- Windows 11 offers many features, including the ability to create multiple virtual desktops on your computer.
- Task View allows you to create multiple virtual desktops. This feature is available in the taskbar by default. This article will demonstrate how to create multiple virtual desktops from your computer.
- Multiple virtual desktops can come in handy sometime for example you want to maintain two virtual desktops one for your office works and another for entertainment and games. This will make it easier to organize your applications.
- You can drag widows to the other virtual desktop if you wish to do that. It is very easy to work with virtual desktops.
Creating Virtual Desktops
Follow the steps to crate Multiple virtual Desktops:
1. Click on Task View on the Taskbar. In Task View, a new desktop will be displayed alongside the current desktop.
2. Then, click on New Desktop to create a new Virtual Desktop.
Are you unable to find the Task View option?
If in case Task View is not available in your Taskbar you can enable it by following the below steps:
1. Right-Click anywhere on the Taskbar. Then, Click on Taskbar Settings to open the Taskbar Settings menu.
2. Make sure that the toggle next to “Task view” is turned on.
Renaming virtual desktop:
There are two ways by which you can rename your virtual Desktops:
1. Click on Task View in your taskbar. Then, Right-click on the desktop that you wish to rename. Now, Click on Rename and after naming it, press Enter to save your changes.
2. To rename a virtual Desktop, hover your cursor over the Taskbar’s ‘Task View” button. Click on the name of the virtual Desktop, then type a new name, and hit ENTER to save the changes.
Switching between different virtual Desktops
You have created multiple virtual desktops. Now, I will show you how to switch between them:
1. Hover your cursor over the Task View option. You will now see the virtual desktops you have created.
2. Now, select the virtual desktop you wish to access.
Alternatively, To switch to the left virtual desktop, press CTRL + WINDOWS KEY + RIGHT. WINDOWS + CTRL+ LEFT to switch to the right virtual desktop.
Rearranging Virtual Desktops
By Dragging and Dropping
1. Click on the Task View . Or press WINDOWS+TAB.
2. Click on the virtual desktop you wish to move and drag it around and release the click where you wnat to put it.
Use keyboard shortcuts
To arrange virtual desktops with keyboard shortcuts, click on the “Task View” icon or press Windows + Tab to launch Task View. Press the TAB key to select a virtual desktop. Now, you will see a black outline on the current virtual desktop. To move the virtual desktop to one side, press ALT+ SHIFT + RIGHT and ALT+ SHIFT+ LEFT to move right and left correspondingly.
Change Virtual Desktop Background
This feature was now available on previous Windows OS. This is how it works:
1. Press WINDOWS KEY + TAB.
2. Now right-click on the virtual desktop and select ‘Choose Background‘. In the selected virtual desktop, you will see the background personalization settings window. Select the background or theme you want. The background or theme will be applied to the current virtual desktop, while all other elements remain unchanged.
Alter virtual desktop settings
Windows 11 gives you the ability to choose what will be displayed in the Taskbar. You have the option to display all open windows from virtual desktops or only the ones currently displayed.
1. To change the Virtual Desktop settings, search for ‘Settings’ in the ‘Start Menu’ and click on the relevant search result to launch the app.
2. Scroll down to the right in the ‘System Settings‘ that are open by default and choose ‘Multitasking.
3. Now, click on ‘Desktops’ and you will find two options listed under it, each with a menu next to it. Just click on the menu next to each to make the appropriate selection.
4. You will see the same options if you choose the menu next either of the options. The option ‘On all desktops” will list all windows that are open on virtual desktops. While ‘On only my current desktop‘ will display the windows currently on the virtual desktop,
To enhance your virtual desktop experience, choose the right option.
Transfer apps between virtual desktops
You can move apps from one virtual desktop to another, it’s one of important feature that is provided in Windows 11. Let us see how we can do it.
1. Navigate to the virtual desktop that contains the app and hit WINDOWS + TAB to launch Task View. The app thumbnail will appear on your screen.
2. Simply hold the app and drag it to the desired virtual desktop at its bottom. Then, release the mouse button.
3. The app can be accessed from the virtual desktop where it was moved.
Closing the virtual desktops
If you are using multiple virtual Desktops at once. It will need a lot of computing power to run all the applications across all the virtual desktops and hence drain your laptops’ power more rapidly. So, if you want to close some of the virtual desktop follow the steps:
1. Hover you mouse cursor over Task View. All the virtual desktop will be displayed.
2. Click on the Cross button.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the virtual desktop you want to close and then click on close
Conclusion
You can create multiple virtual desktops in your Windows 11 for multitasking. Like you create virtual desktop for playing games another for video editing, and for your other purposes.
