How to Show All Open Windows on the Taskbar for All Desktops in Windows 11

Windows 11 enhances productivity and customization with features like virtual desktops, which allow users to organize their open applications across multiple desktop environments. As part of this feature, users can configure the taskbar to show windows only from the current virtual desktop or from all desktops. This functionality can significantly impact user experience, particularly in enterprise or multi-user environments. Administrators can standardize or script this setting to align with organizational policies, enhance usability, and reduce distractions.

This guide will discuss how to show all open windows on the taskbar in Windows 11 using the Settings app, Registry Editor, and PowerShell to help admins and IT professionals manage this feature manually or automate its deployment in larger environments.

How to show all open windows on the taskbar in Windows 11

Windows 11 offers multiple ways to configure whether the taskbar shows windows from all virtual desktops or only the current one. Depending on your skill level, goals, and environment, you can use the Settings app, Registry Editor, or PowerShell to configure this behavior.

Note: Virtual desktops must be active to demonstrate the effect.

Method 1: Change via Settings app (GUI)

This method is best for manual, one-time adjustments on a per-user basis. Changing taskbar behavior using the Settings app is the most user-friendly option, as it can be done quickly without scripting or technical knowledge. It is also a low-risk task that won’t alter system files or the registry. The change will apply immediately, so rebooting the device is not required.

1. Open the Windows Settings app. Press Windows key + I or manually find it using the search bar in the taskbar.
2. On the left pane, select System.
3. On the right pane, click Multitasking.
4. Click the Desktops section on the right pane to expand it.
5. From the dropdown menu beside On the taskbar, show all the open windows, choose one of the following options:
   • Only on the desktop I’m using: This is the default setting that restricts the taskbar view to current desktop apps only.
   • On all desktops: This shows open windows from all desktops in the taskbar.

Method 2: Modify via Registry Editor

This method can offer more control if you need to configure multiple users or systems in managed environments. Registry edits should ensure persistent settings, preserving changes across reboots and user sessions. You can also use this when preparing a user profile in advance.

Note: Administrator privileges are required.

⚠️ Exercise caution when editing registry entries, as improper changes can cause system instability. Consider backing up the registry before proceeding.

1. Open the Registry Editor. Press Windows key + R, type “regedit,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. On the left pane, navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. On the right pane, double-click the VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter DWORD and modify its value:
   • 0 = To show apps from all desktops
   • 1 = To show apps only on the current desktop
4. Sign out and back in, or restart File Explorer to apply the changes.

Method 3: Configure via PowerShell

This method is scriptable and scalable, optimal for remote management of many endpoints. Using PowerShell to control taskbar behavior is the best option for IT admins managing large-scale deployments or integrating into DevOps and IT provisioning pipelines.

Note: Administrator rights required.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator. Press Windows key + R, type “powershell,” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
2. Copy and paste the command for your desired taskbar behavior before hitting Enter:
   • To set the taskbar to show windows from all desktops:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter" -Value 0

• • To set the taskbar to show windows only from the current desktop:

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter" -Value 1

3. Restart File Explorer to apply the changes. You can simply run this command on the same PowerShell session to do this:

Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force

Start-Process explorer

Alternative: Group Policy and Intune deployment

Windows 11 does not currently offer a native Group Policy setting specifically for controlling taskbar visibility across virtual desktops. However, IT administrators can still enforce this behavior using alternative methods:

• Use Group Policy Preferences to deploy registry values to domain-joined devices/user profiles.
• Use Intune custom configuration profiles with an OMA-URI or PowerShell script to push the same registry path and value to target user profiles.

Why manage taskbar visibility across virtual desktops?

Managing how the taskbar displays open windows across virtual desktops can positively impact productivity, user focus, and IT policy enforcement in personal and enterprise environments. For administrators and power users, controlling this setting can offer the following benefits:

• Enhanced user focus and minimized distractions: Irrelevant windows are hidden when the taskbar shows only the windows open on the current desktop. This can reduce visual clutter and allow users to focus more effectively on their primary tasks.
• Standardized desktop behavior in managed environments: In enterprise, education, lab, and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environments, standardized desktop behavior ensures consistency across user sessions.
• Reduced user errors in kiosk or shared systems: Limiting taskbar visibility to only the current desktop prevents exposure of sensitive or irrelevant applications to unintended users, ensuring better session isolation and privacy in kiosks, public labs, or shared-use scenarios.
• Custom experiences for different user roles: Different user roles within an organization may require different configurations (e.g., developers may benefit from seeing all running apps, and customer service agents may need a distraction-free desktop view). Centralizing control of this feature allows IT to tailor the experience accordingly.

Additional considerations when controlling taskbar behavior

When managing the taskbar behavior in Windows 11, you should also consider several surrounding factors that can affect user experience, system performance, and policy consistency.

• Independent Task View behavior: Whether you show apps from all desktops or only from the current one on your taskbar, it will not affect the Task View feature (activated via Windows key + Tab), which always shows windows from all desktops.
• Multi-monitor support: In a multi-display setup, each monitor will respect the configured taskbar behavior, ensuring predictable behavior across multiple monitors.
• Roaming profiles and setting persistence: The setting is profile-specific, as it is stored in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER section of the registry. To ensure the behavior is preserved per user in enterprise and education environments where roaming profiles and user state virtualization are necessary, you must store the registry key within individual profiles.
• VDI optimization: In VDI environments, limiting the taskbar to showing only the apps from the current desktop may improve system performance and reduce distractions.

Efficiently managing taskbar behavior in Windows 11

Windows 11 provides flexible control over how open applications appear on the taskbar in multi-desktop environments. This allows for a more satisfying user experience, enhanced productivity, and consistent enterprise settings. Whether configuring a single device or managing multiple PCs across an organization, using the most appropriate method, either via the Settings app, Registry Editor, or PowerShell, while considering a few key factors, should empower users with an optimized and seamless Windows 11 experience.