Whats the point of having multiple desktops on Windows?
What is the point of multiple desktops Windows 10?The multiple desktop feature of Windows 10 allows you to have several full-screen desktops with different running programs and allows you to switch quickly between them. It’s like having multiple computers at your fingertips. Show Does Windows 10 slow multiple desktops?But like browser tabs, having multiple desktops open can slow down your system. Clicking on a desktop on Task View makes that desktop active. … Any programs you’ve left open are transferred to another desktop, specifically the one to the left of the desktop you’ve just closed. What is the purpose of new desktop in Windows 10?Each virtual desktop you create allows you to open different programs. Windows 10 allows you to create an unlimited number of desktops so you can keep track of each one in detail. Each time you create a new desktop, you’ll see a thumbnail of it at the top of your screen in Task View. I’d missed this powerful feature for way too long.by Leo A. Notenboom Using multiple desktops can be a great way to organize your work, and keep you focused on the task at hand. Applies to Windows: 10 I am an idiot. With that admission out of the way, let me explain what triggered it today: I’ve been ignoring a feature in Windows that will have dramatic impact on my focus and productivity. “I should get around to that someday.” Today was the day. Four and a half years after Windows 10 was released, I finally get around to Multiple Desktops. Not only is it simple, but it will alter how I use my computer. The multiple desktop feature of Windows 10 allows you to have several full-screen desktops with different running programs and allows you to switch quickly between them. It’s like having multiple computers at your fingertips. Use Multiple Desktops on One Screen With the Virtual Desktop Feature in Windows 10Take advantage of the virtual desktop feature in Windows 10 to organize your virtual space while working on a bunch of different things at once.
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Sarah is a freelance writer and CNET How To blogger. Her main focus is Windows, but she also covers everything from mobile tech to video games to DIY hardware projects. She likes to press buttons and see what happens, so don't let her near any control panels. See full bio
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We'll show you how to use virtual desktops on Windows 10. Using virtual desktops in Windows 10 can be highly advantageous, particularly for anyone with a single-monitor setup. If you're still working from home due to the pandemic and juggling several different projects on the same computer, multiple desktops can be a life-saver. (And now, if you're one of the many who are upgrading toWindows 11, it's even easier to set up and toggle between multiple virtual desktops. And you'll have access toother cool features like support for Android apps.) Whether you're a longtime Windows 10 user or have onlyrecently upgraded to Windows 10aftersupport for Windows 7 endedin 2020, we'll walk you through using multiple virtual desktops. The Task View pane in Windows 10 allows you to add an unlimited number of virtual desktops quickly and easily. You can manage the view of your virtual desktop, and move applications to different desktops, show windows on all desktops or close pages on a selected desktop. Here's how to do it.
137 Replies
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Mace OP
Ross42.
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I've honestly never seen much use for them, either. Switching windows isn't that big of a deal. 36
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Ghost Chili OP
starg33ker
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I prefer multiple monitors so they remain in view. 80
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Mace OP
Bud G.
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Organization? Different apps on different desktops. If my account was a domain admin account, I'd use a different desktop for AD (Hyena) or other admin tasks. Since my domain admin account is separate, I just RDP into a Win 7 VM I have set up. 9
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Pure Capsaicin OP
DragonsRule
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If you like to have a lot of stuff open at once it can be nice. Email full screen, browser full screen, Excel full screen. Or two apps, each taking half screen. With more than one Desktop you can have all of that and easily flip between them. I definitely think having multiple monitors is better, though. 36
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Cayenne OP
Exactly. I just use alt tab or windows key tab.
Same, I have three monitors at home and two at work. 3
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Cayenne OP
I guess organization is nice but it really does not seem like that big of a deal to me.
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Mace OP
Carl Holzhauer
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I don't see the point, either 3
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Cayenne OP
So I guess it is mostly meant for computers with one monitor or a laptop. 4
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Pure Capsaicin OP
DragonsRule
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I know some people that like having a lot of Desktop arrangements. One will have icons arranged for one thing, another will have a bunch of document links, another a bunch of Internet shortcuts, etc... I don't like doing things that way, but they do. One guy I know had some stock ticker software that he had multiple windows for. He wanted them arranged a certain way and easily visible, but he had other stuff going on too. He had 3 monitors, but it wasn't enough, so he used alternate Desktops to handle the rest. I don't need it, but others seem to like it. No reason for me to care, right? 6
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Cayenne OP
I don't need it, but others seem to like it. No reason for me to care, right? I agree there, I was just wondering if there was some secret as to why people like it that I was unaware of. 2
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Mace OP
Different approach for different people and different workstyles. Multiple physical monitors is good, yet some can only work with one big monitor. Each their own.... 9
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Tabasco OP
Radz
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I have several users who use this for specific tasks. You can always try it yourself to see if it may be helpful for you: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc817881.aspx 1
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Thai Pepper OP
NashBrydges
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Works wonders for my OCD and lets me categorize my apps together. 6
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Thai Pepper OP
Dr.Floyd
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Personally, I like multiple monitors as well. I keep 2 open for real time monitoring of networks. And primary monitor for working on. When working on my degree, multiple desktops helped out a lot. I had research papers open in 1 desktop and my research paper that I was writing in the primary desktop. 1
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Thai Pepper OP
dpaul
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I don't get it either. they say it's to reduce the clutter, but isn't that why we are able to minimize and restore windows and programs? 4
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Habanero OP
Son of Jor-El
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On a Windows machine hitting alt tab if I have a bunch of stuff open is time consuming. On my Mac even though I can click, using the trackpad isn't the fastest thing in the whole world but swiping my 4 fingers to one side is. Don't have the ability to use multiple desktops so I like it. 2
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Chipotle OP
sudo su Selorex
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The only reason I've ever used multi-desktop was when I was in a penetration testing Linux distro. I'd switch between terminals so I knew what one was doing what action and to mentally keep me sane when I had 20+ terminals open along with all the other tools that I'd use. But other than organization , I don't really ever use them nor do I see a reason for them. But havingthat added feature is pretty cool in my honest opinion. 5
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Serrano OP
I don't think I've ever used multiple desktops ... seems more tedious than useful/helpful ... 1
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Datil OP
It's an interesting idea, and there were a few times I've wanted to really give it a try, but Windows just doesn't have a good implementation of it. When I've used it in Linux, it worked really well, but more often than not, I'd just find myself sticking to one window. I'm not really sure how that would work with multiple monitors, or if it would add any benefit at all. Once I went to multiple monitors, though, I can't really see myself going back. 0
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Chipotle OP
Funny I always wondered why windows did NOT have it. I could not live without virtual desktop even with multiple monitor. It's about organization, knowing where your "things" are. I have 2 monitor and each monitor have 2 rows of 5 virtual desktop. Each monitor are independent, I can have M.1 on Desktop 2 row 1 and M.2 on desktop 1 row 2. What I mean by this is that if I change virtual desktop on one monitor it does not affect the other. My web browser can always be found by pressing shift+f2 M1R2D2 (monitor 1 row 2 desktop 2) It start automatically at every boot in that location. I run emacs on M1R1D1 & M2R1D1 and they share the same buffers. They start auto at boot. I have my remote access tools for my servers and workstation in case of support always on M2R1D5, they all start auto at boot. While I work on project X in emacs I am using both desktop M1R1D1 & M2R1D1, then something comes up and I need to work on some other files for another project, I don't want to create pollution in my emacs buffer for what I'm working on in project X, it will take time to clean up after I want to come back to X, I swtich to M*R1D2 and start another emacs for that work flow. When this task is done I just kill that emacs and come back to my other desktop. As you can see I do not switch windows. All my windows are layed out according to the work needing to be done and I switch desktop (Could be more accurate in my case to say workspace) Once you remove the need for the mouse to move around, this becomes very efficient, I move the focus on each monitor with alt+shift+arrow. I get to any of 5 desktop on r1 with Fkeys and on row 2 with shift+FKeys Edit: Typo & added some details. 10
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Thai Pepper OP
Well tabbing through multiple windows and virtual desktops is fun. Except I have three monitors. one for email, one for remote and one for researching and purchasing. 0
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Thai Pepper OP
Tads06
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I think its a personal preference thing. I like have multiple monitors because if I'm doing something extensive I like to have a document open with the steps I need to do on one and an RDP session to the server I'm working on the other. Could I use Alt+Tab, sure I could but since we have the extra monitor around I would prefer using it. 0
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Datil OP
I use multiple monitors and multiple desktops. I use it to organize different tasks that I am working on simultaneously. Example:
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Chipotle OP
I run multiple desktops with multiple monitors. I often setup desktops for different "jobs". I have one desktop that I work in 50% of the time with shortcuts to documents, applications, and tools that I access daily. I have another desktop that I use when I am giving a presentation or training, it very minimalistic. Still another is when I am troubleshooting, I have all of the relevant tools at my fingertips for troubleshooting anything from hardware to network. Overall it allows me to organize the desktop for quick access to the tools that are most relevant at that moment for me. No I don't NEED to do this, however I like the organization and I don't have to shift my train of thought to search for things. 12
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