How to Use Virtual Desktops on Windows 11

To use virtual desktops on Windows 11, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Task View: There are several ways to do this:
    • Click the Task View button on the taskbar. It looks like a square icon with two rectangles.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut: Press Windows key + Tab.
  2. Create a new virtual desktop:
    • In the Task View interface, you’ll see the existing desktop(s) at the bottom of the screen.
    • To create a new virtual desktop, click on the “New Desktop” button at the top left corner of the Task View interface. It looks like a plus (+) icon.
  3. Switch between virtual desktops:
    • Once you have multiple virtual desktops, you can switch between them by clicking on the desktop thumbnail in the Task View interface.
    • You can also use the keyboard shortcut: Press Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow or Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow to move between virtual desktops.
  4. Move windows between virtual desktops:
    • Open the Task View interface.
    • Click and hold on the window you want to move.
    • Drag the window to the desired virtual desktop thumbnail in the Task View interface.
  5. Close a virtual desktop:
    • Open the Task View interface.
    • Hover over the virtual desktop you want to close.
    • Click the “X” button that appears in the top right corner of the virtual desktop thumbnail.
  6. Customize virtual desktop settings:
    • Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start button and selecting “Settings” (gear icon) from the menu, or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key + I.
    • Go to the “System” category and select “Multitasking” from the left sidebar.
    • Here, you can customize options such as enabling or disabling the ability to show windows from all desktops on the taskbar, changing the behavior of Alt+Tab, and more.

That’s it! You can now enjoy using virtual desktops on Windows 11 to keep your work and apps organized across different desktop environments.