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Windows 11 lets you create multiple desktops, each with its own group of open app windows. You can use one for work, another for personal tasks, and a third for testing or temporary projects without closing anything. Microsoft also documents the multiple-desktops feature for Windows 10.
These are separate workspaces inside the same Windows session—not separate Windows installations, user accounts, or isolated environments. The files, apps, notifications, and account sessions remain part of the same system.
Open Task View
Task View is the main control panel for Windows desktops.
- Press Windows key + Tab.
- Alternatively, select the Task view button on the taskbar.
Task View displays your open windows and desktop thumbnails. Hovering over the Task view button also displays desktop thumbnails for switching. If the button is not visible, use Windows key + Tab; Microsoft’s current instructions still document that shortcut and do not indicate that Task View has been removed.
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Create and name another desktop
You can create a desktop from Task View or with a shortcut.
Using Task View
- Open Task View with Windows key + Tab.
- Select New desktop.
- Select the new desktop’s displayed name and enter a useful name, such as Work, Personal, or Testing.
Using a keyboard shortcut
Press Windows key + Ctrl + D. Windows creates another desktop and switches to it immediately.
Any app you open after creating the desktop opens on the currently selected desktop. For example, if you create a desktop named Research, switch to it, and open Edge and Notepad, those windows belong to that desktop’s workspace.
Switch between desktops
There are two direct ways to move between existing desktops:
- Open Task View with Windows key + Tab, then select the thumbnail of the desktop you want.
- Use Windows key + Ctrl + Right Arrow to move right, or Windows key + Ctrl + Left Arrow to move left.
The Left Arrow and Right Arrow shortcuts switch among desktops that already exist. They do not create a new desktop when you reach an edge. To create one, use Windows key + Ctrl + D.
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Move an open window to another desktop
You do not need to close and reopen an app to put it on another desktop.
- Open Task View.
- Find the app window you want to move.
- Drag the window to the target desktop thumbnail and release it.
You can also right-click the app window in Task View, select Move to, and choose the destination desktop.
This operation moves the selected window, not every window belonging to that application. If an app has several separate windows, move each one that you want on the other desktop.
Close a desktop without closing its apps
To close a desktop in Task View, hover over its desktop thumbnail and select the Close button in the thumbnail’s top corner.
The keyboard alternative is Windows key + Ctrl + F4. It closes the desktop currently in use.
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Closing a desktop does not close the applications on it. Windows moves those open app windows to the next available desktop. This is useful when a project is finished, but it also means that closing a desktop is not a way to terminate its programs or discard unsaved work.
Give each desktop a different background
A distinct background makes it easier to tell desktops apart, especially when switching with keyboard shortcuts.
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- Right-click the desktop thumbnail you want to customize.
- Select Choose background.
- Under Personalize your background, select Picture from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the image you want to use.
Windows supports a different picture for each desktop. Microsoft’s current instructions do not support assigning a different slideshow or a different solid color to each desktop.
Control which windows appear on the taskbar and in Alt+Tab
Windows can show only the current desktop’s windows, or make windows from every desktop available through the taskbar and Alt+Tab.
- Open Start > Settings > System > Multitasking.
- Expand Desktops.
- Under On the taskbar, show all the open windows, choose one of these options:
- Only on the desktop I’m using
- On all desktops
- Under Show all open windows when I press Alt+Tab, choose whether Alt+Tab includes windows from only the current desktop or from all desktops.
Alt+Tab remains an open-window switcher, not the dedicated desktop switcher. For direct desktop changes, use Task View or Windows key + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow. The Multitasking settings only control which desktop windows Alt+Tab can display.
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Windows 11 desktop shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Windows key + Tab | Open Task View |
| Windows key + Ctrl + D | Create another desktop |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the desktop on the right |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the desktop on the left |
| Windows key + Ctrl + F4 | Close the current desktop |
A practical desktop arrangement
Multiple desktops work best when each one has a clear purpose rather than when every app gets its own desktop. For example:
| Desktop | Possible contents |
|---|---|
| Work | Mail, browser tabs for current tasks, Teams, and documents |
| Personal | Personal browsing, shopping, banking, or messaging windows |
| Project | Reference material, a code editor, terminal windows, and test tools |
Use different picture backgrounds to make the workspaces visually distinct. When a window is in the wrong place, use Task View’s Move to command instead of opening another copy. When a project ends, close its desktop knowing that Windows will preserve and relocate its open windows.
What multiple desktops do—and do not do
- They organize windows: each desktop provides a separate work area containing groups of open apps and content.
- They do not create separate accounts: you remain signed in to the same Windows account.
- They do not isolate applications: programs continue running in the same Windows session.
- They do not close apps when a desktop closes: Windows moves those windows to another desktop.
- They are not controlled by a documented Command Prompt or PowerShell command in Microsoft’s current instructions: use Task View and the supported keyboard shortcuts.
FAQ
How do I create a second desktop in Windows 11?
Press Windows key + Ctrl + D, or open Task View with Windows key + Tab and select New desktop.
How do I switch between desktops in Windows 11?
Use Windows key + Ctrl + Left Arrow or Windows key + Ctrl + Right Arrow. You can also open Task View and select a desktop thumbnail.
Does closing a Windows 11 desktop close its programs?
No. Windows moves the open application windows to the next available desktop. Closing the desktop does not automatically close those apps.
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Can each Windows 11 desktop have a different wallpaper?
Yes, but Microsoft’s current instructions support a different Picture for each desktop. Different slideshows and solid colors cannot be assigned separately to each desktop.
Why does Alt+Tab show windows from another desktop?
Its scope is controlled by Start > Settings > System > Multitasking > Desktops. Change Show all open windows when I press Alt+Tab so it shows windows only from the current desktop or from all desktops.
Can I use a Command Prompt command to create or switch Windows desktops?
Microsoft’s current desktop instructions provide Task View controls and keyboard shortcuts, not a supported Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Run command for creating, renaming, switching, or closing desktops.
The Bottom Line
Use Windows key + Ctrl + D to create a desktop, Windows key + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow to switch, and Windows key + Ctrl + F4 to close the current one. Task View handles naming, moving windows, and choosing a per-desktop picture background. Remember that desktops organize windows within one Windows session; they do not create separate accounts or isolated installations.
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