Windows 10: Switch virtual desktops independently on multiple monitors

I was delighted to find Windows now has Virtual Desktops which I love. I like having all my work windows on one desktop and then any personal browsing and messaging applications on another.


However and this is my use case I work on two monitors with my IDE Development Environment on my main screen. I want to be able to flip my secondary screen between work and personal messaging while retaining visibility of the work on my main screen.


So for example, I want to be able to flip Monitor 1 onto Desktop 2 while Monitor 2 remains showing Desktop 1. If I drag windows between monitors in this state, I would expect the window to drag from Desktop 2 to Desktop 1. When I 4 finger swipe monitor 1, I'm surprised that monitor 2 also switches desktop. I want to control what I'm looking at on a per monitor basis.


I've seen a few articles on this topic here, but even the ones from late 2019 are now discussion locked and there doesn't seem to be anywhere to "upvote" this feature, so apologies if my discussion is considered duplication. Thanks!


PS A possible alternative work-around that meets the requirement without requiring a total re-write of how "Extend Desktop" works would be allowing the same window to exist on multiple desktops perhaps a + modifier when dragging windows to a different virtual desktop

:)

 

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

 

Multiple Monitors and Virtual Desktops in Windows 10

Often I'm using an extra monitor when working on my computer with Windows 10. I like to put on Netflix or some other form of video on the additional monitor. However, when I'm switching between virtual desktops, the Netflix window travels with the desktop
it was originally associated with, causing me to have to pause my workflow to manually move it with me.

Is there any way to get a window to switch virtual desktops with me? Or better yet, a way to make the extra monitor have a virtual desktop all of it's own that can function when I switch between desktops on my primary screen?

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Independent V Desktops on Multiple Monitors


Does anyone know if you can have 2 monitors both displaying independent virtual desktops.

Example monitor 1 displaying virtual desktop 1 and then monitor 2 displaying virtual desktop 2.


Thank you