Windows 10: Configuring Windows 11 to Switch Desktops on Focused Monitor Only

"I have two monitor devices. When I press 'Windows + Ctrl + Right Arrow or Left Arrow', both monitors simulate a switch. This makes it difficult for me when the unfocused screen is affected, as I use it to read documentation while working on the other. Is there any configuration in Windows 11 to only switch the windows desktop on the focused monitor the monitor used for work without affecting the other?"

:)

 

virtual desktop as multiple monitor

Hello Dan,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Virtual desktops lets you create multiple, separate desktops that each can display different open windows and apps. Multiple desktops are great for quickly switching desktops. The idea of having multiple virtual desktops is being able to order programs
according to a set of tasks.

PC can’t have different virtual desktop on each monitor. However, we can
configure the taskbar for multiple displays to send windows from one monitor to another. We can customize Windows to have a taskbar shown on only one display, and a different taskbar on the other display. To do that, follow the below mentioned
steps.

• Right click on the taskbar and select
  Taskbar Settings.
  
• Scroll down to Multiple displays section and choose
  Taskbar where window is open under Show taskbar buttons on option.
  

By choosing that particular option in Settings, you can set its independent taskbar in addition to your primary display. Only the open windows are shown on the taskbar in that particular display.

As a workaround, we can create a new profile to switch your main display to another. By doing that, you can switch between profiles which will be having different displays in it.
To do that, follow the below mentioned steps.

• Right click anywhere on the desktop and select Graphics properties > Select
  Display > make changes to change your main displays > click on
  Save profile > assign a name to it.
  
• You can create multiple profiles to make different monitors as main displays each time.
  
• To apply the profile, right click anywhere on the
  desktop and select Graphics Options > Profiles > in there you can select the new account which you have created to switch the display.
  

Hope it helps.

Mala S

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

No application focused after switching desktop

Hi Night Hawk, thanks for your reply. I'm not sure I was clear enough on the issue. I am absolutely aware that when switching desktops the inactive one should be suspended and shouldn't get any focus whatsoever. The problem is that when switching back to the inactive desktop, focus is not restored.

So, for example I'm writing this forum post here and while I'm at it I want to go and put a new song on Youtube, which is running on another desktop. I do WinKey + Ctrl + Right Arrow, change the song, do WinKey + Ctrl + Left Arrow to get back to the forum post, start typing and - nothing. It is not focused, so I need to do another Alt + Tab just to focus back on the browser window to start typing.

As a developer I intend to use this feature a lot, because of so many apps running at the same time. If I have to do Alt + Tab every single time I switch desktop, the feature is not so good any more and I might need to stick to one desktop.

 

No application focused after switching desktop


As the title says, after switching desktops, no application is focused. This is extremely annoying, because additional ALT+TAB is required just to start typing. I was excited about this feature and it looks really great, but this small bug makes it almost unusable for me.