Windows has long supported virtual desktops. With Windows 10, it was easy to create individual desktops, for example, to dedicate one to one project and another to another or dedicate one to work. At the same time, another was reserved for your apps. To create this you have to learn How to create virtual desktops with Windows 11.
The upgrade in Windows 11 comes with some new features. Additionally, you can have a different wallpaper for each desktop, making it easier for you to differentiate between groups of desktops (and setting a different mood, depending on what you’re using the desktop for). Furthermore, virtual desktops have features that make them efficient and easy to use. Some tools included here are included in Windows 10, but together with new Windows 11 features, they make an excellent toolkit.
SET UP A VIRTUAL DESK
Here are the steps to create a new virtual desktop:
- You’ll see it appears as a single square superimposed on another in your taskbar when you hover over it or click it.
- Hover your mouse over “New desktop” and click it.
Alternatively, you can use the key combination Win+Ctrl+D; in that case, Windows will take you to your new desktop immediately.
Now you can set up separate desktops for different apps. By clicking the “Task View” icon, you can switch from one desktop to another. In addition to the Alt-Tab combination, you can also switch between the programs by pressing the Alt-Tab key combination. It takes you to the programs on one desktop and then another.
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A desktop can be removed as follows:
- The “Task view” icon can be tapped or hovered over.
- Click the “X” in the upper right corner of the virtual desktop you wish to remove.
MAKE YOUR DESKTOPS PERSONAL
The new Windows 11 lets you create custom desktops where each one is dedicated to a specific feature. You can do this in several ways.
WALLPAPERS CAN BE DIFFERENT
You can customize each virtual desktop with a different background. To do this, follow these steps:
- The taskbar contains an icon for “Task view.”
- You can change the desktop by right-clicking on it.
- Choose the picture you want.
From the Personalization > Background page, you can either choose a background image, a solid color or create a slideshow. Browse through your photos to choose your favorite image(s) and choose which fit you prefer for your image (such as tiling or stretching).
CHANGE THE NAME OF YOUR DESK
Rather than assigning descriptive titles to your desktops, Windows assigns them the boring titles of “Desktop 1,” “Desktop 2,” etc. Each desktop can be given a name so that Windows will label them appropriately.
- Choose “Task view” from the list by clicking the icon or hovering over it.
- Select the desktop you would like to modify.
- Change the name of the desktop.
ARRANGEMENT OF DESKTOPS
If you want to remember which desktop to use, you may want to change the order. The process is relatively simple.
- You can open the “Task view” icon by clicking on it or hovering over it.
- You can drag the desktop to the new position by holding the desktop and dragging it.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE A MUTUAL APPLICATION FROM DIFFERENT DESKTOPS
You will be using a different version of an app if you are already using it on one desktop and open it on another – for example, you can use Chrome to browse Twitter on one desktop and to do research for work on another. (Some apps aren’t working this way yet; for example, it redirected me to the desktop where Notion was already open when I tried to open it on a second desktop.)
Although this can be helpful, you may want to run the same program on all of your computers. You can use this trick with Windows 11, but it is not new.) To do this:
- “Task view” will appear once you click on it.
- Select the app you wish to run on the other desktop by right-clicking.
- You can duplicate a single-window from that app by choosing “Show this window on all desktops.”
- Duplicate any window in this app by selecting “Show windows from this app on all desktops.”
