Windows 10 introduced a great new feature with virtual desktops. This set of powershell commandlets helps out and lets you control virtual desktops from scripts.

Now with support for Windows 11 including Insider up to 24H2

Now with support for Windows Server 2022

Now with support for Powershell Core (pin application commandlets still not work)

Now with support for Windows Terminal

Compatible to supported versions of Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, Windows Server 2022 and Windows 11!

Since Technet Gallery was closed, now here.

Also on Powershell Gallery as VirtualDesktop module, see here or install with

Install-Module VirtualDesktop

Project page on github is here.

• bugfix for Windows 11: fixes Windows Explorer crash
• bugfix for Windows 11: fixes missing activiation after desktop switch

• new commands Pin-ActiveWindow and Unpin-ActiveWindow
• Windows 11: parameter -NoAnimation for Switch-Desktop

• faster API call FindWindow instead of EnumWindows
• Windows 11: animated switch to new desktop

• changes for Win 11 24H2 and fixing of messages

• changes for Win 11 3085 and up

• bug fix for Win 11 Insider Canary
• Remove-AllDesktops for all versions

• bug fix for Win 11 22H2 Build 22621.2215

• integration of Win 11 22H2 Build 22621.2215 and Insider versions
• Remove-AllDesktops without function on Win 11 22H2 Build 22621.2215 and Insider versions (will soon be fixed)

• no flashing icons after switching of desktops

support for Windows 11 Insider 25276+

bug fix: desktop for pinned windows and apps are recognized

support for Powershell Core

support for Windows Server 2022

support for Windows Terminal

support for Windows 11 Insider build 22449 and up

support for Windows 10 21H2 and Windows 11

Set-DesktopName works on current virtual desktop if parameter -desktop is missing

integrating fixes from VirtualDesktop.cs

fixes for Get-DesktopIndex

compatible to Powershell Core 7.0 (but not 7.1 or up)

parameter -PassThru for Set-DesktopName (by sirAndros)

support for desktop names introduced with Win 10 2004

new functions Get-DesktopList, Get-DesktopName and Set-DesktopName

desktop name as parameter for many functions

support for verbose output

version checking)

• Load commands (assumes VirtualDesktop.ps1 is in the current path)

. .\VirtualDesktop.ps1

• Create a new virtual desktop and switch to it

New-Desktop | Switch-Desktop

• Create a new virtual desktop and name it (only on Win 10 2004 or up)

New-Desktop | Set-DesktopName -Name "The new one"

• Get second virtual desktop (count starts with 0) and remove it

Get-Desktop 1 | Remove-Desktop -Verbose

• Retrieves the count of virtual desktops

Get-DesktopCount

• Show list of virtual desktops

Get-DesktopList

• Move notepad window to current virtual desktop

(ps notepad)[0].MainWindowHandle | Move-Window (Get-CurrentDesktop) | Out-Null

• Move powershell window to last virtual desktop and switch to it

Get-Desktop ((Get-DesktopCount)-1) | Move-Window (Get-ConsoleHandle) | Switch-Desktop

• Retrieve virtual desktop on which notepad runs and switch to it

Get-DesktopFromWindow ((Get-Process "notepad")[0].MainWindowHandle) | Switch-Desktop

• Pin notepad to all desktops

Pin-Window ((Get-Process "notepad")[0].MainWindowHandle)

For a C# implementation look here: https://github.com/MScholtes/VirtualDesktop

The API is not or rarely documented by Microsoft. So there is a risk Microsoft changes the API with an os update and this script will then not work anymore (Microsoft did so already with anniversary update, 1803, 1809, Server 2022 and Windows 11).

For most of the functions you can hand the parameter as parameter or through the pipeline

In most commands you can use a desktop object, the desktop number or a part of the desktop name as parameter desktop, see online help for more information.

Get-DesktopCount

Get count of virtual desktops

Get-DesktopList

Show list of virtual desktops

New-Desktop

Create virtual desktop. Returns desktop object.

Switch-Desktop -Desktop desktop -NoAnimation

Switch to virtual desktop. Parameter is number of desktop (starting with 0 to count-1), desktop object or string (part of desktop name). Parameter -NoAnimation only on Windows 11.

Remove-Desktop -Desktop desktop

Remove virtual desktop. Parameter is number of desktop (starting with 0 to count-1), desktop object or string (part of desktop name).

Windows on the desktop to be removed are moved to the virtual desktop to the left except for desktop 0 where the second desktop is used instead. If the current desktop is removed, this fallback desktop is activated too.

If no parameter is supplied, the last desktop is removed.

Remove-AllDesktops

Remove all virtual desktops but visible.

Get-CurrentDesktop

Get current virtual desktop as desktop object.

Get-Desktop -Index index

Get virtual desktop with index number (0 to count-1). Returns desktop object.

Get-DesktopIndex -Desktop desktop

Get index number (0 to count-1) of virtual desktop. Returns integer or -1 if not found.

Get-DesktopName -Desktop desktop

Get name of virtual desktop. Returns string.

Set-DesktopName -Desktop desktop -Name name -PassThru

Set name of virtual desktop to name. Works only with Windows 10 2004 or up.

Set-DesktopWallpaper -Desktop desktop -Path path -PassThru

Set wallpaper of virtual desktop to path. Works only with Windows 11.

Set-AllDesktopWallpapers -Path path

Set wallpaper of all virtual desktops to path. Works only with Windows 11.

Get-DesktopFromWindow -Hwnd hwnd

Get virtual desktop of window (whose window handle is passed). Returns desktop object.

Test-CurrentDesktop -Desktop desktop

Checks whether a desktop is the currently displayed virtual desktop. Returns boolean.

Get-LeftDesktop -Desktop desktop

Get the desktop object on the "left" side. If there is no desktop on the "left" side $NULL is returned.

Returns desktop "left" to current desktop if parameter desktop is omitted.

Get-RightDesktop -Desktop desktop

Get the desktop object on the "right" side.If there is no desktop on the "right" side $NULL is returned.

Returns desktop "right" to current desktop if parameter desktop is omitted.

Move-Desktop -Desktop desktop

Move current desktop to other virtual desktop. Works only with Windows 11.

Move-Window -Desktop desktop -Hwnd hwnd

Move window whose handle is passed to virtual desktop.

The parameter values are auto detected and can change places. The desktop object is handed to the output pipeline for further use.

If parameter desktop is omitted, the current desktop is used.

Move-ActiveWindow -Desktop desktop

Move active window to virtual desktop.

The desktop object is handed to the output pipeline for further use.

If parameter desktop is omitted, the current desktop is used.

Test-Window -Desktop desktop -Hwnd hwnd

Check if window whose handle is passed is displayed on virtual desktop. Returns boolean.

The parameter values are auto detected and can change places. If parameter desktop is not supplied, the current desktop is used.

Pin-Window -Hwnd hwnd

Pin window whose window handle is given to all desktops.

Pin-ActiveWindow

Pin active window to all desktops.

Unpin-Window -Hwnd hwnd

Unpin window whose window handle is given to all desktops.

Unpin-ActiveWindow

Unpin active window from all desktops.

Test-WindowPinned -Hwnd hwnd

Checks whether a window whose window handle is given is pinned to all desktops. Returns boolean.

Pin-Application -Hwnd hwnd

Pin application whose window handle is given to all desktops.

Unpin-Application -Hwnd hwnd

Unpin application whose window handle is given to all desktops.

Test-ApplicationPinned -Hwnd hwnd

Checks whether an application whose window handle is given is pinned to all desktops. Returns boolean.

Get-ConsoleHandle

Get window handle of powershell console in a safe way (means: if powershell is started in a cmd window, the cmd window handle is returned).

Get-ActiveWindowHandle

Get window handle of foreground window (the foreground window is always on the current virtual desktop).

Find-WindowHandle

Find first window handle to title text or retrieve list of windows with title (when called with '*' as parameter)