In Windows 11, you can configure multiple desktops to create separate workspaces for different activities, helping you stay organized and enhance your productivity. This article explains how to do so.

Table of Contents:

To create a new desktop:

1. Open task view: hover over the task view icon on the taskbar (see below) or press the Windows key​​​​​​​ + Tab key.
   
   

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   The task view button.
   
   

2. Select New desktop.
   
   

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   Your current desktop is displayed, and you can add a new one.
   
   

3. Rename the desktop: once created, you can select the name of the desktop and rename it to your liking.
   
   

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   Click on the Desktop name to highlight it, allowing you to change it.
   
   

You now have multiple desktops that you can switch between.

Customizing the background for each desktop can help you visually distinguish between different workspaces.

To change the desktop backgrounds:

1. Open task view: hover over the task view icon on the taskbar, or press the Windows key​​​​​​​  + Tab

2. Right-click on the desktop that you want to customize and select Choose background.
   
   

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3. Select a Picture: In the Personalize your background section, select Picture from the dropdown menu and choose the image you want to set as the background.
   
   

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   Use a photo as a background.

You can customize your multiple desktop experience using the Windows settings.

To do so:

1. In the Settings app on your Windows device, select System > Multitasking.
   
   

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   Multitasking

2. Expand Desktops

3. Under On the taskbar, show all the open windows, you can configure how open windows are displayed on the taskbar across multiple desktops. Here are the available options:

   • Only on the desktop I'm using: This setting will show only the open windows from the current desktop on the taskbar. This helps keep your taskbar less cluttered and focused on the tasks at hand on the active desktop

   • On all desktops​​​​​​​: This setting will show all open windows from all desktops on the taskbar, regardless of which desktop you are currently using. This can be useful if you want quick access to all your open applications without switching desktops

4. Under Show all open windows when I press Alt + Tab, you can choose whether to display open windows from all desktops or only from the desktop you're currently using.

To find more tips on multitasking in Windows 11, check out Microsoft’s documentation here: How to Multitask in Windows - Microsoft Support