Using Virtual Desktops in Windows 11

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Using Virtual Desktops in Windows 11. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Key Concepts

• Virtual Desktop: A separate workspace that appears as its own desktop. You can have multiple applications open on it, distinct from other desktops.
• Task View: The interface where you manage Virtual Desktops, open windows, and the timeline (if enabled).

For official Microsoft guidance on Windows 11 Virtual Desktops, see the Microsoft Support documentation.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Accessing Task View

• Method 1 (Keyboard): Press Win + Tab.
• Method 2 (Taskbar): Click the Task View icon on your taskbar (it looks like two overlapping rectangles). If you don’t see it, right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, and ensure Task view is toggled on.

2. Creating a New Virtual Desktop

• Open Task View (Win + Tab or click the Task View icon).
• In the top-left corner, click + New desktop.
• A new desktop will be created (labelled “Desktop 2”, “Desktop 3”, etc.).

3. Switching Between Desktops

• Open Task View and click the desktop you want to switch to.
• Keyboard shortcuts:
  • Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow – Switch to the desktop on the left.
  • Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow – Switch to the desktop on the right.

4. Moving Windows Between Desktops

• Open Task View.
• Right-click the window you want to move, select Move to, and choose the target desktop (e.g., “Desktop 2”).
• Alternative drag method: While in Task View, drag the window thumbnail to the target desktop thumbnail at the top of the screen.
• Keyboard shortcut:
  • Open Task View (Win + Tab).
  • Select the window you want to move.
  • Press Win + Shift + Ctrl + Left Arrow or Win + Shift + Ctrl + Right Arrow to move it to the adjacent desktop.

5. Renaming a Virtual Desktop

• Open Task View.
• Hover over the desktop name (e.g., “Desktop 1”) at the top of the screen.
• Click the name, type a new descriptive name (e.g., “Work”, “Personal”, “Finance”), and press Enter.

6. Closing a Virtual Desktop

• Open Task View.
• Hover over the desktop you want to close and click the X that appears on the thumbnail.
• Alternatively, while on the desktop you wish to close, press Win + Ctrl + F4.

7. Customizing Virtual Desktop Settings

• Open Settings (Win + I).
• Navigate to System > Multitasking.
• Under “Virtual desktops”, you can configure:
  • When I close the last window on a desktop: Choose whether to show the desktops or the last active window.
  • Alt + Tab: Choose which windows appear – “All windows” or “Only windows on the current desktop”.

Organising Your Workflow (Example)

• Desktop 1 (Work): Outlook, Microsoft Teams, MYOB, Xero, ATO portal.
• Desktop 2 (Research): Web browsers, Microsoft Word, OneNote.
• Desktop 3 (Communication): Slack, WhatsApp Web.

Snap Layouts and Snap Groups Integration

Virtual desktops work alongside Snap Layouts and Snap Groups to help you organise your screen space. You can use Snap Layouts to arrange multiple windows side-by-side on a single virtual desktop. When you switch to another virtual desktop and return, Windows remembers your Snap Groups, allowing you to restore your grouped windows from the taskbar. This is useful for keeping related applications—such as your accounting software and web browser—together on one desktop while keeping email and chat on another.

Troubleshooting

• Virtual desktops not appearing in Task View: Ensure Task View is enabled. Right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, and toggle Task view to On. If the option is missing, your organisation may have disabled it via Group Policy.
• Keyboard shortcuts disabled: Shortcuts such as Win + Tab and Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow may be disabled by Group Policy or organisation policy. Contact your IT administrator to confirm if virtual desktop shortcuts are restricted on your device.
• Task View icon missing after Windows updates: Right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, and ensure Task view is enabled. If the toggle is missing, restart Windows Explorer via Task Manager or check for pending Windows updates under Settings > Windows Update.
• Windows not moving between desktops: Some applications may not support being moved between virtual desktops. Try using the drag method in Task View instead of the right-click menu. If the window remains stuck, close and reopen the application on the target desktop.
• Desktops not saving after restart: Virtual desktops are session-based and may not persist after a reboot depending on your Windows configuration and organisation policy.

If you continue to experience issues with virtual desktops, Open a Ticket for assistance from our support team.

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