open windows as icons, unlike the modern task switcher that shows app thumbnails. Follow these steps to enable the traditional task switcher using Winaero Tweaker:

1. Under the Appearance menu, select “Alt + Tab Appearance“.
2. In the right panel, check the option “Enable classic Alt+Tab dialog“. Please note that it will commence after logging out and logging back in.

Set Background Transparency

You can adjust the transparency of the task switcher dialog to hide or see its background per your preference. Here are the steps to achieve it:

1. Under the Appearance option, click “Alt + Tab Appearance“.
2. In the right panel, move the slider under the option “Alt+Tab background transparency“. You can set it to 0 for making it transparent (as shown in the below screenshot) and 100 for making it opaque.

Dim Desktop

You can dim the wallpaper and background windows. by setting it to 100 and non-dimmed when 0 (zero). Follow these steps to dim the desktop:

1. Under the Appearance option, choose “Alt + Tab Appearance“.
2. In the right panel, move the slider under “Dim Desktop“. You can set it to 0 to see the desktop and 100 to hide everything else the switcher.

Alt-Tab Terminator

Alt-Tab Terminator is an alternative to the de facto task switcher. It enables switching between apps and brings more features than the task switcher of Windows 10. It shows window previews with task management capabilities to control the running applications, making it a perfect alternative.

You can close a window, terminate, or run the app in focus. It lets you close all open windows in one go. It has a few customization options as given below.

Replace Alt + Tab

You can switch the default task switcher with the Alt-Tab Terminator. You can enable this option by clicking the bar-icon and choosing “Replace Alt-Tab”.

Replace Win + Tab

Alt-Tab Terminator can also replace the Task View (that comes at pressing Win + Tab ) using this application. You can replace it by clicking the bar-icon and selecting the option named “Replace Win-Tab”.

I find this as an awesome option if you wish to like Alt-Tab Terminator but do not want to replace the default task switcher. However, you must note that Task View that comes at pressing Win + Tab provides a unique functionality (virtual desktops) that is not available in the Alt-Tab Terminator.

View it in Full Screen

When you press F11 or click on the full-screen button in the bottom-left corner, the switcher window maximizes to the full screen, making all things big.

Set a custom shortcut

You can enable keyboard shortcuts to take actions inside Alt-Tab Terminator. Please click the bar icon and choose Settings. In the new window, set the required shortcuts under the option named “Hotkeys“, as shown below.

For example, you can also set Alt +

as the hotkey to launch the Alt-Tab Terminator. In this way, you can stick to the task switcher as well as the Task View without compromising on the features of Alt-Tab Terminator.

That is all about the tips and tricks for switching tasks in Windows 10. Did you find them helpful? Please leave a comment or write to me at @aksinghnet.