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

Why This Matters

Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops help you separate open apps into different workspaces so you can stay focused on specific tasks. Using virtual desktops makes it easy to switch between different projects without cluttering your screen, but the default taskbar hides your open apps unless you are looking at the desktop they are currently running on.

Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops help you separate open apps into different workspaces so you can stay focused on specific tasks. Using virtual desktops makes it easy to switch between different projects without cluttering your screen, but the default taskbar hides your open apps unless you are looking at the desktop they are currently running on.

What Happens When Done

Showing all open windows across Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops forces the taskbar 🖥️ to display every running app regardless of which workspace it is on. This change lets you see and switch to any open program instantly from your current screen, saving you time when you need to jump between different projects quickly.

Changing the taskbar 🖥️ setting for open windows displays all open applications on the taskbar across every virtual desktop. This setting helps users quickly find and switch between programs running on different desktops.

On all desktops = Windows open on all desktops will show on the taskbar for every desktop. You can quickly switch between any windows with a click on the icon. If the window is on a different desktop, Windows will switch to that desktop automatically.

Only on the desktop I'm using = Windows open on other virtual desktops will not show on your current taskbar. You will need to use Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Alt+Tab, or Task View (Win+Tab) to switch between open windows on other desktops.

Option One

Show All Open Windows on Taskbar Using Settings

1. Open Settings (Win+I).
2. Click on System on the left side. Then click on Multitasking on the right side.
   

   You can configure Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops through the main Settings app by changing a single multitasking preference. Open Settings, go to the multitasking menu, and set your desktop preferences so that all open applications appear on the taskbar no matter which workspace you are currently using.

3. Click on Desktops on the right side to expand it.
4. Select On all desktops or Only on the desktop I'm using (default) from the "On the taskbar, show all the open windows" dropdown menu.
5. You can now close Settings if you like.

Option Two

Show All Open Windows on Taskbar Using Registry

You can update Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops instantly by running a quick command in Windows Terminal. Open Terminal with administrator rights, paste the specific registry command, and press enter to force the taskbar to display every open app across all of your virtual workspaces at once.

Open the Windows Terminal app with administrator privileges and run the command below.

Show All Open Windows on Taskbar "On all desktops"

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Show All Open Windows on Taskbar "Only on the desktop I'm using"

This is the default setting.

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Option Three

Show All Open Windows on Taskbar Using Registry Editor

1. ⚠️ Admin Required: Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to the key location below in the left pane of Registry Editor.
   

   You can adjust Windows 11 taskbar virtual desktops manually by editing the Windows registry if you have administrator rights. Open the Registry Editor app, browse to the advanced explorer key, and change the correct value to make your taskbar show all open programs across every desktop.

   
   

   ⚠️WarningSubstitute <SID> in the key path above with the actual SID for the account you want to change.

   For example: HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2398723747-3920169192-1191725819-1001\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. In the right pane of the Advanced key, double-click on VirtualDesktopTaskbarFilter DWORD to modify it.
4. Enter 0 ("On all desktops") or 1 ("Only on the desktop I'm using" - default) for what you want. Then click OK.
5. Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart your computer to apply the change.
6. You can now close Registry Editor if you like.

To find your SID, use the steps below:

Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell. Press Enter.

Get-WmiObject win32_useraccount | Select name,sid

Find the SID (security identifier, a unique string identifying a user account) (example: “S-1-5-21-2398723747-3920169192-1191725819-1001”) for the account you want to configure. You'll need to find the SID for the account you want to configure.

Summary

Windows 11 offers choices for how your taskbar displays open windows across virtual desktops. Options are available through Settings, a REG file, or the advanced Registry Editor.