VirtualDesktop

VirtualDesktop is a Powershell module that provides commandlets to manage virtual desktops of Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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 here)

Now with support for Windows Terminal

• New-Desktop, Switch-Desktop, Remove-Desktop to control desktops
• Get-DesktopCount, Get-DesktopList, Get-CurrentDesktop, Get-Desktop and others to query desktops
• Move-Window, (Un)Pin-Window, (Un)Pin-Application to control windows on desktops
• only Windows 10 2004 and up: Get-DesktopName and Set-DesktopName
• only Windows 11: Move-Desktop, Set-DesktopWallpaper and Set-AllDesktopWallpapers

and other commandlets

By Markus Scholtes, 2024

Sample Session

# 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)

Installation

PS C:\> Install-Module VirtualDesktop

or download from here: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/VirtualDesktop/.

Also look for the script based version here Powershell commands to manage virtual desktops of Windows 10.

Also look for the C# partner tool here VirtualDesktop.

List Of Commands

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

Switch to virtual desktop. Parameter is number of desktop (starting with 0 to count-1) or desktop object.

Remove-Desktop -Desktop desktop

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

Unpin-Window -Hwnd hwnd

Unpin window whose window handle is given to 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)

Versions

1.5.9, 2024-09-01

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

1.5.8, 2024-05-26

• changes for Win 11 24H2 and fixing of messages

1.5.7, 2024-02-15

• changes for Win 11 3085 and up

1.5.6, 2023-09-18

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

1.5.5, 2023-09-02

• bug fix for Win 11 22H2 Build 22621.2215

1.5.4, 2023-08-27

• 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)

1.5.3, 2023-06-11

• no flashing icons after switch desktops

1.5.2, 2023-02-19

• support for Windows 11 Insider 25276+

1.5.1, 2022-07-29

• bug fix: desktop for pinned windows and apps are recognized

1.5.0, 2022-03-16

• support for Powershell Core
• support for Windows Server 2022
• support for Windows Terminal

1.4.1, 2021-11-27

• support for Windows 11 Insider build 22449 and up
• version 1.3.2 should have been 1.4.0, so this is 1.4.1

1.3.2, 2021-10-22

• support for Windows 10 21H2 and Windows 11
• Set-DesktopName works on current virtual desktop if parameter -desktop is missing

1.3.1, 2021-02-28

• fixes for Get-DesktopIndex

1.3.0, 2020-11-28

• compatible to Powershell Core 7.0 (but not 7.1 or up)
• parameter -PassThru for Set-DesktopName (by sirAndros)

1.2.0, 2020-06-27

• 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

1.1.0, 2019-09-04

• new function Find-WindowHandle

1.0.1, 2019-08-22

• fixed examples

1.0.0, 2019-06-03

• first stable release (hope so)

0.0.0, 2019-05-20

• test release