How to Use Multiple Desktops on Windows 11 (1 Monitor, No Extra Screen Needed!), by FixSOnic on YouTube. 1 min 43 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 43 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Press Windows + Tab, or click the Task View icon next to the search box on the taskbar, to see every open window on one screen.
Click New desktop at the bottom of Task View to add a second workspace, or press Windows + Ctrl + D to create one instantly.
Switch workspaces by clicking a desktop thumbnail in Task View, or press Windows + Ctrl + Left Arrow or Right Arrow.
Right-click a desktop thumbnail in Task View, choose Rename, type a label such as Work or Study, then press Enter.
Right-click the same thumbnail and choose Choose background to give each desktop its own wallpaper, so you can tell them apart at a glance.
Open Task View and drag a window thumbnail onto another desktop thumbnail to move that app to the other workspace.
Close a desktop with Windows + Ctrl + F4, or hover its thumbnail in Task View and click the X. Its apps move to the desktop on the left.
Open Settings, then System, then Multitasking to control whether the taskbar shows apps from all desktops or only the current one.
Tips and common mistakes
Learn three shortcuts: Windows + Ctrl + D creates a desktop, the arrow keys switch, and Windows + Ctrl + F4 closes one.
Closing a desktop never closes your apps, so nothing is lost if you tidy up by removing an extra workspace.
Only one desktop shows on screen at a time, so this organises windows but does not add real screen space.
Give each desktop a name and wallpaper, otherwise it is easy to lose track of which workspace you are on.
Questions
Does this give me a second monitor?
No. A virtual desktop is another workspace on the same screen, and you only see one at a time. It groups windows so you can switch context without closing apps.
What happens to my open apps when I close a desktop?
They stay open and move to the neighbouring desktop, usually the one on the left. You can drag them back or move them again through Task View.
Can each desktop have a different wallpaper?
Yes. Right-click the desktop thumbnail in Task View and pick Choose background, then select an image for that workspace only.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
