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Virtual desktops aren’t new to Windows. In Windows 10, it was a simple matter to create a separate desktop so that, for example, you could have one desktop for one project and a second for another, or one for your work and a second for your personal apps.
However, in Windows 11, there has been an upgrade. Now, you can also have a different wallpaper for each desktop, making it easier to distinguish one from another [and offering you a different mood, depending on what you’re using it for]. And there are a number of other features that make the use of virtual desktops easy and efficient. Note that some of these were actually introduced in Windows 10, but together with the new features of Windows 11, they make a handy toolbox.
Create a virtual desktop
To create a new virtual desktop:
- Hover over or click on the “Task view” icon in your taskbar [it’s the one that looks like one square superimposed on another].
- Click on the “New desktop” thumbnail.
After clicking the “Task view” icon, you can create a new desktop.
You can also use key combination Win+Ctrl+D; in that case, you’ll immediately find yourself in your new desktop.
You can now place different apps in your separate desktops. Move from one desktop to the other by clicking the “Task view” icon. [You can also move around by using the familiar Alt-Tab key combination, which will take you to all the apps in one desktop and then to the apps in the next.]
To remove a desktop:
- Hover over or click the “Task view”icon.
- Hover over the virtual desktop you want to remove and click the “X” in the upper right corner.
Personalize your desktops
With Windows 11, you can now personalize your desktops, making it easier to dedicate each one to a separate function. There are several ways to do this.
Choose different wallpaper
You can have a different background for each virtual desktop. It’s quite simple:
- Click on the “Task view” icon in the taskbar.
- Right click on the desktop you want to change.
- Click on “Choose background.”
After clicking on the “Task view” icon in the taskbar, right-click on a desktop thumbnail to change its background.
This will bring you to the Personalization > Background page, where you can choose either an image for your background, a solid color, or arrange for a slideshow. You can then browse your photos for your choice of image[s] to use and decide the type of fit you want for your image [for example, you can tile or stretch image].
The Background page lets you use a preset background image or upload your own.
Your desktops will be automatically assigned the rather boring titles of “Desktop 1,” “Desktop 2,” etc. You can change that easily by giving each desktop a name.
- Click on or hover over the “Task view” icon.
- Click on the name of the desktop you want to change.
- Type in the new name.
After selecting the “Task view” icon, you can change the name of your desktops.
You may want to change the order of the desktops in order to make it easier to remember which to use when. This is also very simple.
- Click on or hover over the “Task view” icon.
- Click and hold on the desktop you want to move and drag it to its new position.
Change the order of your desktops by using click-and-drag.
If you are already using an app on one desktop and open it in another, you will be using a different version of that app — for example, you can use Chrome to look at Twitter on one desktop and to do some work research on another. [Be aware that some apps may not work this way yet — for example, when I tried to open Notion in a second desktop, my computer jumped to the desktop where it was already open.]
While this is handy, you may want to run the same app with the same data in both — or all — of your desktops. [Note: this is not new to Windows 11, but it’s good to know.] To do this:
- Click on the “Task view” icon.
- Right-click on the app you want to use in the other desktop.
- Select “Show this window on all desktops” if you want to duplicate a single window from that app.
- Select “Show windows from this app on all desktops” if you want to duplicate any window that you use in that app.
Use “Show this window on all desktops” to use the same app and content in your other desktops.
Have you ever been working on something in Windows and wish you could keep it in its own space? Perhaps it's something personal that doesn't fit with things from work? Well, just like Windows 10, Windows 11 has a virtual desktops feature for these moments. If you're not familiar with the feature, then we're here to help. Here's a look at how to use Virtual Desktops in Windows 11.
Step 1: Enable or find the feature
Virtual Desktops should be turned on by default in Windows 11. You can find it by hovering your mouse over the third icon from the left on the Taskbar [the one that looks like two squares.] If you don't see this icon, then chances are it was turned off. You can enable it by right-clicking the Taskbar and choosing Taskbar settings. Then, make sure the toggle switch for the Task view is turned on.
Step 2: Hover & click on Task view
Once you confirm that Virtual Desktops is on, you can get to it by hovering over the Task view icon in the Taskbar as we described above. There should be a prompt for New Desktop. Click it, and then launch a new desktop space. You'll be taken to a new desktop, and in this new desktop space, you can open an app, game, or document to keep it separate from your main desktop. This allows you to separate out your windows or app and browsing sessions into a new space to stay efficient and get more work done.
Step 3: Customize your experience
When a new virtual desktop space is created, you can switch to it at any time by hovering over the Task view icon, and clicking on the desktop you want to get to. You can create as many virtual desktops as you'd like. You can even rearrange the order by clicking on top of a virtual desktop in the Task view list and dragging it around.
In addition, you can rename a virtual desktop by right-clicking and choosing Rename. To better visualize your desktops you can even change the background from the right-click menu. And, you can even send windows from an active desktop to another. Just right-click the preview for an app and in the Move to menu, select the virtual desktop you want to move things to.
Check out our other Windows 11 guides!
Virtual Desktops is just one of the many cool features in Windows 11. We've been covering other Windows 11 features like running Android apps, using the Task Manager, and the themes, colors, and other desktop experiences. Be sure to keep tuned to OnMSFT for all your Windows 11 news and information.