What "opening a new desktop" means
Opening a new desktop means creating a separate, blank workspace on your computer where you can organize different windows and programs. Think of it like having multiple desks in an office — each one can hold different papers and tools, and you switch between them without closing anything. On Windows, this feature is called Virtual Desktops. On Mac, it's called Spaces. Both let you keep your screen less cluttered and group related work together.
This is different from minimizing windows or switching between open programs. When you open a new desktop, you get an entirely fresh screen. Everything you had open on your previous desktop stays there — it doesn't close, and it doesn't clutter your new workspace.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows 10 and 11, press Windows key + Tab to open the Task View, then click "New desktop" in the bottom right corner.
- On Mac, swipe up with four fingers to open Mission Control, then click the "+" button in the top right to add a new Space.
- You can switch between desktops using keyboard shortcuts: Windows key + Right Arrow on Windows, or Control + Right Arrow on Mac.
- Each desktop keeps its own set of open windows and programs, so you can organize work by project, task, or person without closing anything.
- Closing a desktop moves all its windows to your other desktops automatically — nothing gets deleted.
Opening a new desktop on Windows 10 and 11
Press the Windows key and the Tab key at the same time. This opens Task View, which shows all your open windows and desktops at once. You'll see your current desktop displayed as a large rectangle, and below it a button that says "New desktop" with a plus sign.
Click that "New desktop" button. A fresh, blank desktop appears. Your old desktop is still there — you can see it in the Task View — but now you have a second one to work in. You can create as many desktops as you need this way.
To switch back to your first desktop, press Windows key + Tab again to open Task View, then click the desktop you want. Or use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Right Arrow to move to the next desktop, or Windows key + Left Arrow to go back.
Opening a new desktop on Mac
Swipe up with four fingers on your trackpad. This opens Mission Control, which shows all your open windows and Spaces (Mac's name for desktops). In the top right corner, you'll see a plus sign button labeled "Add Desktop" or just a "+" symbol.
Click that button. A new Space appears in the row at the top of Mission Control. Click on it to switch to that new Space, or click elsewhere to close Mission Control and return to your current Space.
To switch between Spaces without opening Mission Control, use Control + Right Arrow to move to the next Space, or Control + Left Arrow to go back. You can also swipe left or right with four fingers on your trackpad to move between Spaces quickly.
Why you might want multiple desktops
Multiple desktops reduce visual clutter. If you're working on three different projects, you can put each one on its own desktop instead of having nine windows stacked on top of each other on one screen. You see only what you need right now.
They also help you focus. Switching to a desktop dedicated to email means you're not distracted by your spreadsheet or design work. When you're done with email, you switch desktops and that work disappears from view — even though it's still open and exactly where you left it.
Some people use one desktop for work, another for personal tasks, and a third for communication. Others organize by project. There's no right way — it depends on how your brain works and what keeps you most focused.
Moving windows between desktops
On Windows, open Task View (Windows key + Tab), right-click the window you want to move, and select "Move to" followed by the desktop number. The window closes on your current desktop and opens on the one you chose.
On Mac, open Mission Control, click and hold the window you want to move, drag it to the Space you want it on, then release. The window moves to that Space when ready.
You can also drag a window from one Space to another by dragging it to the edge of your screen — on Mac, this sometimes moves it to the adjacent Space. The exact behavior depends on your settings, so Task View and Mission Control are more reliable.
Closing a desktop and what happens to your windows
On Windows, open Task View, right-click the desktop you want to close, and select "Close". On Mac, open Mission Control, hover over the Space you want to close, and click the X that appears in the corner.
When you close a desktop, all the windows on it move to your remaining desktops automatically. Windows doesn't delete them — it redistributes them. You'll see them appear on your other desktops, usually on the one closest to where the closed desktop was.
This means you can't accidentally lose work by closing a desktop. Everything stays open; it just moves to a different workspace.
Troubleshooting common problems
If Task View doesn't open on Windows, your keyboard might not have a Windows key, or the key combination might be disabled. Try clicking the Task View icon in your taskbar instead — it looks like two overlapping rectangles and sits near the search box. If you don't see it, right-click your taskbar, select "Show Task View button", and it will appear.
On Mac, if Mission Control doesn't open when you swipe, check your trackpad settings. Open System Preferences, click Trackpad, go to the Gestures tab, and make sure "Mission Control" is turned on. You can also open Mission Control by pressing F3 or Control + Up Arrow if swiping doesn't work.
If you create a desktop but can't see it in Task View or Mission Control, it's there — you might just need to scroll. In Task View on Windows, look for left and right arrows at the bottom. In Mission Control on Mac, look for dots at the top showing how many Spaces you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I name my desktops so I remember what's on each one?
Windows and Mac don't have built-in naming for desktops, but you can organize them by position and remember what goes on each one. Some people put work on Desktop 1, personal tasks on Desktop 2, and communication on Desktop 3. You'll learn the order quickly with regular use.
What happens to my desktops when I restart my computer?
On Windows, desktops close when you shut down or restart. When you turn your computer back on, you'll have only one desktop again. On Mac, Spaces usually stay the same after a restart, though this depends on your settings and which programs were open.
Can I use desktops on a laptop with an external monitor?
Yes. On Windows, all your desktops work across both screens at once — you can't have different desktops on each monitor. On Mac, you can set up Spaces to work on each display separately if you want, but the default is the same as Windows: all Spaces span both screens.
Is there a limit to how many desktops I can create?
No. Both Windows and Mac let you create as many desktops as you want. Most people find three to five is enough, but you can have ten or twenty if that helps you stay organized. The more you create, the harder it becomes to remember which one has what.
Do programs I'm running on one desktop slow down my computer if I switch to another?
No. Programs keep running on their desktop whether you're looking at it or not. Switching desktops doesn't pause or close anything. If a program is using a lot of processing power, it will continue to do so even when you're on a different desktop.