Restore Desktop option to Alt-Tab?


  1. Posts : 51
    Windows 10 Pro (1803) x64, Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64
       #1

    Restore Desktop option to Alt-Tab?


    I'm going to guess that this was asked about before, but, something that has bothered me about Windows 10 is that you can no longer Alt-Tab back to the desktop. I liked this functionality back in Windows 7, but seeing that it's missing in 10 bothers me. I know that Win-D exists, but I've personally forgotten about that shortcut. Back in XP, I never used Win-D since I wasn't tech-savvy and personally used the quick launch shortcut. By the time I got 7, I forgot about that and started using Alt-Tab since I gamed a lot.

    A friend of mine says that he clean installed Windows 10 onto his gaming rig, and that a "Desktop" option appears in his Alt-Tab view. I've also read external forum posts saying that this is the case for them too. I upgraded from 7 to 10 and this is not available. In those cases, they say to make sure that tablet mode is off, and it is.

    Is there a way to restore that to Alt-Tab? Or even a way to explain some users "having a Desktop option" while some don't?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 42,953
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #2

    Hi, it's possible that older builds of Win 10 still had that option- MS keeps changing the spec. with each major build.

    See discussion (after the tutorial) here:
    Select Desktops to Show Open Windows in ALT+TAB in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

    Note too the small rectangular bar which you should see to the right of your taskbar. Hover over that, transparent peek of desktop, click -> desktop.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 51
    Windows 10 Pro (1803) x64, Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I'm pretty sure that the 10240 build had the option, but that doesn't help here. So it's gone now but I did add a keyboard shortcut from the thread you mentioned so I can do so easily without the weird Win+D stroke. Thanks for answering. :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 750
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bits
       #4

    dalchina said:
    Hi, it's possible that older builds of Win 10 still had that option- MS keeps changing the spec. with each major build.

    See discussion (after the tutorial) here:
    Select Desktops to Show Open Windows in ALT+TAB in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

    Note too the small rectangular bar which you should see to the right of your taskbar. Hover over that, transparent peek of desktop, click -> desktop.

    I am not certain why, but the ALT-TAB works just fine on my system, version 1709 (OS Build 16299.309). I can either TAB to or click on the program and it opens.

    Thanks for the link, allowed me to see programs opened on other virtual desktops as well with the ALT-TAB. This is great, when I have more than one virtual desktop opened, it's easier to switch between desktops/programs.

    On my system, changing these options is no longer under the "Additional desktop" heading. It had been renamed "Virtual desktops":

    Restore Desktop option to Alt-Tab?-vd.jpg
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 42,953
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #5

    On my system, changing these options is no longer under the "Additional desktop" heading. It had been renamed "Virtual desktops":
    - it's quite possible this has been changed by MS - that's the problem with 6 monthly changes- imagine trying to trawl thru everything checking every detail of the tutorials!

    - Try dropping a comment after that Tutorial to let Brink know if you've spotted a change.

    Sure, ALT-TAB works - just not the feature sought in the first post, it seems now.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 750
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bits
       #6

    dalchina said:
    - it's quite possible this has been changed by MS - that's the problem with 6 monthly changes- imagine trying to trawl thru everything checking every detail of the tutorials!

    - Try dropping a comment after that Tutorial to let Brink know if you've spotted a change.

    Sure, ALT-TAB works - just not the feature sought in the first post, it seems now.

    I did drop a comment to Brink, thanks...

    Sorry for misunderstanding the feature sought after...
      My Computer


 

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