How to quickly switch desktops in Windows 10

If you use multiple programs in Windows 10, you will be very used to Alt-tabbing in and out of each one as you use them. But did you know there is a much easier way to work with multiple programs at once? Multiple desktops can be quickly created within Windows and are a quick and easy way to organize your programs into logical groups. You can quickly switch desktops in Windows 10 too. Here’s how.

First let’s create a couple of desktops.

Create multiple desktops in Windows 10
Create another desktop like this:

1. Click on the Task View icon on the Windows Taskbar. It is next to the Search windows/Cortana box by default.
2. Click the ‘+’ New Desktop icon in the bottom right corner of the new screen that appears.
3. Open programs within your new desktop as you like.

I tend to arrange productivity programs in one desktop, internet related or non-work programs in another and flip between them as necessary.

Quickly switch desktops in Windows 10
Once you have multiple desktops, how do you control them? With some shortcut keys.

• Windows key + Tab - Opens Task View.
• Windows key + Ctrl + D - Creates a new desktop.
• Windows key + Ctrl + left or right arrow key - Switch between desktops.
• Windows key + Ctrl - F4 - Close the active desktop.

So to quickly switch between the desktops you created, simply hit the Windows key and Ctrl and the left or right arrow key. The desktop should flip left or right between your open desktop.

More helpful Windows 10 tutorials:
How to change account type of users in Windows 10
How to change color of the Start Menu, Taskbar, Action Center and Title bar in Windows 10
How to change your DPI scaling level for displays in Windows 10

View all of our Windows 10 Tutorials

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