The definition of productivity defers from person to person, and some like to keep it simple by tackling one task at a time while some others get multiple things done at once. But when it comes to working on a computer, workflows tend to consist of multiple programs or applications to accomplish what is at hand.

The usual desk setup for somebody who heavily depends on computers tends to include multiple monitors. Still, for those of us who do not have such accessibility, Windows offers some features to help replicate that experience. With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced virtual desktops as a mainstream feature. In this article, we explain how you can make use of this feature and other methods to increase your levels of productivity by using multiple desktops in Windows 10.

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How to Use Multiple Desktops in Windows 10?

The main advantage that multiple or virtual desktops provide is that they allow for levels of organisation which can help you keep your ongoing projects separate from the unnecessary clutter on your screen.

As a writer, I tend to have a lot of tabs in and instances of my web browser open. The situation can often get difficult to navigate, and this is where virtual desktops play a significant role. They allow keeping the required search results separate from text-related windows, which in turn helps reduce the amount of time spent looking for things and increase the time spent writing.

To create multiple desktops follow any of the steps below.

• Access Task view with the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Tab and click on New desktop in the top-left corner.
• Select Task view from the taskbar and click on New desktop in the top-left corner.
• Press Ctrl + Windows key + D to add a new desktop directly.

To switch between your added desktops:

• Press Ctrl + Windows key + Right Arrow key/ Left Arrow key
• Jump back into Task view with either the taskbar button or Windows key + Tab and select the desired desktop.

Using the arrow keys to switch between desktops will only let you move between the ones to the immediate right or left of the current desktop on your screen.

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Other methods to help increase productivity

Listed below are two other ways to help you interact with multiple applications on your screen.

• Using either the Task View button or Alt+Tab on your keyboard, you can view which applications are open or switch between them.

• To make use of two or more applications at a time, pick an app window from the top and drag it to a side of the screen. Now choose another open application, and it will fix itself on the other half of the screen.

As easy as that! Now you can multitask in Windows 10 using its built-in feature with great ease.

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