Mastering Window Management with Alt+Tab and Task View in Windows 11

Boost your productivity in Windows 11 by mastering Alt+Tab and Task View for efficient window switching, virtual desktops, and application management.

1. Switch windows using Alt+Tab. Press and hold the Alt key, then tap the Tab key once. A grid of all currently open windows appears on your screen. Continue tapping Tab while holding Alt to highlight the desired window, then release both keys to switch focus.
2. Open the Task View interface. Press the Windows key plus Tab to trigger Task View. This layout displays your open windows in a high-level overview and shows your virtual desktop timeline at the bottom of the screen.
3. Create and manage virtual desktops. Open Task View and click the New desktop button in the lower toolbar. Once created, drag and drop open window thumbnails from the main view into the new desktop container to segment your workspace by task.
4. Close windows within Task View. Enter Task View and hover your cursor over any window thumbnail. Click the X icon in the top right corner of the thumbnail to force-close the application without needing to maximize it first.
5. Adjust Alt+Tab system behavior. Navigate to Settings, select System, and choose Multitasking. Under the Alt+Tab section, choose whether to show windows from all desktops or only the current desktop to customize your switching experience.