How to Manage Virtual Desktops in Windows 10

Written By Jitesh Kumar

Last Updated January 25, 2021

Posted In Windows 10

In this post, you will learn how to manage virtual desktops in Windows 10. Virtual Desktops offer the best experience to organize your windows and provide quick access to create and manage groups of windows. This is NOT related to 1. Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) offering from Microsoft and 2. Hyper-V components in Windows 10!

You will get to build a native virtual desktop experience directly into Windows 10 without using any third-party utilities. Multiple desktops are great for keeping unrelated, ongoing projects organized, or for quickly switching desktops.

Lets get started –

Add New Virtual Desktop

In Windows 10 device, Select the Task View button on your taskbar. To quick launch task view, Press WIN + TAB from keyboard.
To add a New Desktop Click the task view button on your taskbar and click the “+ New desktop” button.

In task view you will also see all your running applications or open windows as well as your Timeline including a history, info about websites you browse, used apps and services.

Each virtual desktop you create allows you to run as many application windows. There is also no limit to how many desktops. You can create an unlimited number of desktops.

How to Manage Virtual Desktops in Windows 10 1 — How to Manage Virtual Desktops in Windows 10

Switch Between Virtual Desktop

To switch between desktops, select Task view. The top part of this view shows previews of the windows you have open. Click the desktop to which you want to switch.

Rename Virtual Desktop

Click on the name of a virtual desktop or Right click on the virtual desktop and choose Rename, and rename the desktop to a custom name as shown below.

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Delete Virtual Desktop

Click the task view button, click red Close (X) button located at the top of each virtual desktop to close or delete it.

Important – If you will directly delete your virtual desktop without closing the running applications that you opened on a virtual desktop. Open apps will automatically move to your main desktop (i.e. Desktop 1) . To avoid this problem its recommend to close all apps before directly proceeding to delete your virtual desktop.

Virtual Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts

You can also use shortcut keys available options to accelerate your virtual desktop experience.

WIN + TAB: Open task view
WIN + CTRL + LEFT/RIGHT: Allows you to move quickly between multiple desktops.
WIN + CTRL + D: Create a new virtual desktop
WIN + CTRL + F4: Close the current virtual desktop

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