When I add a new desktop, it's not a clean slate as it is shown here. All the icons and files of my main desktop are replicated. A copy gets made. I was wondering if it's possible to have a new desktop which has nothing on it, so I could have two completely different looks as well.
This would be so much better if you could have custom desktop and taskbar shortcuts. For example, I want to have a casual desktop with my browser and media shortcuts and I also want a programming desktop with all of my programming shortcuts. It is very difficult, but possible to change the wallpaper of different desktops in Windows 11. That is about the only customization you have with this feature, which is not good in my opinion. I think by allowing users to create custom multi-desktops will give the user a whole new experience.
This actually doesn't create a new desktop at all, it creates a new workspace. It's still the exact same desktop - same shortcuts, wallpaper, same everything.
@@wsjiii It is possible to change the wallpaper in windows 10 & 11 but it is a little difficult because it wants change both wallpapers when you use the system settings app. When you right click, select personalize, then change your wallpaper then it will change that specific desktop (Workspace). As far as I know that is the only thing you can customize. Shortcut icons, themes, user accounts, etc. stay the same no matter how many desktops you create.
It would have been amazing if you could use Teams on both desktops for two different organizations. Since I am part of organizations for two different school boards, I'm constantly switching between organizations... something Microsoft needs to work out. Anyway, this desktop thing is a nifty feature when doing Zoom meetings and you don't want to have too many things open on your desktop when you share your screen. I like!
I feel like there is more functionality that is as of yet not being exploited to create real virtual desktops. From hosting different shortcuts to different backgrounds and different settings on each desktop. I believe iOS might be better in this regard and I hope someone from MS sees this comment and pushes for better features
In case it helps: for those who have a touchpad with this functions, using 4 fingers gestures left and right also navigate between existing desktops, while using 3 fingers allows you to navigate between apps at a given desktop.
Unfortunately Windows 10 desktops are very similar to linux workspaces, with the same limitations. Several desktops or workspaces just to have different apps opened in each one of them is quite short in terms of features. I would rather have several desktops behaving like different user desktops or computer desktops, where each desktop could have an independent configuration - screen resolution, program icons, taskbar shortcuts, etc. This is what I would expect from more than one desktop or workspace. The current solution is ONE desktop divided into two or more sub-desktops, all of them constituting one main desktop.
ye that was exactly what i was trying to setup a game desktop with all my game icons and a seperate wallpaper and a shool desktop with all my shool icons an da seperate wallpaper but i cant get it to work all of em are always synchronized
Linux actually does have the ability to do what you mention here, via multi-session usage. Being a true multi-user OS you can switch to different "TTY" sessions (virtual terminals) using Fn keys, i.e. CTRL-ALT-F3, F4, F5 etc). This feature pre-dates X windows itself, when it was an all text console. This gave users & sysadmins the ability to multi-task by utilizing multiple sessions concurrently from one workstation or even from a dumb terminal.
Hi, thank you for your videos! Is there any way to save desktops like workspaces? In case of updates, restarts and other circumstances wehre you would have to open up all desktops completely from scratch
That is not the point, and is not possible Each desktop is not personalizable. All folders, icons and background images will stay the same, you want it that way. The biggest issue users have is mismanaging files If Windows gave them the option of having files on different desktops, it would be a nightmare This is just for application windows You just need to clean up your desktop
@ 3:50 mark: "Clicking on an item & dragging it into (different) desktops" is exactly what I was looking for. It worked. (And "Windows" + "Ctrl" + "right arrow key / left arrow key" to shift between desktops was an added bonus!) Thanks again. As always. Great work, Kevin.
From my perspective this cool feature should not be called MULTIPLE DESKTOPS, it should be called multiple taskbars. I use my Desktop as an organizational tool, I usually have 30 to 50 visually recognizable icons on the desktop, that streamline my abilitty to navigate between projects or tasks, some might be folders others might be website icons etc. If this feature tutorial was actually about multiple desktops, when I add , say, desktop two, then click desktop two it should be a totally blank slate with nothing showing but the recycle bin, until I start loading it with website icons, pictures, folders etc. An additional feature that would be nice but not crucial would be to enable us to use different desktop themes for the additional desktops that we create, but here I am again back to the beginning of my comment; 'This feature is not about multiple desktops, it is a tool to add multiple taskbars' imv..
@@OranJuno It's actually not 'multiple desk-tops', that's just what they're calling it, it's really just multiple task-views or multiple app views, which is useful for many people I'm sure, just not what I was looking for. I would love to have multiple desktops, I gave up trying to find an actual multiple-desktop feature.
Is it possible to set the desktops to different screens? I have 2 additional screens attached to my laptop and it would be fantastic to be able to have different desktops on each screen.
for multi monitor setup, go to taskbar properties, make sure "Show taskbar on all displays is selected", then go to "Show taskbar buttons" options and select - "taskbar where window is open".
Or, you could switch desktops without all those hotkeys by just clicking on the correct pane on the desktop pager on the taskbar. Oh wait... that's KDE on Linux...for years, now. Nevermind.
Seems like the virtual desktops is really just a way to group the applications into virtual desktops. Can I have an application opened in more than one desktop? For example, if I opened an excel spreadsheet in desktop 1, can I open a different excel spreadsheet in desktop 2? Also, will I have a problem opening the same file in a different desktop?
THE REAL QUESTION IS how do you save multiple windows? This function is almost useless if you have to create your workspace over and over again because its lost after a simple shut down or restart. It is meant to save time. So if anyone knows: How do we save multiple windows? I havent found a solution.
Thanks for the tutorial. I have been having the following issue: I can create multiple desktops but they are all the same. What I do on the first desktop is replicated on the others. If I delete something off one, it deletes off all the others as well. That totally defeats the purpose of having more than one desktop. I want to be able to assign each desktop to different uses. I tried to discuss it on Help Chat but the person on the other end keeps talking about how it can’t be set up for different USERS when I am talking about different USES, not that it makes much difference. The multiple desktop feature states that each desktop can be used for different purposes, and on mine, they can’t - they are all the same! How do I do it? Please advice
Thanks for this. Would love some more details: Can I name my desktops? How? Can I save them somehow, or do I have to recreate them after every re-boot? Can I use the timeline feature to retrieve a desktop, or only an individual application? Can I have the same application open in two different desktops, with different content, e.g., can I have two doff excel spreadsheets open on diff desktops? Or two diff instances of the same browser? If I close an app in one desktop, does it close in all of them?
I guess the only way to say, make an editing desktop, is to create another profile. With the multiple desktop feature you are displaying here, if you delete any shortcut then it is deleted on ALL desktops. I would like a completely clean desktop then add only editing apps that is separate from my main desktop that has a mix of software shortcuts. Creating a whole new profile seems like an unnecessary step when all you want are different icons/shortcuts on two different desktops.
There is an error in the shortcut to create a new desktop. The video description says: Windows + D To open a new desktop", but the right one should be: "Windows + CTRL + D To open a new desktop"
Hi Kevin, great vide and I learnt a couple of extra tips but there was something you didn't mention. When I have an automatic shut down by Microsoft auto-update in the middle of the night, (I always put my PC to sleep when I do the same thing), every single time all the pages that I put into separate desktops get all jumbled up into one desktop. Is there a way of locking them into the desktop I have set up for my pages?
I came here for the answer to this question myself. I was using the same browser on all three "desktops" only to find that on wakeup, all my saved tabs gone and not merged into the one browser. The only way around my problem is to use a different browser on each "desktop."
Hey Kevin. I'm desperately looking for a solution... I have my folders on my desktop. I like they easy access and can manually arrange them in any order that makes sense to me. However, I'd like to have work folders on my work desktop, video editing folders on my video editing desktop, 3d design folders on my 3d design desktop, music folders on my ... you get the idea. Currently, all the folders appear on each desktop. This makes it hard to make music without also staring at my work urgent folders and feeling crap about it. It's also hard to organize neatly. (Ps. I could use folders but then I lose the ability to move the folders exactly as I want them. Like on a Mac Please tell me you have an idea for me.
If i create a new desktop, it copies the original desktop. I cannot make the 2nd desktop a unique desktop. If i change the desktop wallpaper on the original desktop, the wallpaper in the 2nd desktop also changes. 😢
Agree with the other posts. I want a *real* second empty desktop. I need to create a personal desktop and a work desktop. With so many new people working from home now, I would think this is a no-brainer. This "second desktop" feature is really useless if all it does is open an identical desktop loaded with the same icons. Good video though, just wish the feature worked as advertised.
I find this feature very useful as I run 5 screens and have multiple windows open at once across the 5, I can flip between the setups with ease. I used to use Powertoys Fancy Zones but this feature now means I can access the info with one shortcut key instead of 5 mouse clicks across multiple monitors.
This features are just basic. It would be extremely useful if can customize the taskbar, and desktop icons for each desktop view. Very useful when doing screen record, or customized workflow(Reduce unnecessary visual clutter)
Stardock Fences will let you slide the desktop left or right to have multiple desktops. Like Android homescreens. It's a great alternative. Yes, Windows should have this built in.
1) Can desktops be custom named? 2) Can they be identified so you know which desktop you are on? 3) Can you have one desktop open on one screen and another on a second monitor?
It would be good to know more about networking two windows machines together and giving access over a network to folders. I have my network setup as a Work Network, and sometimes (even if both machines are in the same workgroup) it can be difficult to make a folder be accessed from another machine. How to setup a folder to be access by certain users on the network, but not others? This is all on multiple Windows 10 Pro machines.
View/hide desktop icons option, customized toolbar, and different desktop backgrounds are features available in Linux distros, Windows 10 is just scratching the skin of multiple desktops ..
I remember using multiple desktops with OS/2 (yeah I'm an old IBMer) and found it very useful 30 years ago. I saw someone else ask about using multiple desktops with multiple monitors - hopefully you can make another video on this subject?
Really informative. I was trying to figure out how to implement and make it work for my workflow. The one thing this feature lacks is that if you have a dual monitor set up, the desktop taskview isn't able to pick up anything outside of the main monitor, which can be annoying when you want to move particular windows in your second monitor over to a new desktop. But I can see now that if I take the time to drag it to the main desktop, I can then move whatever I want over to a new desktop.
Thats true @ourtvchannel or is a problem searching for a solution. Hey do your homework on desktop1 so your sister finish watching youtube on desktop 2 so when she's done I can blog on desktoop 3 please!!
This feature just not for everyone, but it's very useful. My main os is now win10 it's linux (archlinux + i3wm) and I always use a lot of workspaces (at least right now the win10 i'm using is in virtual machine on 12th workspace. The key is in using hot keys to manage your workspaces. Of course, when you usually open just a few windows - multiple desktops is not so useful, but if you open 10+ windows it's so uncomfortable to switch between them all without multiple windows/workspaces.
Kevin, I played around with Win 10 Multi desktops last week and understand how it works. But, to me this is not a TRUE Mulit desktop setup in Win 10. At Motorola we used Sun Micro systems where I could place different Apps, folders, shortcuts, etc. on a each unique virtual desktop using a single Monitor. This frees up from cluttering one virtual desktop with everything. Win 10 virtual desktops this only does this with already open tasks or open applications. The physical Apps, folders, etc show up on every Virtual desktop, so i still have all the clutter. When you shut off the computer the open tasks go away. So another words, this type of Virtual desktop setup is not useful for me. Much rather have a way to organize physical apps, folders, etc. on unique Virtual desktops. I loved Sun Microsystems way of doing Multi desktops.
Hi!! Thanks for this. I have question: Can we save the virtual desktop session? save & load. I want easily go to my workflow virtual desktop session and it will open up the application to each virtual desktop and also load it's last position. Thanks
Hi Kevin, I have been watching your helpful videos when ever I m in trouble. It has always helped me. But I have one question - can it be possible to add new desktop with only the files and folders I need instead of replicating? I do not want to see the entire desktop with all the files and folders and applications opened on the previous desktop??
Yep, thi is the worst interface ever to multiple desktops. The best was KDE that would put a thumbnail of each desktop on your takbar, and all you ahd to do is click on 1,2,3,or 4. This Windows 10 is confusing as phwck and useless. I don't use it, and I can't get it off the taskbar.
The idea is good, but I miss the following from Linux desktops A better way to move a window from one desktop to another (Ideally a hotkey) A simpler way to see which desktop contains which window (Ideally a widget) A simpler way to find a given program (Regardless of program)
Thanks for the video. is there a keyboard shortcut to move windows from one desktop to another instead for dragging them with the mouse while in the alt+tab menu?
Hi and thanks to your super videos. I have multable desktops, how can I on startup chose which desktop to start with? I want to start with my original desktop 1 but it always stats with desktop 2 even that the last desktop used was desktop 1?? Thanks if you answer me back.
Windows has the clunkiest desktop management. Especially annoying, is the lack of ability to go to a specific desktop, something macOS has implemented beautifully.
This function would be much more useful if each Desktop had its own Icons and shortcuts, instead of much of the other Crap that Populates the Windows System, My main reason I do not like Windows these days is because its like using a dam Mobile Phone, my PC is a Personal Computer, not a Games and Apps Mobil. This rant is Probably a waste of time as no one of any consequence will be looking at these comments.
That is not desktop... How can I have a clear desktop without any folders or apps, a desktop with only my professional folders or apps and on only with my entertainment folders or apps that I can switch to with ease?
This is just a Virtual Tab, not another desktop due to the inability to move shortcuts and folders between virtual desktops, which are just tabs under a singular access.
I always liked this feature but I wish I could have different resolutions on each desktop because I tend to separate my old win32 apps, which do not look very good on the newer high resolution monitor, on a different desktop from the newer programs.
Ah I can't open Photoshop and InDesign in two different desktops for different working purposes. Whenever I click on these application icons I am automatically redirected to the desktop it was opened the first time. It's only a good way to use browsers and different websites there. It's there a way to use Photoshop and InDesign on both desktops?
Can I run some automation software in a new desktop and still work as normal in the main desktop? The new desktop can't have any keys pressed etc or will mess up the automation. Let me know the best way
There is a huge flaw. If I have multiple displays and swipe on one monitor, it will also swipe the desktop on the other monitor. Kind of make its useless. If I am using the other monitor for reading reference, and want to change desktop It can be done independently. Mac OS is quite ahead on this ability
I am looking for a specific solution....at some point when I had multiple monitors I set one of my programs to stay visible across all the desktops. Now I'm back down to one monitor and want to remove that attribute from the program so it won't show up on all my desktops. I can't remember how I set it like that in the first place...any ideas of how to remove it?
Hi Kevin. My PC is treating the second desktop as an extension of the first. So any open windows or applications from the first show up on the second. How do I disable that? I think I’m the only one who has it like that.
Hey Kevin. Thank you for the informative video. I've been using this feature of Windows for a while now and it has been a great way to save time, especially at my workplace. I was wondering if there was something or a setting that could help make the desktop switching continuous. Recently I've had lots of workspaces open because of the nature of my work and its been kind of getting hard to get through to the workspace that I need as I would have to keep hitting the left or arrow key to reach the workspace that I need. Suppose I use workspace 1 & 5, I would have to keep moving between them by hitting the keys that many time. Is there a way around this?
Thank you Kevin - I need to know if Microsoft added any more features/capabilities to the Desktop in Windows 11... Examples: We need full control over added Desktops, like deactivate TaskBar, Allow us to have active desktop (video playing background), empty Desktop (no icons) - this way one can use the full display for an app or to avoid burning on OLED display... etc. etc. THANKS!
I have never ever EVER understood why this is a good idea! ALL ICONS ARE THE SAME OVER ALL THE DESKTOPS! What I need is one desktops for my news/SoMe/streaming stuff, one desktop for everything 3d, one desktop for anything musical(I both play, perform and record). But with the same icons on all the desktops I don't have that. As a matter of fact, everytime I fire my this **ite up I have to wade through updates I neither want nor need. I am still on win10 and nothing with it makes me want to turn it up to 11, **ck NO! This function is useless to me, and it was the only reason I updated from my beloved win7. Do anyone have an old puter with win7 installed? Please?
In settings under multitasking settings, you can show windows that are open on "All Desktops" on the taskbar and also by pressing Alt+Tab. I tried it but I'm just wondering if you happen to know the reason for that option? You might as well not have any other desktop created because you can still see all the tabs open on the taskbar. It does show that it flips through desktops, but it still feels the same as having 1 desktop. My concern was having my email open or Teams open on a desktop and not being able to see any notifications while on another desktop if I chose the option to only show the desktop I'm using.
It is so sad there is no real virtual desktops in Windows. It should have been 10 years for now. Such a simple and straight forward idea seems to be impossible to implement(maybe for some reason). If I had a real room with four tables I would expect them not to have same tool content to start with. It simply doesn't work that way. You have one table for one kind of task and other with totally different tools. Then you can fine tune the desktop to the great extent and it makes all the difference for your activity. It is not about "apps open" but starting point with different tool sets customised for different taskgroups. Icons are handles to those tools. They already invented and implemented the icons, so why they are simply not used as they should be? Please, just do the right thing Microsoft. BTW: my very old Samsung Galaxy S5 has real virtual desktops. Not having the true virtual desktops each having its own icons is waste of real estate and energy and time of the customer. Millions of people have been asking this a long time and it has not been happening. Now "Actual Virtual Desktops" company is making money out of this Microsoft negligence.. Good for them.
HOW TO MUTE a virtual desktop, cause i have my idle virtual desktop with whatsapp and discord on, and when using my work virtual desktop it also recieves sounds from the idle desktop which i dont want. HOW TO MUTE A PARTICUALR DESKTOP WHEN I AM ON OTHER DESKTOP.
I know this video is 3 years old by now but clicked on it for a few laughs. No offense intended here, but Apple has had multiple desktops for over 20 years, and Unix/Linux has had them for nearly 30 years. Nice of Microsoft to finally give their customers this powerful, efficient OS feature out of the box (as opposed to burying it into the paid add-on "Plus Pack" for several years).
For someone who uses remote desktop this is mind-numbingly angering. My laptop is a different resolution than my desktop at home. As a result the icons move around when using my laptop. If the multiple desktops were actually real desktops with custom screen/icons/shortcuts/files/etc, this would fix my issue, but I guess microsoft doesn't do this anymore. Just why microsoft.
even microsoft employees don't use edge
When I add a new desktop, it's not a clean slate as it is shown here. All the icons and files of my main desktop are replicated. A copy gets made. I was wondering if it's possible to have a new desktop which has nothing on it, so I could have two completely different looks as well.
@@stoomkracht what software is suited for it?
@@stoomkrachtmans coming down hard on windows explorer lmao
Can we save & recover our apps on multiple desktops even after restart?
We use windows computers at work and man these tips really make my job so much easier and faster. I can do the work of 3 people with these tips.
This would be so much better if you could have custom desktop and taskbar shortcuts. For example, I want to have a casual desktop with my browser and media shortcuts and I also want a programming desktop with all of my programming shortcuts. It is very difficult, but possible to change the wallpaper of different desktops in Windows 11. That is about the only customization you have with this feature, which is not good in my opinion. I think by allowing users to create custom multi-desktops will give the user a whole new experience.
I'm surprised this still isn't a thing in 2023 :/
This actually doesn't create a new desktop at all, it creates a new workspace. It's still the exact same desktop - same shortcuts, wallpaper, same everything.
@@wsjiii It is possible to change the wallpaper in windows 10 & 11 but it is a little difficult because it wants change both wallpapers when you use the system settings app. When you right click, select personalize, then change your wallpaper then it will change that specific desktop (Workspace).
As far as I know that is the only thing you can customize. Shortcut icons, themes, user accounts, etc. stay the same no matter how many desktops you create.
@@dictatorshipoverdemocracy It Was!Windows is Just a Shithole they Removed it!!!
@@wsjiii It Was!Windows is Just a Shithole they Removed it!!!¨
It would have been amazing if you could use Teams on both desktops for two different organizations. Since I am part of organizations for two different school boards, I'm constantly switching between organizations... something Microsoft needs to work out. Anyway, this desktop thing is a nifty feature when doing Zoom meetings and you don't want to have too many things open on your desktop when you share your screen. I like!
I feel like there is more functionality that is as of yet not being exploited to create real virtual desktops. From hosting different shortcuts to different backgrounds and different settings on each desktop. I believe iOS might be better in this regard and I hope someone from MS sees this comment and pushes for better features
Yes
In case it helps: for those who have a touchpad with this functions, using 4 fingers gestures left and right also navigate between existing desktops, while using 3 fingers allows you to navigate between apps at a given desktop.
If you were on a lockdown browser can I still switch between desktop ?
Dude I did this today accidentally and I had the biggest mindfuck of my life. So yeah that how I found out about virtual desktops hahah
Thanks
Unfortunately Windows 10 desktops are very similar to linux workspaces, with the same limitations. Several desktops or workspaces just to have different apps opened in each one of them is quite short in terms of features. I would rather have several desktops behaving like different user desktops or computer desktops, where each desktop could have an independent configuration - screen resolution, program icons, taskbar shortcuts, etc. This is what I would expect from more than one desktop or workspace. The current solution is ONE desktop divided into two or more sub-desktops, all of them constituting one main desktop.
ye that was exactly what i was trying to setup a game desktop with all my game icons and a seperate wallpaper and a shool desktop with all my shool icons an da seperate wallpaper but i cant get it to work all of em are always synchronized
completely agree. this is exactly what i would need and is lacking. plus windows is very non customizable vs gnome, cinnamon, kde
Linux actually does have the ability to do what you mention here, via multi-session usage. Being a true multi-user OS you can switch to different "TTY" sessions (virtual terminals) using Fn keys, i.e. CTRL-ALT-F3, F4, F5 etc). This feature pre-dates X windows itself, when it was an all text console. This gave users & sysadmins the ability to multi-task by utilizing multiple sessions concurrently from one workstation or even from a dumb terminal.
Did you figure out how to do that? @@LexifromZargon
Hi, thank you for your videos! Is there any way to save desktops like workspaces? In case of updates, restarts and other circumstances wehre you would have to open up all desktops completely from scratch
I was today years old when I figured this out .... Thanks for explaining my mind is so blown 🤯
When I create a new desktop, it is not clean. It is just a copy of my default desktop. How can I create a clean uncluttered desktop that is empty.
I am looking for the same answer.
@@potaylo me too
That is not the point, and is not possible
Each desktop is not personalizable.
All folders, icons and background images will stay the same, you want it that way.
The biggest issue users have is mismanaging files
If Windows gave them the option of having files on different desktops, it would be a nightmare
This is just for application windows
You just need to clean up your desktop
@ 3:50 mark: "Clicking on an item & dragging it into (different) desktops" is exactly what I was looking for. It worked. (And "Windows" + "Ctrl" + "right arrow key / left arrow key" to shift between desktops was an added bonus!) Thanks again. As always. Great work, Kevin.
Thanks! You are making the world a better place.
Wow, thanks so much, Mrflyingbryan! Much appreciated 🙌
From my perspective this cool feature should not be called MULTIPLE DESKTOPS,
it should be called multiple taskbars.
I use my Desktop as an organizational tool, I usually have 30 to 50 visually
recognizable icons on the desktop, that streamline my abilitty to navigate between
projects or tasks, some might be folders others might be website icons etc.
If this feature tutorial was actually about multiple desktops,
when I add , say, desktop two,
then click desktop two it should be a totally blank slate with nothing showing
but the recycle bin, until I start loading it with website icons, pictures, folders etc.
An additional feature that would be nice but not crucial would be to enable us to use
different desktop themes for the additional desktops that we create, but here I am
again back to the beginning of my comment; 'This feature is not about multiple desktops,
it is a tool to add multiple taskbars' imv..
maybe in windows 13 lmfao, that's why windows sucks as a monopoly
@bikersoncall did you find a better solution to actual multiple desktops?
@@OranJuno It's actually not 'multiple desk-tops', that's
just what they're calling it, it's really just multiple task-views
or multiple app views, which is useful for many people
I'm sure, just not what I was looking for.
I would love to have multiple desktops,
I gave up trying to find an actual multiple-desktop feature.
Thank you dude! using windows 10 from the first day when they published and didn't know about this haha
Is it possible to set the desktops to different screens? I have 2 additional screens attached to my laptop and it would be fantastic to be able to have different desktops on each screen.
for multi monitor setup, go to taskbar properties, make sure "Show taskbar on all displays is selected", then go to "Show taskbar buttons" options and select - "taskbar where window is open".
@@sid0607 one more thing...can we add a keyboard and mouse for desktop 2.... actually me and my wife both want to work from a singy CPU at same time
@@Diamond_Windows There's a software called Aster which will let you use two systems from one laptop. I currently do this with my dad
@@suhaybahmed3813 both profile save file at same location or both have different folder separately to each other
@@Diamond_Windows Both will use different users. It'll just be like having 2 laptops
TY the shortcut keys is what I was looking for.
Just what I needed. Thanks for making it short :)
this is too awesome.. boost productivity to new level!
been using alt + tabs to switch windows for so long and its messy haha.
thanks for sharing.
Or, you could switch desktops without all those hotkeys by just clicking on the correct pane on the desktop pager on the taskbar.
Oh wait... that's KDE on Linux...for years, now. Nevermind.
yeah, but I never use it back then in Linux, so I never bother to touch it in windows too lol
Seems like the virtual desktops is really just a way to group the applications into virtual desktops.
Can I have an application opened in more than one desktop? For example, if I opened an excel spreadsheet in desktop 1, can I open a different excel spreadsheet in desktop 2? Also, will I have a problem opening the same file in a different desktop?
THE REAL QUESTION IS how do you save multiple windows?
This function is almost useless if you have to create your workspace over and over again because its lost after a simple shut down or restart. It is meant to save time.
So if anyone knows: How do we save multiple windows? I havent found a solution.
Thanks, Kevin, you are a great presenter, I'm glad I found you and your channel. Question: What do multiple desktops do to memory resources?
YOU SEE beyond the fiun good point just like multiple tabs on the browser your resources will be more but you can decide how much you want to use.
What if you accidentally closed a desktop? Is there any way to re-open it?
Thank you so much for your tutorial videos! I'm starting to get into create similar videos for my work location.
Thanks for the tutorial. I have been having the following issue:
I can create multiple desktops but they are all the same. What I do on the first desktop is replicated on the others. If I delete something off one, it deletes off all the others as well. That totally defeats the purpose of having more than one desktop. I want to be able to assign each desktop to different uses. I tried to discuss it on Help Chat but the person on the other end keeps talking about how it can’t be set up for different USERS when I am talking about different USES, not that it makes much difference. The multiple desktop feature states that each desktop can be used for different purposes, and on mine, they can’t - they are all the same! How do I do it?
Please advice
Yeah, because they really aren't multiple desktops, they are multiple envorons so you can leave a group of apps out.
All this covid time, I watched your videos and it helped me a lot. Good stuff and well explained topics. Thank you
Great step-by-step tutorial: short, simple and helpful. Thanks a lot Kevin for the video!
...What if you want a different desktop as in the icons and folders and anything on that desktop would be different than the first one?
Thanks for this. Would love some more details: Can I name my desktops? How? Can I save them somehow, or do I have to recreate them after every re-boot? Can I use the timeline feature to retrieve a desktop, or only an individual application? Can I have the same application open in two different desktops, with different content, e.g., can I have two doff excel spreadsheets open on diff desktops? Or two diff instances of the same browser? If I close an app in one desktop, does it close in all of them?
Shut uppppp
I think naming the desktop can be done, and I think different desktop means different pc, so you can open same application on different desktop.
Done.
CaigeDontCare chill he’s just wondering some things
I have these SAME questions. Can't find any answers anywhere. It appears that I need to start over after every re-boot.
@@caigedxntcare no u
I guess the only way to say, make an editing desktop, is to create another profile. With the multiple desktop feature you are displaying here, if you delete any shortcut then it is deleted on ALL desktops. I would like a completely clean desktop then add only editing apps that is separate from my main desktop that has a mix of software shortcuts. Creating a whole new profile seems like an unnecessary step when all you want are different icons/shortcuts on two different desktops.
But if I only need one more different desktop, then maybe creating another profile is a small price to pay. Thank you for the idea.
There is an error in the shortcut to create a new desktop. The video description says: Windows + D To open a new desktop", but the right one should be: "Windows + CTRL + D To open a new desktop"
Hi Kevin, great vide and I learnt a couple of extra tips but there was something you didn't mention. When I have an automatic shut down by Microsoft auto-update in the middle of the night, (I always put my PC to sleep when I do the same thing), every single time all the pages that I put into separate desktops get all jumbled up into one desktop. Is there a way of locking them into the desktop I have set up for my pages?
I came here for the answer to this question myself. I was using the same browser on all three "desktops" only to find that on wakeup, all my saved tabs gone and not merged into the one browser. The only way around my problem is to use a different browser on each "desktop."
You are the best on your explanation .
Hey Kevin. I'm desperately looking for a solution...
I have my folders on my desktop. I like they easy access and can manually arrange them in any order that makes sense to me. However, I'd like to have work folders on my work desktop, video editing folders on my video editing desktop, 3d design folders on my 3d design desktop, music folders on my ... you get the idea.
Currently, all the folders appear on each desktop. This makes it hard to make music without also staring at my work urgent folders and feeling crap about it. It's also hard to organize neatly.
(Ps. I could use folders but then I lose the ability to move the folders exactly as I want them. Like on a Mac
Please tell me you have an idea for me.
If i create a new desktop, it copies the original desktop. I cannot make the 2nd desktop a unique desktop. If i change the desktop wallpaper on the original desktop, the wallpaper in the 2nd desktop also changes. 😢
How to save or startup the Multiple Desktops on Windows 10 as you start your day.
Agree with the other posts. I want a *real* second empty desktop. I need to create a personal desktop and a work desktop. With so many new people working from home now, I would think this is a no-brainer. This "second desktop" feature is really useless if all it does is open an identical desktop loaded with the same icons. Good video though, just wish the feature worked as advertised.
I find this feature very useful as I run 5 screens and have multiple windows open at once across the 5, I can flip between the setups with ease. I used to use Powertoys Fancy Zones but this feature now means I can access the info with one shortcut key instead of 5 mouse clicks across multiple monitors.
Thanks this was a huge help!
This features are just basic. It would be extremely useful if can customize the taskbar, and desktop icons for each desktop view. Very useful when doing screen record, or customized workflow(Reduce unnecessary visual clutter)
Agreed, it's really worthless.
the most heartwarming intro ever
Stardock Fences will let you slide the desktop left or right to have multiple desktops. Like Android homescreens. It's a great alternative.
Yes, Windows should have this built in.
Why don`t you reply to comments? You never do. I will unsubscribe!
1) Can desktops be custom named? 2) Can they be identified so you know which desktop you are on? 3) Can you have one desktop open on one screen and another on a second monitor?
What does multiple desktops do to performance?
Hi! If I shut the system down, would the multiples desktop still exist after I boot it up again?
It would be good to know more about networking two windows machines together and giving access over a network to folders. I have my network setup as a Work Network, and sometimes (even if both machines are in the same workgroup) it can be difficult to make a folder be accessed from another machine. How to setup a folder to be access by certain users on the network, but not others? This is all on multiple Windows 10 Pro machines.
I need more desktops like so I can put my youtube files in one and another would be an empty so if I find another thing to do
I wanted to do that too. But maybe it's not possible.
Since all of the same shortcuts are on each desktop, how is opening a new desktop any better than opening a new window?
If I don't want the desktop 1 icon on desktop 2 hw can do that..?
View/hide desktop icons option, customized toolbar, and different desktop backgrounds are features available in Linux distros, Windows 10 is just scratching the skin of multiple desktops ..
This must be a lot of fun with multiple monitors. :-)
Thanks for the help.
was anyone else in idot and opened 765 desktops and is now trying to get rid of all of them
I remember using multiple desktops with OS/2 (yeah I'm an old IBMer) and found it very useful 30 years ago.
I saw someone else ask about using multiple desktops with multiple monitors - hopefully you can make another video on this subject?
Really informative. I was trying to figure out how to implement and make it work for my workflow. The one thing this feature lacks is that if you have a dual monitor set up, the desktop taskview isn't able to pick up anything outside of the main monitor, which can be annoying when you want to move particular windows in your second monitor over to a new desktop. But I can see now that if I take the time to drag it to the main desktop, I can then move whatever I want over to a new desktop.
This explains A LOT. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
my bird was playing on the mouse pad and closed one of my desktops, but was not able to find how to get that back. this was helpful
LOL
love u bro u always help me no matter what
big thank💖💖💖💖💖💖
Great video, thank you. Here's my question. I want to put certain folders or files on each desktop, can I do that? Thanks.
I still think multiple desktops are a solution looking for a problem
Thats true @ourtvchannel or is a problem searching for a solution. Hey do your homework on desktop1 so your sister finish watching youtube on desktop 2 so when she's done I can blog on desktoop 3 please!!
Exactly hhh
This feature just not for everyone, but it's very useful. My main os is now win10 it's linux (archlinux + i3wm) and I always use a lot of workspaces (at least right now the win10 i'm using is in virtual machine on 12th workspace.
The key is in using hot keys to manage your workspaces.
Of course, when you usually open just a few windows - multiple desktops is not so useful, but if you open 10+ windows it's so uncomfortable to switch between them all without multiple windows/workspaces.
No. It's very useful. It depends of the type of activity you're doing.
Kevin, I played around with Win 10 Multi desktops last week and understand how it works. But, to me this is not a TRUE Mulit desktop setup in Win 10. At Motorola we used Sun Micro systems where I could place different Apps, folders, shortcuts, etc. on a each unique virtual desktop using a single Monitor. This frees up from cluttering one virtual desktop with everything.
Win 10 virtual desktops this only does this with already open tasks or open applications. The physical Apps, folders, etc show up on every Virtual desktop, so i still have all the clutter. When you shut off the computer the open tasks go away.
So another words, this type of Virtual desktop setup is not useful for me. Much rather have a way to organize physical apps, folders, etc. on unique Virtual desktops. I loved Sun Microsystems way of doing Multi desktops.
thank you bro , i got the thing
i need :-)
ı want to split 2 desktops on 2 monitors is it possible or split in 1 big monitor
Hi!! Thanks for this. I have question:
Can we save the virtual desktop session? save & load.
I want easily go to my workflow virtual desktop session and it will open up the application to each virtual desktop and also load it's last position. Thanks
Hi Kevin, I have been watching your helpful videos when ever I m in trouble. It has always helped me. But I have one question - can it be possible to add new desktop with only the files and folders I need instead of replicating? I do not want to see the entire desktop with all the files and folders and applications opened on the previous desktop??
Yep, thi is the worst interface ever to multiple desktops.
The best was KDE that would put a thumbnail of each desktop on your takbar, and all you ahd to do is click on 1,2,3,or 4. This Windows 10 is confusing as phwck and useless. I don't use it, and I can't get it off the taskbar.
I really miss old Task View. The apps looked way bigger years ago.
Thanks a lot, I'm a security manager for a small business and needed more than the 4 windows allowed on the desktop. You are awesome, thanks.
How to have different icons in different desktops?
Thanks, Kevin. As usual; clean and smart and making it easy to learn
.
My Question is., Does having multiple Virtual Desktop open will Slow your PC? And What happen if i shutdown my PC with multiple Virtual Desktop Open??
The idea is good, but I miss the following from Linux desktops
A better way to move a window from one desktop to another (Ideally a hotkey)
A simpler way to see which desktop contains which window (Ideally a widget)
A simpler way to find a given program (Regardless of program)
Thanks for the video.
is there a keyboard shortcut to move windows from one desktop to another instead for dragging them with the mouse while in the alt+tab menu?
Hi and thanks to your super videos. I have multable desktops, how can I on startup chose which desktop to start with? I want to start with my original desktop 1 but it always stats with desktop 2 even that the last desktop used was desktop 1?? Thanks if you answer me back.
Windows has the clunkiest desktop management. Especially annoying, is the lack of ability to go to a specific desktop, something macOS has implemented beautifully.
This function would be much more useful if each Desktop had its own Icons and shortcuts, instead of much of the other Crap that Populates the Windows System, My main reason I do not like Windows these days is because its like using a dam Mobile Phone, my PC is a Personal Computer, not a Games and Apps Mobil.
This rant is Probably a waste of time as no one of any consequence will be looking at these comments.
That is not desktop...
How can I have a clear desktop without any folders or apps, a desktop with only my professional folders or apps and on only with my entertainment folders or apps that I can switch to with ease?
Hi Kevin! Is it possible that you can use different wallpapers in multiple desktop? If yes, how do I do it?
This is just a Virtual Tab, not another desktop due to the inability to move shortcuts and folders between virtual desktops, which are just tabs under a singular access.
I always liked this feature but I wish I could have different resolutions on each desktop because I tend to separate my old win32 apps, which do not look very good on the newer high resolution monitor, on a different desktop from the newer programs.
I was thinking along these lines - a separate desktop with resolution 1024 x 768 for old windows games but looks like that is dead end.
Ah I can't open Photoshop and InDesign in two different desktops for different working purposes. Whenever I click on these application icons I am automatically redirected to the desktop it was opened the first time. It's only a good way to use browsers and different websites there. It's there a way to use Photoshop and InDesign on both desktops?
Can I run some automation software in a new desktop and still work as normal in the main desktop? The new desktop can't have any keys pressed etc or will mess up the automation. Let me know the best way
There is a huge flaw. If I have multiple displays and swipe on one monitor, it will also swipe the desktop on the other monitor. Kind of make its useless. If I am using the other monitor for reading reference, and want to change desktop It can be done independently. Mac OS is quite ahead on this ability
thank you. since last 4 years never knew about this..thank you as it saved me a 3rd monitor for trading charts
Note for myself: Win key + Tab > Add new Desktop | navigate between desktops with CTRL + START + Arrow keys.
There, saved you 7 min.
I am looking for a specific solution....at some point when I had multiple monitors I set one of my programs to stay visible across all the desktops. Now I'm back down to one monitor and want to remove that attribute from the program so it won't show up on all my desktops. I can't remember how I set it like that in the first place...any ideas of how to remove it?
Hi Kevin. My PC is treating the second desktop as an extension of the first. So any open windows or applications from the first show up on the second. How do I disable that? I think I’m the only one who has it like that.
Sadly it's not a new desktop, it's just a group of currently open programs.
Hey Kevin. Thank you for the informative video.
I've been using this feature of Windows for a while now and it has been a great way to save time, especially at my workplace. I was wondering if there was something or a setting that could help make the desktop switching continuous. Recently I've had lots of workspaces open because of the nature of my work and its been kind of getting hard to get through to the workspace that I need as I would have to keep hitting the left or arrow key to reach the workspace that I need. Suppose I use workspace 1 & 5, I would have to keep moving between them by hitting the keys that many time.
Is there a way around this?
If you have to swap between 1 and 5 continuously, just drag 5 to make it a 2, then they will be close to each other.
Thank you Kevin - I need to know if Microsoft added any more features/capabilities to the Desktop in Windows 11... Examples: We need full control over added Desktops, like deactivate TaskBar, Allow us to have active desktop (video playing background), empty Desktop (no icons) - this way one can use the full display for an app or to avoid burning on OLED display... etc. etc. THANKS!
Hey how can I open a desktop on my second screen
At last, native milti-desktop, like Linux 🤗
Do these act like a virtual PC in essence? Or is it just a way to organize your workflow better and doesn't use any/hardly any resources?
I have never ever EVER understood why this is a good idea! ALL ICONS ARE THE SAME OVER ALL THE DESKTOPS! What I need is one desktops for my news/SoMe/streaming stuff, one desktop for everything 3d, one desktop for anything musical(I both play, perform and record). But with the same icons on all the desktops I don't have that. As a matter of fact, everytime I fire my this **ite up I have to wade through updates I neither want nor need.
I am still on win10 and nothing with it makes me want to turn it up to 11, **ck NO!
This function is useless to me, and it was the only reason I updated from my beloved win7.
Do anyone have an old puter with win7 installed? Please?
In settings under multitasking settings, you can show windows that are open on "All Desktops" on the taskbar and also by pressing Alt+Tab. I tried it but I'm just wondering if you happen to know the reason for that option? You might as well not have any other desktop created because you can still see all the tabs open on the taskbar. It does show that it flips through desktops, but it still feels the same as having 1 desktop.
My concern was having my email open or Teams open on a desktop and not being able to see any notifications while on another desktop if I chose the option to only show the desktop I'm using.
It is so sad there is no real virtual desktops in Windows. It should have been 10 years for now. Such a simple and straight forward idea seems to be impossible to implement(maybe for some reason). If I had a real room with four tables I would expect them not to have same tool content to start with. It simply doesn't work that way. You have one table for one kind of task and other with totally different tools. Then you can fine tune the desktop to the great extent and it makes all the difference for your activity. It is not about "apps open" but starting point with different tool sets customised for different taskgroups. Icons are handles to those tools. They already invented and implemented the icons, so why they are simply not used as they should be? Please, just do the right thing Microsoft. BTW: my very old Samsung Galaxy S5 has real virtual desktops. Not having the true virtual desktops each having its own icons is waste of real estate and energy and time of the customer. Millions of people have been asking this a long time and it has not been happening. Now "Actual Virtual Desktops" company is making money out of this Microsoft negligence.. Good for them.
HOW TO MUTE a virtual desktop, cause i have my idle virtual desktop with whatsapp and discord on, and when using my work virtual desktop it also recieves sounds from the idle desktop which i dont want. HOW TO MUTE A PARTICUALR DESKTOP WHEN I AM ON OTHER DESKTOP.
I know this video is 3 years old by now but clicked on it for a few laughs. No offense intended here, but Apple has had multiple desktops for over 20 years, and Unix/Linux has had them for nearly 30 years. Nice of Microsoft to finally give their customers this powerful, efficient OS feature out of the box (as opposed to burying it into the paid add-on "Plus Pack" for several years).
For someone who uses remote desktop this is mind-numbingly angering. My laptop is a different resolution than my desktop at home. As a result the icons move around when using my laptop. If the multiple desktops were actually real desktops with custom screen/icons/shortcuts/files/etc, this would fix my issue, but I guess microsoft doesn't do this anymore. Just why microsoft.