Independent virtual desktops per monitor

[roryza]

Yet another virtual desktop request. Currently switching virtual desktops switches windows on all monitors. It would be great to make this independent per monitor.

Eg. I always have Outlook on monitor 1, but want to switch between multiple sets of apps on monitor 2 and 3 without losing whats on monitor 1.

Bonus points if the virtual desktops are all shared so I can cycle through them on each monitor eg 5 virtual desktops, 3 monitors.
Start with:
1=1, 2=2, 3=3
Cycle 3 (to virtual 4):
1=1, 2=2, 3=4
Cycle 2 (to virtual 5):
1=1, 2=5, 3=3
Cycle 3 "down" (to virtual 2):
1=1, 2=5, 3=2

[jaimecbernardo]

Thank you for the suggestion.
Some of this might already be possible, like keeping Outlook on all Virtual Desktops, by going into Task View (Win+Tab keyboard shortcut), right-clicking Outlook and selecting "Show windows from this app on all desktops".

[aheahead]

"Show windows from this app on all desktops" is one of the ways. But I wish to switch easily, based on mouse cursor position or 3/4 finger swipe.

[VectorWpl]

This would be very useful for web developers (and for many other devs also) that have a lot of windows open and while having live reloading windows on one monitor they could switch between console, editor, etc. on the other. Currently even with "Show window from...." function you would still see useless swipe animation with same window. We've been spoiled by macOS and Linux with those capabilities and it would be nice to go back to coding on Windows and have something familiar.

[MoZoY]

It makes me think of something like combining multimonitor features and virtual desktop management. Could very sexy on portable pc devices that you dock at the office or at home.

Imagine a dual (or more) montitor setup, where your could be able to display one virtual desktop on monitor 1 and the other virutal desktop on monitor 2 as you proposed. When unplugging your device no window merging happens because its a virtual desktop, and you can now switch from one another on your temporary single monitor setup. As soon as you plug into your docking station all your desktops and windows cast right back where they belong.

[ansromanov]

It is a very anticipated improvement for me. I usually connect a laptop to an external monitor and have the following configuration:

display 1 (ext)
|-- Fullscreen opened browser for monitoring needs (Jenkins, Grafana, etc.)
|-- S4B meetings
|-- Outlook, browsing, Youtube, etc.
display 2 (laptop)
|-- Virtual desktop 1
  |-- Main environment (IDE, browser)
|-- Virtual desktop 2
  |-- Fullscreen Linux VM
|-- Virtual desktop 3 ... (other fullscreen apps)

In this scenario, it is difficult to ensure that applications still visible on the external monitor during switching between virtual desktops on my laptop screen. As a workaround, I could use win + tab to open timeline and then manually set "show this window on all desktops" option for all application on the external display. This is boring, additionally, it shows undesired animations on the external display when switching desktops using the touchpad gestures (if I even disable windows animations).

[nevotheless]

+1 for the Idea, I would like to see this feature integrated into Powertoys since Windows 10 doesn't offer the functionality out of the box. Just make it how it works on macOS and I would be a happy man.

[u84six]

I would really love to see this enhancement. Is there any plan to get this in (or is it impossible based on the current implementation)? It has been a year and 1/2, so just wondering if there's a chance that this will happen in the near future

[ddnomad]

Had to switch to a portable working environment for a while (Macbook + iPad in sidecar). Realized I'm really missing this one on Windows. The ability to independently switch virtual desktops per monitor is a must have.

Any chance this gets implemented or at least bumped in priority?

[axelbreaker]

we really need this feature... please...

[Seras33]

It would be awesome to be able to switch desktops on different monitors independently, much much much appreciated!

[iodor]

this feature it would be very useful, thank you.

[rbreaves]

This made it into an insider build of Windows 10 but had to be enabled via the vivetool. Surprisingly not added to 11.

[riez]

Would love to see this available on Windows 11.

[JDavid17]

Any news if this can be done in Windows 10/11, at least if is a planned feature for either Windows or PowerToys??

[john-wd]

Oh boy, this critical issue is dead for a big while now :/

[rbreaves]

Is sad to see - but like Linux Microsoft is letting Apple lead here. No other major OS or mainstream DE has this one feature that Apple has had for like a decade now.

Looks like it’ll stay that way. Gnome & KDE devs are also not interested in providing this option.

I imagine it’s more about inner office politics going on than anything else. Like I said - it was in an Insider build but unless the right employee or exec makes it a priority for the OS or Powertoy app then it won’t be.

[hendyj]

Any update on this? I just switched back to Windows from MacOS for a new job and not having the ability to use independent virtual desktops on each monitor is absolutely killing my workflow. PowerToys seems like the only place to get meaningful changes/features implemented for Windows. I would love you all forever if you could add this.

[rbreaves]

Tbh I think the only real solution at the moment is something like rdpwrap. I am sure MS would rather users not use something like that, but it may the only way to replicate independent desktops (via hotkeys per 2 different users via RDP sessions). Not the solution that any of us should want - but as long as they ignore the feature they had already built in a developer insider preview awhile back there isn't much any of us can do about it.

I am sure it probably got axed though as Windows 11 went into development and neared release. Sadly they did not roll that feature into 11 or not yet. I doubt it will ever land on 10 though.

Tbh after all the work I did to get this feature I have decided not to switch desktops on the 2 separate user sessions, but I do switch desktops a lot on my Linux desktop which RDPs into Windows. That works well enough really, I don't find I need more desktops inside of the 2 - but they are thankfully pretty separate so I can easily extend into additional workspaces in either if I really need or want to. I tend to just use another 3rd party app to give me back vertical start menus as well. Only on macOS or Linux do I keep a dock at the bottom. I honestly have the perfect setup now.

[alefranz]

Thank you for the suggestion. Some of this might already be possible, like keeping Outlook on all Virtual Desktops, by going into Task View (Win+Tab keyboard shortcut), right-clicking Outlook and selecting "Show windows from this app on all desktops".

@jaimecbernardo Selecting a window to appear on all desktop is not that flexible (as it appears in all) but most of all it is super distracting when changing desktop as it doesn't stay in place but rotate around then reappear (yes, there is a hidden settings to disable those animations, but it disables it globally together with other kinds of animations)

[hendyj]

I 100% agree with you @alefranz it's clunky and feels incomplete. I just don't get the thinking behind Microsoft's implementation of virtual desktops. All they needed to do is copy what MacOS and Linux already do and they just didn't. I'm almost positive I saw Win 11 preview builds that had this functionality too, but apparently its not in Win 11 either. I just don't understand.

[FREQ-EE]

Need to add my voice to this request. My workflow is really suffering from the lack of this feature. Would really love to hear from anyone who has a good workaround.

"Show windows from this app on all desktops" is not a solution.

Third-party apps since it has dropped of Windows' radar?

[Serek16]

BIg L for Microsoft for not implementing such a meaningful feature yet

[faelp22]

Hello everyone, this functionality is really very important for many people.

Does anyone know if this is under development in W10 or W11? or PowerToys?

This Issue is already almost 4 years old and we still haven't had this solution?

[DanCouper]

Might as well add another voice to this: moved from Mac as my personal dev driver about a month ago, massively impressed. Windows 11 + WSL2 is so far better than Mac, no issues. Except for this.

My usecase is a laptop, when at home/work plug into monitors. Fancyzones is great (better than Mac), ability to remember layouts used on monitors is great (better than Mac), virtual desktops overall are great. But this is bizzare (and I realise it's got to be due to technical hurdles): I've got desktops per-monitor, and they are isolated in that they all have different stuff going on, so it makes no sense that if I switch desktops on one monitor I want to also switch desktops on another monitor at the same time. As others have noted, it's a massive annoyance, and a productivity killer - it makes workspaces nigh-on unusable when you've got a lot going on onscreen.

[hrayr-s]

Hi community!

Guys, it's been 5 years and the issue is still open.

Please come back to this issue and start working on it.

[AkazaRenn]

Hi community!

Guys, it's been 5 years and the issue is still open.

Please come back to this issue and start working on it.

It's an open source project, you could only say you want something, not ask people to do something.

[hrayr-s]

Hi community!

Guys, it's been 5 years and the issue is still open.

Please come back to this issue and start working on it.

It's an open source project, you could only say you want something, not ask people to do something.

Did you reply because you needed to reply or just wanted to?

Doesn't matter. The comment isn't for you or is not addressed to the community. It is addressed to the Microsoft team.

P.S. Do not reply to this because this is not a Facebook nor twitter post to discuss in comments this.

P.S. Please. Remove yours and I remove this. To do not have junk collected in the comments

[eelkonio]

I've been forced to move from Mac to Windows as I changed to another client's project, and this issue is truly very, very annoying. Please, please give this request a high prio. We've been asking for this for far too long. #sad

[kmbroga]

I suspect it will never get implemented since the priority for Microsoft is cloud based windows 12..... And that most likely implies browser like os experience in a single window and not really a multi display environment...

[avielc]

I suspect it will never get implemented since the priority for Microsoft is cloud based windows 12..... And that most likely implies browser like os experience in a single window and not really a multi display environment...

Sounds like Microsoft should change their product name to "Window" 😔

[EclipzzeX]

Cloud-doh

…

On Tue, Oct 3, 2023 at 10:02 avielc ***@***.***> wrote: I suspect it will never get implemented since the priority for Microsoft is cloud based windows 12..... And that most likely implies browser like os experience in a single window and not really a multi display environment... Sounds like Microsoft should change their product name to "Window" 😔 — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#58 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AFJVBNUT6VXYAGJGPGIUT6TX5QLIFAVCNFSM4HL3XSY2U5DIOJSWCZC7NNSXTN2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQ5TCNZUGUYDINJQHAYA> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[hungphongtrn]

I want to switch back to Linux as well, however, having a HiDPI means that I will have to choose between tiny text on my laptop, or extreme lag if I turn on fractional scaling. So, Microsoft please.

[prexfysl]

+1 really helpful

[matbishop]

I am disappointed that this has not been implemented, especially considering Microsoft almost did so two years ago.

[exxocism]

This is a MUST-HAVE Feature!! MS should notice this!!!

[yelrom0]

How has this been open for four years and not even a response from MS? This is my first time back on Windows from Linux & Mac in a fair while (about 2 or so years) and I'm shocked about the lack of productivity features such as this. I'm glad I'm going to be back on Mac when my new work laptop comes in, and am going to continue to avoid returning to Windows when I can for as long as possible (I use Arch + Sway for personal).

I feel for those who have to use Windows for work, the lack of a productivity feature that's so mainstream after all this time is just blatantly ignorant.

[nachten]

I 100% agree that this is a musthave have feature, please Microsoft and especially the Powertool Teams make this happen in 2024. You will make allot of people very happy!!

[Alluseri]

Is this seriously still not implemented? Nice company, who else is surprised?

[EclipzzeX]

I have given up on the thought process of using Windows in a serious manner as a result of a number of really odd decisions and money grabs that they have decided to go with, but the nail in the coffin for me is the blatant non-responsiveness to the community over a productivity feature being asked for. Co-pilot, gadgets, ads jammed down our throats and other useless gizmos and just silence on a feature we actually want. I have been converted to Linux for sometime ( oooh, fringe user ) but I will not be back and I am preaching to my friends the same. And a lot are listening

…

On Sat, Jan 6, 2024 at 08:55 Alluseri ***@***.***> wrote: Is this seriously still not implemented? Nice company, who else is surprised? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#58 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AFJVBNR3JVC6MRUK7TY66S3YNFJUNAVCNFSM4HL3XSY2U5DIOJSWCZC7NNSXTN2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQ5TCOBXHE3DSNBWGMZA> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[vicentel89]

It looks that this app do the work https://www.actualtools.com/virtualdesktops/independent_virtual_desktops_on_multiple_monitors.shtml

But it is incredible this is not built in in windows

[joovay]

Just figured I'd add my vote for this feauture to somehow be added to Windows. has anyone here found a solution to make this work?

[tiggeymone]

This Is the missing feature to convince me to a definitive switch from Mac to win

[nukiyoam]

+1 This feature is urgently needed

[drparham]

This is mind-boggling. It's been an issue for five years, and it is driving me crazy. It is probably the biggest productivity issue I have with Windows 11 coming from Mac OS.

[padok]

As a Gnome and Macos user this fully breaks my preferred work flows on Windows.

In a frist step I would be happy to settle for Gnomes implementation, where virtual desktops can be switched off on secondary monitors. For Gnome they implemented it this way, because independent desktops using gnome/mutter would require big changes to the underlying structure of how the window manager works, is this maybe also the case here?

Off course fully independent desktops like the ones Macos features would be better, but static secondary monitors would at least enable me to switch between different work setups on the main monitor, while keeping the secondary monitor(s) for Web research and messaging or other more static applications.

Edit:
I'm using komorebi now. It works pretty well, but usage is exclusively shortcut based and some applications dont resize or have hidden windows which dont tile correctly, which is slightly annoying. Still better than nothing...

[ksajan]

Is it possible to pick this feature for implementation? It will be a good improvement for every individual using Windows. Thanks! I can pitch in my time for implementing this feature if we lack manpower ( Not a C# expert but happy to help).

[yfnecz]

I need this so much!

[HansBuddenbergBlamey]

I also want, please it's a benefit in all aspects