Question Anyone actually use the Windows multi desktop feature?

[PCG Katie]

Just wondering if y'all use the desktop feature (win + tab), and for what?

I always think about using it, but it can get messy. If you don't use it, let me know why, too
Thanks peeps xx

 

[Frindis]

Hello @PCG Katie .

I accidentally pressed those keys when I was trying to (alt+tab) and it just looked quite off-putting to me. I'm sure it has some use for some people, but I'm not one of those.

 

[Brian Boru]

I would love to use it if it was any good—which for me means two main things:
♣ The desktops persist across sessions, ie they're as you left them when you reboot;
♦ Icons could be distributed across them, and would stay in their assigned desktop.

I have ~250 desktop icons, all told. Many of course are there for apps installed 'just in case', like image, video and utility apps I may have a use for sometime—or not. They are currently organized in Fences across 2 monitors, which works fairly well—that app coincidentally has a multi destop feature too, but sadly also doesn't meet my needs.

When I only had one monitor in the 90s, I had a software solution which did what I want—pretty disappointed the idea hasn't made any progress in 25 years

 

[Colif]

It depends if you on win 10 or 11 as to how useful it is. By about WIndows 20 it might even let you set applications to different desktops like what Brian wants. Win 11 remembers open things on desktop until you restart PC. It remembers over hibernate at least. I hardly use feature.

I have 4 virtual desktops on win 11 but really, only use another one if I want a different wallpaper.
Some days a dark desktop is handy if I have a headache
At least 11 remembers different wallpapers.

I want them to fix it so you can show spotlight on 1 desktop and a wallpaper on another. Right now, its one or other on Win 11 and its just sad. Feature also lacks settings, can't set spotlight to change on a set schedule

what are icons? I never show them on desktop, it gets in way of the background

I wish windows would tell you if a program is open already on another desktop instead of just not do anything. Its confusing when you try to open a word document and nothing happens. I actually left feedback saying that.

 

[Brian Boru]

What's a background? Oh yeah, that thing to put the icons on—now I remember.

I can make them all appear or disappear with a double-click on the desktop, so all good

 

[Colif]

I saw the desktop of an old guy once, the entire CRT screen covered in large size icons... it was horrible. It scared me for life and from then on (okay, maybe not) I have refused to use desktop icons... I think the wanting to hide them started before then.

i used to have a toolbar on my task bar called desktop so I could access them if I needed any. It let me have a blank desktop and see icons... that went away when I got win 11. Now desktop icons are unseen. The only times I might use a desktop icon now is to launch a game but that doesn't happen very often. Battlenet launcher is on my task bar. Most of the programs I use every day are on my task bar. Some of them don't install to the start menu app listing so I have to remember what folder they in. The program I seem to run the most is actually in a Virtual machine on a win 10 desktop.

 

[PCG Katie]

what are icons?

This

 

[Zimbaly]

That would involve having a windows key. I chuck that crap out when I buy a keyboard, cept on my logitech mechanical keyboard. It has a button to disable it..... still want to chuck it though.