- How to use multiple desktops in Windows 10
- How to create a new virtual desktop in Windows 10
- How to switch between virtual desktops in Windows 10
- How to move windows between virtual desktops in Windows 10
- Click-and-drag method
- Right-click menu method
- How to duplicate windows across virtual desktops
- How to remove a virtual desktop in Windows 10
- More Windows 10 resources
- The Dell XPS 15 is our choice for best 15-inch laptop
- Halo: MCC’s live service elements make it better, not worse
- Microsoft’s Surface Duo is not ‘failing up’
- These are the best PC sticks when you’re on the move
- Use Multiple Desktops in Windows 10
- Stay organized and productive with multiple desktops
- It Starts With Task View
- Why Multiple Desktops?
- Multiple Desktop Options
- How to use multiple desktops in Windows 10
- How to add a desktop in Windows 10
- How to switch between desktops
- Move windows between desktops
- Close a desktop
How to use multiple desktops in Windows 10
Source: Windows Central
Windows 10, now enjoying the October 2020 Update, continues to make it extremely easy to set up and use multiple virtual desktops in Windows 10. Multiple desktops are great for keeping unrelated, ongoing projects organized, or for quickly hiding from the boss that browser game you can’t stop playing. And if you’ve not yet upgraded to Windows 10, be sure to have a look at our collection of the best Windows laptop options with the latest OS.
Ready to tackle the day with multiple desktops? Let’s go!
How to create a new virtual desktop in Windows 10
Creating a new virtual desktop can be done with a couple of clicks or with a keyboard shortcut.
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Click New Desktop. (It’s located in the top left corner of your screen.)
Source: Windows Central
That’s it. Easy, right? There’s also a Ctrl + Windows key + D keyboard shortcut that will immediately create a new virtual desktop.
How to switch between virtual desktops in Windows 10
Now that you’ve created a new virtual desktop, you can quickly switch a few different ways.
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Click Desktop 2 or any other virtual desktop you’ve created.
Source: Windows Central
You can switch back to your original desktop at any time by following the above steps but choosing Desktop 1. There’s also a Ctrl + Windows key + Left and right arrow keyboard shortcut that you can use to switch between virtual desktops. Using a device with a touchpad? You can perform a four-finger swipe left or right to switch between virtual desktops.
How to move windows between virtual desktops in Windows 10
There are two ways you can move windows between virtual desktops. First, you can click and drag windows; second, you can right-click the window and use the menu.
Click-and-drag method
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Drag and release the window on an alternate desktop.
Source: Windows Central
Right-click menu method
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Right-click on the window you’d like to move to another desktop.
Source: Windows Central
Click the desktop to which you’d like to move the window.
Source: Windows Central
You can move windows back and forth between desktops to your heart’s content.
How to duplicate windows across virtual desktops
Certain windows or collections of windows from one app can be duplicated across all virtual desktops.
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Right-click an active window.
Source: Windows Central
Click Show windows from this app on all desktops to duplicate all windows from one app.
Source: Windows Central
How to remove a virtual desktop in Windows 10
Want to get back to just one desktop? No problem.
Click the Task View button in your taskbar.
- You can also use the Windows key + Tab shortcut on your keyboard, or you can swipe with one finger from the left of your touchscreen.
Click the X in the top-right corner of the desktop icon.
Source: Windows Central
Open and running windows in a desktop you close will be moved back to your original desktop. You can also use the Ctrl + Windows key + F4 keyboard shortcut to immediately close the virtual desktop you’re currently viewing.
More Windows 10 resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
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Use Multiple Desktops in Windows 10
Stay organized and productive with multiple desktops
With Windows 10, Microsoft finally brought a feature that is standard on other desktop operating systems to Windows: multiple desktops, which the company calls virtual desktops. This is admittedly a power user feature, but it can be helpful for anyone who wants an extra bit of organization.
Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10.
It Starts With Task View
The key starting point for multiple desktops is Windows 10’s Task View. The easiest way to access it is the icon to the right of Cortana on the taskbar — it looks like a big rectangle with a smaller rectangle on each side of it. Alternatively, you can tap the Windows key+Tab.
Task View is a better-looking version of Alt+Tab. It shows all your open program windows at a glance, and it lets you choose between them.
The biggest difference between Task View and Alt+Tab is that Task View stays open until you dismiss it — unlike the keyboard shortcut.
When you’re in Task View, if you look at the right corner, you’ll see a button that says New desktop. Select that, and at the bottom of the Task View area, two rectangles labeled Desktop 1 and Desktop 2 appear.
Select Desktop 2, and you land on a clean desktop with no programs running. Your open programs are still available on the first desktop, but now you have another one open for other purposes.
Why Multiple Desktops?
If you’re still scratching your head as to why you’d want more than one desktop, consider how you use your PC every day. If you’re on a laptop, switching between Microsoft Word, a browser, and a music app can be a pain. Putting each program in a different desktop makes moving between them much easier and removes the need to maximize and minimize each program as you need it.
Another way to use multiple desktops is to have all your productivity programs on one desktop, and your entertainment or game items on another, or you could put email and web browsing on one desktop and Microsoft Office on another. The possibilities are endless and depend on how you organize your programs.
You can move open windows between desktops by opening Task View and then using your mouse to drag and drop from one desktop to another.
After you have all your desktops set up, you can switch between them using Task View or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key+Ctrl+right or left arrow key. Using the arrow keys is tricky because you have to be aware of which desktop you are on. Multiple desktops are organized on a virtual straight line with two endpoints. Once you reach the end of that line, you have to go back the way you came.
In practical terms, you move from desktop 1 to desktop 2, 3, and so on using the right arrow key. When you reach the last desktop, you go back through using the left arrow. If you find that you jump between numerous desktops out of order, it’s better to use Task View where all open desktops are consolidated in one spot.
Multiple Desktop Options
The multiple desktops feature has two key options you can adjust to your liking.
Select Start.
Choose Settings from the Start menu.
Select System.
Select Multitasking and scroll down until you see the heading Virtual desktops.
Here are two options that are easy to understand:
- The top option lets you decide whether you want to see the icons for every single open program across the taskbar of every desktop or only on the desktop where the program is open.
- The second option is a similar setting for the previously mentioned Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut.
Multiple desktops aren’t for everybody, but if you’re having trouble keeping your programs organized in one workspace, try creating two, three, or four in Windows 10.
How to use multiple desktops in Windows 10
Windows 10’s virtual desktops feature is super helpful if you’re working on a bunch of different things.
If you’re a single-monitor user — or even if you’re not — multiple virtual desktops can be very handy. Especially if you’re now working from home for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus pandemic and juggling different projects on the same computer. Whether you’re a longtime Windows 10 ($170 at Best Buy) user or have only recently upgraded after support for Windows 7 ended earlier this year, multiple desktops are a super useful feature.
The Task View pane in Windows 10 allows you to add an unlimited number of virtual desktops quickly and easily. You can manage the view of your virtual desktop, and move applications to different desktops, show windows on all desktops or close pages on a selected desktop.
How to add a desktop in Windows 10
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To add a virtual desktop, open up the new Task View pane by clicking the Task View button (two overlapping rectangles) on the taskbar, or by pressing the Windows Key + Tab. In the Task View pane, click New desktop to add a virtual desktop. If you have two or more desktops already open, the «Add a desktop» button will appear as a gray tile with a plus symbol. You can also quickly add a desktop without entering the Task View pane by using the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + Ctrl + D.
How to switch between desktops
To switch between virtual desktops, open the Task View pane and click on the desktop you want to switch to. You can also quickly switch desktops without going into the Task View pane by using the keyboard shortcuts Windows Key + Ctrl + Left Arrow and Windows Key + Ctrl + Right Arrow.
You can add an unlimited number of virtual desktops — we stopped at 368.
Read more from TechRepublic: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (free PDF)
Move windows between desktops
To move a window from one desktop to another, you first have to open up the Task View pane and then hover over the desktop containing the window you want to move. The windows on that desktop will pop up; find the window you want to move, right-click it, and go to Move to and choose the desktop you want to move the window to. You can also drag and drop windows — grab the window you want to move and drag it into the desired desktop.
Close a desktop
To close a virtual desktop, open up the Task View pane and hover over the desktop you want to close until a small X appears in the upper right corner. Click the X to close the desktop. You can also close desktops without going into the Task View pane by using the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 (this will close the desktop you’re currently on).