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Tips for managing multiple windows
Windows 10 has several features that make it easier to multi-task and work with multiple windows at the same time.
Note: This lesson will focus on using Windows 10 with a desktop or laptop computer. If you're using a tablet computer with a touchscreen, some of the instructions below will work differently [and some features won't be available at all]. Check out our lesson on Using Windows 10 on a Tablet to learn more.
Snap
Snap allows you to resize windows quickly, which is especially convenient when you want to see two windows side by side. To do this, click and drag the desired window to the left or right until the cursor reaches the edge of the screen, then release the mouse. The window will snap into place. To unsnap a window, simply click and drag the window down.
Note: If you have more than one window open when snapping, you'll be able to choose a window to snap to the other side of the screen automatically.
Flip
You can use Flip to switch between open windows. To do this, press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard, then press the Tab key. Continue pressing the Tab key until the desired window is selected.
Task view
The Task view feature is similar to Flip, but it works a bit differently. To open Task view, click the Task view button near the bottom-left corner of the taskbar. Alternative, you can press Windows key+Tab on your keyboard. All of your open windows will appear, and you can click to choose any window you want.
Virtual desktops
Instead of keeping everything open on the same desktop, you can move some of your windows to a virtual desktop to get them out of the way. This feature wasn't available in previous versions of Windows, and it's especially helpful for managing a lot of windows at the same time. To create a new desktop, open Task view, then select New desktop near the bottom-right corner.
Once you've created multiple desktops, you can use Task view to switch between them. You can also move windows between desktops. To do this, open Task view, then click and drag a window to the desired desktop.
To close a virtual desktop, open Task view and click the X in the upper-right corner of any desktop you want to close.
Showing the desktop
If you have a lot of windows open at the same time, it can be difficult to see the desktop. When this happens, you can click the bottom-right corner of the taskbar to minimize all open windows. Just click it again to restore the minimized windows.
/en/windows10/personalizing-your-desktop/content/
With Windows 10, Microsoft finally brought a feature that is standard on other desktop operating systems to Windows: multiple desktops, which the company calls virtual desktops. This is admittedly a power user feature, but it can be helpful for anyone who wants an extra bit of organization.
Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10.
The key starting point for multiple desktops is Windows 10's Task View. The easiest way to access it is the icon to the right of Cortana on the taskbar — it looks like a big rectangle with a smaller rectangle on each side of it. Alternatively, you can tap the Windows key+Tab.
Task View is a better-looking version of Alt+Tab. It shows all your open program windows at a glance, and it lets you choose between them.
The biggest difference between Task View and Alt+Tab is that Task View stays open until you dismiss it — unlike the keyboard shortcut.
When you're in Task View, you'll see a button that says New desktop. Select that, and at the bottom of the Task View area, two rectangles labeled Desktop 1 and Desktop 2 appear.
Select Desktop 2, and you land on a clean desktop with no programs running. Your open programs are still available on the first desktop, but now you have another one open for other purposes.
If you're still scratching your head as to why you'd want more than one desktop, consider how you use your PC every day. If you're on a laptop, switching between Microsoft Word, a browser, and a music app can be a pain. Putting each program in a different desktop makes moving between them much easier and removes the need to maximize and minimize each program as you need it.
Another way to use multiple desktops is to have all your productivity programs on one desktop, and your entertainment or game items on another, or you could put email and web browsing on one desktop and Microsoft Office on another. The possibilities are endless and depend on how you organize your programs.
You can move open windows between desktops by opening Task View and then using your mouse to drag and drop from one desktop to another.
After you have all your desktops set up, you can switch between them using Task View or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key+Ctrl+right or left arrow key. Using the arrow keys is tricky because you have to be aware of which desktop you are on. Multiple desktops are organized on a virtual straight line with two endpoints. Once you reach the end of that line, you have to go back the way you came.
In practical terms, you move from desktop 1 to desktop 2, 3, and so on using the right arrow key. When you reach the last desktop, you go back through using the left arrow. If you find that you jump between numerous desktops out of order, it's better to use Task View where all open desktops are consolidated in one spot.
The multiple desktops feature has two key options you can adjust to your liking.
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Select Start.
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Choose Settings from the Start menu.
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Select System.
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Select Multitasking and scroll down until you see the heading Virtual desktops.
Here are two options that are easy to understand:
- The top option lets you decide whether you want to see the icons for every single open program across the taskbar of every desktop or only on the desktop where the program is open.
- The second option is a similar setting for the previously mentioned Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut.
Multiple desktops aren't for everybody, but if you're having trouble keeping your programs organized in one workspace, try creating two, three, or four in Windows 10.
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