Windows 10 Virtual Desktops: Organise Open Apps by Task

Windows 10 virtual desktops let you group open windows by task and move between those groups without closing the apps. Use them if you return to different sets of windows throughout the day: a document and research browser for writing, for example, and a call app with its notes for a meeting. They organise windows inside your current Windows sign-in; they are not separate accounts and do not hide files or restrict access.

This guide reflects Windows 10 as of 21 August 2020. Basic desktop switching is built into Windows 10. To label desktops with names such as Research or Meeting, you need the May 2020 Update, version 2004. Microsoft’s Windows 10 update overview confirmed that desktop naming was included in that release.

Start with a small set of task workspaces

Choose desktops for recurring groups of windows, not for every individual app. For example, a Writing desktop might hold an editor and research tabs, while a Meeting desktop holds a call and its agenda. A separate group is useful when you expect to switch back to its open windows.

A virtual desktop is not another physical monitor or another Windows installation. Microsoft describes the feature as a way to group windows, locate them and switch between those groups. Think of it as an organisation layer over your current desktop.

Create and name desktops

Press Windows + Tab to open Task View, then select New desktop. You can also create a desktop directly with Windows + Ctrl + D. Task View shows the desktop thumbnails and the open windows you can organise.

If your PC has Windows 10 version 2004, open Task View and select the desktop’s name to edit it, or right-click its thumbnail and choose Rename. Give each space a short name that tells you which task belongs there.

Microsoft started offering the May 2020 Update on 27 May through a measured rollout. If the rename option is missing, check your Windows version in Settings → System → About. Desktop creation and switching still work without names. If version 2004 is not offered in Windows Update, the rollout may not have reached the PC or a compatibility hold may apply; do not assume the setting is broken.

Move windows into the right group

You do not have to close an app and reopen it on another desktop. Open Task View, find the window preview, and drag it onto the desktop thumbnail where you want it. You can also right-click the window preview, choose Move to, and select a desktop. Microsoft documents both approaches in its Windows 10 virtual desktop guide .

Moving a window changes which desktop displays it; it does not make a second copy. If a window is useful in a different group, move it when your tasks change.

Switch without hunting for a window

Use Task View when you want to see the desktop thumbnails, or switch directly with the keyboard:

Save open work before closing a desktop, and move any windows you still need to another desktop first. Microsoft documented these shortcuts in its Windows 10 virtual desktop design notes .

Windows also lets you choose whether the taskbar and Alt+Tab show windows from only the current desktop or from all desktops. Those are separate visibility choices. Seeing a window in a switcher does not mean it has been copied or moved to every desktop.

Know what a virtual desktop does not separate

Virtual desktops are a way to organise open windows, not a privacy boundary. The same Windows account remains signed in, and its files are still available to that account. Anyone who can use the signed-in session can switch back to another desktop. Use a different Windows account or another access control when you need to restrict access; changing desktops only changes which windows are in view.

A practical starting point is two or three desktops named for recurring tasks. Use Task View to check where a window is, then switch with Windows + Ctrl + Left or Right arrow. If you keep forgetting which desktop holds an app, reduce the number of groups. The feature works best when each desktop is easy to recognise.

Sources

• Microsoft, Virtual Desktops in Windows 10 – The Power of Windows…Multiplied , 16 April 2015. The article describes grouping windows, moving between desktops, taskbar and Alt+Tab choices, and keyboard shortcuts.
• Microsoft, Windows 10 Tip: Keep your apps organized with virtual desktops , 3 July 2017. This guide covers Task View, creating desktops and moving app windows.
• Microsoft, Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18963 , 16 August 2019. This Insider preview documents the desktop renaming interaction.
• Microsoft, What’s new in the Windows 10 May 2020 Update , 27 May 2020. The public release overview confirms that naming desktops was included in version 2004.
• Microsoft, How to get the Windows 10 May 2020 Update , 27 May 2020. This release note describes the phased rollout and compatibility holds.