How to move windows across Virtual Desktops in Windows 11

Windows 11/10 includes built-in functionality for Virtual Desktops. Even if you don’t use multiple monitors, virtual desktops can be very handy when you want to switch from work to play or vice versa. You can create many virtual desktops and enjoy multitasking at another level. But most people are unaware of the fact that opened windows in one desktop can be moved to other desktops as well. In this post, we’ve discussed how to move windows and apps across Virtual Desktops on Windows 11/10. Towards the end of the post, we’ve reviewed a tool called MoveToDesktop that lets you do so in a better way.

Move windows across Virtual Desktops in Windows 11/10

1. The process is pretty basic and simple. You will be able to do it very easily by following these steps:
2. Open a few programs that you want to move to another virtual desktop.
3. Hit the ‘Task View’ button beside the Search icon in the taskbar.
4. Next, click on the ‘New Desktop’ button to add as many virtual desktops as you want.
5. Now right-click a window and then select ‘Move to’ and then from the options offered, select the desired desktop.
6. Alternatively, you can simply drag the window and drop it on the desired desktop.

Here is the Windows 10 screenshot:

There are a few other options also available. You can right-click a window and then select ‘Show this window on all desktops’. Selecting this option will show a particular window on all virtual desktops. This feature comes in handy when you have an application that you want on the screen irrespective of virtual desktops.

There is also another option available that lets you show all windows from an app on all the desktops. This option offers a more consistent setup across all the virtual desktops. These settings can be similarly reverted back anytime.

NOTE: To create a new virtual desktop, press Win+Ctrl+D. Then you can switch between your desktops by pressing Win+Ctrl+Left or Right Arrow.

MoveToDesktop tool

Why bother to even open Task View? MoveToDesktop is a small utility that moves windows from one virtual desktop to another. Once the application is running, you can right-click the title bar of any window and then select ‘Move to’. And then choose the desktop you want to move this window to.

This tool makes it simple to move applications and even looks as if it was built into Windows OS by default. You can move all the applications and even create new desktop with just a few clicks. This tool offers a faster method and if you want to skip using Task View.

Click here to download MoveToDesktop from GitHub.

We would have loved this tool even more if there was a provision to create hotkeys to move applications.

How do I change the order of virtual desktops in Windows?

 To change the order of virtual desktops in Windows 11/10, open Task View by selecting the Task View button or pressing Win + Tab. Right-click on the desktop you want to reorder, then choose “Move left” or “Move right” to adjust its position. This allows easy customization of your virtual desktop layout.

How do I move a window to a different workspace?

To move a window to a different workspace in Windows, click and hold the window’s title bar, then drag it to the desired workspace thumbnail in Task View. Alternatively, use Ctrl + Windows + Arrow Keys to quickly switch the active window to another workspace. This helps streamline multitasking and improve workflow efficiency.