To create a new desktop, click on the Task View icon on the taskbar, and then-with the Task View interface open-click the text link that says “+ New Desktop” in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. To create a new virtual desktop open Task View. With Windows, you have to actively create a new desktop, which can take a few seconds the first time you do it. On non-Windows systems, you’re typically given at least the impression that those desktops are always there. Windows 10 lets you use a seemingly unlimited number of virtual desktops, but if you’ve ever used OS X or Linux, don’t expect Microsoft’s take to work the same way. Then the third can be for your music player, or distractions for those quick five minute breaks-like YouTube or a game. The second desktop is where you keep all your communication and daily planning stuff, such as calendar, email, and Skype. On the first, you put your current work project in Microsoft Excel, Word, Adobe Photoshop…whatever. You could, for example, create three virtual desktops. This is an extremely helpful feature for those times when you have tons of windows open at once. As you can see above, it shows all my open windows so I can quickly return to a specific program or document. For that, you’ll need to learn a few keyboard shortcuts, which we’ll discuss shortly.īut first let’s click on the new Task View icon. We’ll start with that, but let me stress this is neither the easiest nor the most efficient way to use the new feature. The simplest way to get to Task View and multiple desktops is to click the new icon next to the Cortana entry box on your taskbar.

Right-click the taskbar blank place and select Show Task View button from the context menu, then the Task View.

Of course, if you want to return it back, you can do this to get it back. Then you will see the Task View icon is missing. Task View takes a different approach by showing all your open windows in a permanent view that doesn’t disappear until you dismiss it or pick a window to be in the foreground. First, put the cursor on the Task View, and then right click to see the menu, uncheck show Task View button. But the Alt + Tab feature disappears as soon as you let go of the keyboard. Windows has had something similar for years-you’ve seen it if you’ve ever used the keyboard shortcut Alt + Tab to cycle through open programs. Further reading: PCWorld’s Windows 10 review

Turn off task view