Windows virtual desktops. Virtual desktops in Windows

This poll inspired me to come up with this topic. Here we will look at programs that allow you to create virtual desktops.

Lots of pictures!

Users of Mac OS and Linux may chuckle that this does not exist in Windows, but I ask you not to start a holivar, yeah, so you listened to me. Well, without further ado, let's get started:

Desktops

Website: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881
Size: 60(!)Kb
Free

Downloaded, launched, agreed to the agreement and the program is ready to work.

There aren't many settings. Switching was configured for me by default. After some time of work (several hours, using netbeans+browsers+music), desktops switched less quickly. Switching was accompanied by a black screen, which was sometimes unpleasant. I think the reason is that one desktop = plus 1 explorer process.
The Control Panel displays only programs open on this desktop. When clicking on the tray icon, desktops were displayed. They are static, and you won’t be able to follow what’s happening like that :)

Icons can be arranged as you wish on each desktop, there are a total of 4 , they maintain their position. Can I have them? move, I don’t recommend deleting it :) That’s all the functionality, if you need several desktops, you’ll be happy.

VirtuaWin

Website:
Size: 400Kb
Free

The program works faster than its previous counterpart, I liked that it does not spawn explorer.exe processes, the switch does not have “dark flashes”. There are many more settings:

It’s nice that there are additional modules (more than 20), I especially liked VWPreview. Nothing special, the same functionality is in the above program, but I liked it. This is the desktop output. But not in a small window, but on the whole screen:


Installing them is simple, download, unpack, drop the exe into the folders with modules, and update the list of modules in the program settings :)

You can switch not only with hotkeys, but also by holding the cursor at the edge of the screen for a long time or by dragging a window + holding at the edge. Convenient for distributing windows according to tasks.
The tray icon also has some functionality, by clicking on it with the mouse wheel you can also switch between desktops, and when you left-click, we have a menu that can be used to show one window on all desktops or “drag” from one table to another.

If you wish, you can write your own modules; there is a Module SDK for this. The code is in C. The author does not mind helping with answers to questions, the program does not stand still.

WindowsPager

Website:
Size: 11 MB (zip 6 MB, sources + version 32 + version 64 + documentation)
Free

The size of the program bothered me a little. Especially compared to the previous ones. After 10 minutes of use, it becomes clear that the size is somehow inflated relative to the functionality.



WindowsPager also works without installation, but what makes it different is that there are no settings. More precisely windows. I tried to find him, but it was probably too bad. But... I found them :) I dug them up in windowspager.ini
There you can configure the number of “virtual tables”. Switching between them (ctrl+win+ arrows) and a few more not so special required settings.

The program is special, as I understand it, it does not use cool Windows API for virtual desktops. It just... hmm... moves the window off the screen :) But there is also a “killer feature”, the windows displayed in the control panel can be moved.


You can also use the context menu to “throw” windows and dock them.


On home page There is a video on the site, if you want you can watch it.

Dexpot

Website: http://www.dexpot.de/index.php?id=home
Size: 3.5MB
Free for personal use

I liked the site. It’s different from the previous ones, the presentation is there. Download stable version 1.5, unpack, run:

I’m sure that more than half of the readers know what kind of library this is;) Let’s return to the site and read it:

Okay, we’re not proud, we’ll download it, although it’s not pleasant, we could have invested another 1.5 MB in the archive ourselves. Although it is strange that among system requirements these files are not specified by Win7. Downloaded, installed, launched... hmmm... We are still not proud. We send the machine to reboot. Dexpot refuses to work. There is no library in the System32 folder, although when the files were installed the required library flashed.
Let's Google. Let's download. Fill it up. We are testing. Pride has diminished. Download 1.6Beta... hmm... already an installer.
Suddenly:


It installed normally and even started.

There are a lot of settings, the programmer tried, but the previous hemorrhagic bad experience had already brought down the mood. Although I’m weak in Krakozyab Russian, the English version didn’t help much either. What I liked about the program is the opportunity set your own shortcuts for each desktop. There are also several dubious functions, such as setting individual permissions. The feeling of the combine does not go away. Close Dexpot.

Virtual Dimension

Website:
Size: 400Kb
Free

What’s a little annoying is that the program stopped its development already in 2005. Let's download. We install. Let's launch. In a small window, we can see icons of running windows and applications.

This panel is unusual, but I liked the program. Settings in moderation. You can customize each desktop individually, or even set the wallpaper to suit your mood.


It works without glitches and doesn’t slow down, it leaves a pleasant feeling, so if it lingers on your computer, I’ll be glad that I helped :)
Another undeniable advantage of Virtual Dimension is the ability customization windows, such as “always on top” or “transparency”:

Finestra Virtual Desktops (formerly Vista/XP Virtual Desktops)

Website: http://vdm.codeplex.com/
Size: 1745Kb
Free

The last update of the program was in February 2011. The program is distributed as an installation package msi package, which makes my cluttered test Windows a joy.
Download. Let's open it. We install. Let's launch.

First of all, let's study the menus and settings:


As you can see, there are a lot of settings, but in moderation. They are well distributed and quite understandable. The developer most likely looked at Spaces and Exposé, but without stupid copying. Switching between tables is sometimes glitchy, and the plan may “blink” the background window and then draw the overlapping window, but this is tolerable.


Having already become de facto similar programs- displaying all desktops at once:


Press Win+Z, animation, and see our tables. Windows can be moved from one table to another just like that. It works quickly, but again it's frustrating that the windows freeze. Well, maybe I’d like to watch 4 films at the same time. We study the menu further and find:

In this window, we can hide and show the windows we need. I really don’t know where most of the points came from.

Other

I would like to say that there are also paid similar programs, such as AltDesk (150r) from Aston and Virtual Desktop Manager ($24.95). Free analogues have a lot of settings and I doubt that paid versions They will be able to surpass them in some way, so I didn’t even want to check them.

Acknowledgments

Thanks, and to five other habrapeople, without whom you would not have seen this article soon.

P.S.

I hope this review topic will be useful to you. Please write about any errors in a personal message. If you want to minus karma, I would also like to know the reasons in a private message. Ask, if I can, I will answer. Although it will be faster to install it yourself than to wait for me :)
Happy Programmer's Day everyone!


Have a nice work week.

UPD: If you know the principle of operation of such programs or any one in particular, please share this knowledge, we will all be very interested.

In Windows, the multi-desktop feature appeared relatively recently, much later than in MacOS and Linux. And now, finally, in Windows 10 it is possible to create as many desktops as you want. In this article we will look at how to make them and how to use them, why they are convenient and what their features are. We’ll also figure out whether they can Windows users 7 expect to use a similar function.

By using third party programs or Windows functionality You can make several desktops.

The presence of virtual desktops increases the speed and efficiency of work due to the fact that it allows you to systematize actions with a large number of programs.

Let's figure out how the multi-desktop feature works in 10 Windows versions. For brevity, we will call desktops PC.

As you can see, in Windows 10 virtual PCs are created in a few simple steps.

Features of desktops in Windows 10

Now that you have learned how to change desktops on Windows 10, let's look at the features and advantages of using them, and also find out what the disadvantages of this function are.

Advantages:

• You can make any number of RS.
• Easy removal of unnecessary PCs by clicking the cross on its thumbnail in the switching panel.
• The shortcuts on all PCs are the same.
• If you delete a shortcut on one of them, it will be deleted from the others.
• The running applications in the taskbar on each PC are individual. That is, you can use a wide range of applications, and thanks to several PCs, they will not overlap or interfere with each other. Perhaps this main feature several RS.
• If an application needs to be sent from one PC to another, click on its thumbnail right click mouse and move it to the tab of the PC where you planned.
• There is a set of hot keys that speeds up work:
  Win + Ctrl + left/right arrow - switch from one PC to another;
  Win + Ctrl + D - make a new PC;
  Win + Ctrl + F4 - close the current PC.
• A small load on RAM due to the fact that only those programs that are running on an open PC actively consume computer resources. When you switch to another PC, programs or applications from the first one stop wasting a lot of resources.

Flaws:

• Impossibility of renaming: all PCs are simply numbered - 1, 2, 3, etc.
• It is impossible to swap PCs. If you close one of them, all open source software will move to the neighboring one.

Making two desktops in Windows 7

Windows 7 users will have to work hard to enable multiple desktops, because this version of the operating system does not provide such a feature. As we have already said, it appears only starting from version 10. To implement it you will need to use special programs.

A free program that can be downloaded from the official Microsoft website. Size 60 KB. Very easy installation: download, launch, accept the agreement and you can work. When you first switch to a PC, it is created automatically. The control panel displays only applications open on the current PC.

To switch between PCs, use the combinations +///. You can see all the PCs and switch to the one you need using the program icon in the system tray. But you won’t be able to monitor processes this way: all PCs in such a display are static. You cannot move windows between PCs. To use any application on another PC, you need to close it and then open it again in the right place.

Disadvantage: when heavily loaded random access memory Switching does not happen quickly, with a black screen appearing for a few seconds.

Free program. It weighs a little more (400 KB), but works more stable and fast. Requires downloading from the developer's official website. The installation is the same: download, run, accept the agreement. Before starting work, you should make settings. Inactive PCs are conveniently viewed: they can be displayed on the full screen without making them active. Switching between PCs not only with hot keys, but also with the mouse.

WindowsPager

Another one free utility With quick installation. Size: 11 MB. The functions are approximately the same as those of the above programs.

Flaws:

• Size does not match functionality. Why do you need to download something weighing 11 MB, if you can get an analogue of 400 or even 60 KB in size?
• There is no settings window, so the number of PCs has to be configured through the ini file.

Of course, there are a number of utilities for Windows 7 and 8, both free and paid. But now, with distribution of Windows 10 versions, they are used less and less. The general and main drawback of these utilities is that some programs and applications will ignore the virtual PCs created by them. And, of course, than weaker computer, on which you install them, the more often problems will arise with the speed of operation.

So we figured out how to create two or more desktops on Windows 10 and 7, how to switch them from one to another and what advantages this gives. Share your experience in creating desktops on Windows in the comments!

Microsoft has added a feature to Windows 10 that wasn't available in previous versions. operating system, but at the same time many users did not have enough of it. It's about about creating several desktops for one user, which allows you to effectively distribute work on the computer, distributing tasks across different virtual spaces. For example, open graphics programs can be placed on one desk, a browser on another, and text editor to the third, which will allow the user to avoid confusion in open windows and work more productively and comfortably.

How to use virtual desktops in Windows 10

Create a new virtual desktop in the operating room Windows system 10 is extremely simple. At the bottom of the taskbar, near the search and Start button, is the default Task View icon. By clicking on it, the user will be in virtual environment, which displays all applications running in this moment on desktops.

To create a new desktop, in the task view mode, you need to click on the “Create desktop” button in the lower right corner. By clicking on it, a new one will appear at the bottom of the screen. working environment, which you can go to.

Please note: The new desktop does not initially have open folders and applications. The user can open programs directly on the new desktop in a standard way or drag and drop them into a new one virtual space applications from a previously open desktop.

In the Windows 10 operating system, the number of virtual desktops that a user can create is almost unlimited. However, it is important to note that each new desktop takes up space in the computer's RAM. Opening a large number of tables, the user may notice in the “Task Manager” that an impressive amount of memory is constantly occupied.

Hotkeys for working with virtual desktops in Windows 10

The environment for managing virtual desktops, implemented in Task View, is quite convenient. However, when the user strives for maximum productivity, he does not want to do extra clicks mouse, first opening a list of all desktops and applications, and then executing necessary action. Microsoft has provided hotkeys in Windows 10 for working with virtual desktops:

• Windows+Tab– transition to the task presentation environment;
• Windows+Ctrl+Right Arrow (Left Arrow)– instant switching between created virtual desktops, bypassing the task presentation environment;
• Windows+Ctrl+D– creation of a new virtual desktop, to which the user will immediately be taken after pressing the specified key combination;
• Windows+Ctrl+F4 – quick removal currently used desktop. Please note that when you close the desktop, all windows open on it automatically go to the desktop that was opened earlier in order.

Important: If you want to change standard parameters management and use of desktops in Windows 10, you can configure some of them in the “Multitasking” tab of the “System” section of the operating system settings settings.

The main disadvantages of virtual desktops in Windows 10

The function of creating multiple virtual desktops to optimize processes was clearly borrowed by Microsoft from the operating room MacOS systems. In some aspects, the solution works better in Windows 10 than in MacOS on Apple technology, but Microsoft has not taken into account all the nuances, and there are some inconveniences when using virtual desktops. The disadvantages include:

It is worth noting that the rest of the implementation of virtual desktops in Windows 10 was quite good - users can quickly move between created environments, which allows them to effectively use the workspace.

There are many available on the Internet software solutions for Windows, implementing the idea of ​​virtual desktops borrowed from the world of Unix systems. We decided to choose the most worthy options from them.

There are many software solutions for Windows on the Internet that implement an idea borrowed from the world of Unix systems. virtual desktops, allowing you to work with several desktops at once on one physical monitor. The benefits of these applications can hardly be overestimated: with their help you can easily bring order to your desktop and taskbar by arranging documents and windows office programs on one desktop, browser windows, messenger and mail client on another, games on the third, and so on. This approach not only simplifies everyday work with applications, but also allows the user to concentrate on solving certain tasks without being distracted or distracted by windows third party programs. In addition, virtual desktops are in some cases convenient to use to hide application windows and files from prying eyes. In general, whatever one may say, the concept of virtual desktops is very attractive, and to try it out in practice, just install any of the utilities mentioned below on your computer.

The Dexpot program is designed to create additional virtual desktops on the user's computer. Using this program, the user can create up to 20 desktops on his computer, each of which will have its own settings.

After installing the program, there will essentially be several virtual monitors on your computer, each with its own your own settings. You can easily switch between desktops to perform any actions on a specific desktop of your computer.

Each such Desktop will have its own shortcuts and an individual background image. Thus, you can expand your environment by distributing program shortcuts and folders across different desktops, launching or installing programs on a specific Desktop, with your own settings.

Dexpot is free for non-commercial use. The program has been translated into Russian and is easy to use. The program runs on the Windows operating system, and even quite ancient versions of the operating system are supported.

You can download the Dexpot program from the official website of the manufacturer - the German company Dexpot GbR. From the downloads page you can download the regular version of the program, which will need to be installed on your computer, or a portable version - Dexpot Portable, which does not require installation on your computer.

dexpot download

The portable version of the program for creating desktops is launched from a folder. Next, let's look at installation on a computer. regular version Dexpot programs.

Install Dexpot on your computer. The program will be installed in Russian.

Once the installation is complete, Dexpot will be launched on your computer.

Launching Dexpot

The Dexpot program icon will appear in the notification area. When you hover the mouse cursor over it, the inscription will be displayed: “Dexpot - Virtual desktops for Windows.”

After right-clicking on the program icon, you can open already created desktops from the context menu (by default, 4 desktops have already been created in the program), or go to the program settings.

Dexpot Settings

You can go to the program settings by selecting context menu"Settings" item.

In the “General” section you can select the required number of Desktops. Dexpot creates 4 desktops by default. You can change this number to another one in the “Number of desktops” section. In total, using the program you can create up to 20 desktops.

Here you can select the Desktop that will launch by default. To do this, you will need to select the appropriate Desktop number in the program settings.

In the “Running a program” subsection, you can activate the “Autorun with Windows” item. In this case, the program will be launched along with the start of the operating system. After the system starts, the Desktop that you selected in the program settings will be opened as the initial desktop.

Otherwise, you will be able to work with virtual desktops only after launching the Dexpot program. If you rarely use virtual desktops on your computer, then you may not activate the “Autorun with Windows” item so that the program does not uselessly use the resources of your computer.

After changing the settings, do not forget to click on the “Apply” and “OK” button.

In the “View” section you can configure the settings of the icon that is located in the notification area (tray). Here you can configure the parameters for opening windows using the “Ctrl” keyboard key and simultaneously clicking the mouse.

In the “Components” section, going to the “Table Manager”, “Table View”, “DexTab - Taskbar Switcher” tabs, “ Full Screen", you can customize the program settings if you are not satisfied with the default settings.

In the Controls section, you can configure hotkeys for the keyboard and for mouse switching.

By going to the “Switching tables” section, you can, in the “Desktop elements” tab, configure the display of elements that will be displayed on the Desktop.

In the “Desktop Elements” tab, you can enable the display of icons on different desktops, the display of a background image, and the display of Taskbar elements.

To customize the background image on the Desktop, you will need to activate the “Customize” item background picture" You can then choose a custom background image for each virtual desktop.

In order for active, currently running applications to be displayed on all desktops, you will need to activate the “Keep all taskbar buttons visible” item in the “Taskbar” subsection. All currently running programs will be displayed on the taskbar in all desktop windows. You can easily open a running program on any desktop.

In the “Desktop Icons” subsection, you will need to activate the “Customize Icons” item so that each desktop has its own shortcuts. Otherwise, the same shortcuts will appear on all desktops. Then click on the "Advanced" button.

After this, a window will open in which you will be asked to select a folder for setting up desktop icons: separate for each desktop, or public for all desktops.” To display different shortcuts on different desktops, select the option - “Create separate folder"for each desktop" and then click on the "OK" button.

In the settings of the “Plugins and Modules” section, you can connect additional plugins to the program, set or change the password for the program.

After selecting the corresponding plugin, it will appear next to short description the purpose of this plugin. You can configure the operation of this plugin by clicking on the “Configuration” button by selecting the desired settings.

For example, the Dexcube plugin allows you to run animated 3D effects for transitions between desktops.

Changing desktop backgrounds

In order to change the background on a specific desktop, you will need to select the “Customize desktops” context menu item.

In the "Customize Desktops - Dexpot" window, you will need to select the appropriate Desktop and then switch to the "Background" tab.

In the “Background” tab, using the “Browse” button, select the image on your computer that you want to make background image of this Desktop. Then click on the “Apply” button and then on the “OK” button.

Running desktops in Dexpot

There are several methods you can use to navigate to a specific desktop.

Press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard, and then click number key, which corresponds to the number of a specific Desktop. For example, the key combination “Alt” + “1”, etc.

After pressing the “Windows” + “W” keys, a panel with desktop windows will open on the computer screen. Hold down the Windows key while pressing and releasing the W key to navigate to the desired desktop. Then release the keyboard buttons.

By right-clicking on the Dexpot program icon in the notification area, you can launch a specific Desktop from the context menu.

Another way is to launch the virtual desktop from the Taskbar. After you hover your mouse over the program icon, which is located on the Taskbar, a panel with thumbnails will appear that display desktops created in the Dexpot program.

After clicking on the miniature image of the desktop, you can go to the currently required virtual desktop to continue working on the computer.

Transferring folders and shortcuts between desktops

You can easily transfer folders or existing shortcuts to another Desktop.

In the notification area, right-click on the Dexpot program icon. In the context menu, select “Desktop Manager”. A panel with images of monitors will appear in the lower right area of ​​the screen, which will correspond to the number of desktops created on your computer.

To transfer a shortcut, folder or file to another Desktop, you will need to drag this data using the mouse onto the image of the corresponding Desktop. Then you can click on the “Desktop Manager” item in the context menu again to turn off the display of the panel.

There is another way to transfer folders and shortcuts. To do this, first select the “Desktop Windows” item in the context menu, and then in the window that opens, in the “Windows” or “Icons” tab, switch to the desired desktop. Select a shortcut, folder or file, and then drag it with the mouse onto the corresponding Desktop on the left side of this window.

Conclusions of the article

By using free program Dexpot will be able to create additional virtual desktops in Windows, each with its own settings, which can be used on your computer.