So, let’s take a look at how you can easily access the Windows desktop. You’d be glad to know that one of these methods involves a single mouse click!
1. Click the Bottom-Right Corner of the Taskbar
Have you ever noticed that tiny vertical stripe at the bottom-right of your taskbar? You can access the desktop by simply left-clicking on it.
To restore your active windows, simply click the vertical stripe again. This is an easy way to switch between your active windows and the desktop.
If you’re unable to left-click on that vertical stripe, here’s what you can do:
Scroll to the bottom-right corner of the taskbar and right-click on the vertical stripe. Select Show desktop from the options.
To restore your active windows, right-click on the vertical stripe and select Show desktop again.
2. Use a Keyboard Shortcut
There are tonnes of keyboard shortcuts that you can use on your Windows device. Did you know that there’s also a shortcut that helps you quickly access the desktop?
To get started, all you need to do is press Win + D. This will immediately minimize all windows and take you straight to the Desktop. To restore your windows, simply use the same shortcut.
3. Right-Click on the Taskbar
There’s another way to access the Desktop through the Taskbar. All you have to do is right-click on a blank space on the taskbar and then click Show the desktop.
To restore your windows, right-click on the taskbar again and select Show open windows.
For this method to work, ensure that you’re clicking on a blank space on the Taskbar. If you’re right-clicking on a taskbar app, this won’t give you the correct menu items.
4. Use the Quick Access Menu
You can use the Quick Access menu to access various system tools like the Event Viewer, Device Manager, and Task Manager. But did you know that this feature can also help you quickly access the Desktop?
Here’s how you can open the Windows desktop via the Quick Access Menu:
Press Win + X or right-click the Windows icon on the taskbar to open the Quick Access Menu. Select Desktop from the options
5. Use the Run Command Dialog Box
The Run command dialog box can also help you access the Windows desktop. Here’s how:
Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box. Type the following command and press Enter to access the desktop:
6. Use File Explorer
File Explorer is a critical tool that makes it easy to handle PC files. However, this tool can also help you access the files on your desktop.
If you want to open a window that displays your Desktop icons, here’s how File Explorer can help:
Press Win + E or click the File Explorer icon on the taskbar. Select the Desktop option on the left-hand side pane.
7. Use File Explorer’s Address Bar
Ever tried accessing Windows system tools using File Explorer’s address bar? This feature can help you open the system settings, Device Manager, Task Manager, and more.
Here’s how you can use File Explorer’s address bar to access the desktop:
Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Type the following command in the address bar and press Enter to access the desktop:
8. Use the Task Manager
The Task Manager is one of those reliable Windows tools that you can always depend on. This tool is helpful when it comes to analyzing system performance or terminating problematic apps. But that’s not all—this tool also allows you to easily access several Windows software programs.
Here’s how you can access the desktop via the Task Manager:
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Click the File tab on the top-left corner and select Run new task. Type the following command in the search box and press OK to access the desktop:
9. Use the Command Prompt or Powershell
The Command Prompt and PowerShell are reliable for troubleshooting several system issues. But you can also use these tools to open various software programs.
Here’s how you can use the Command Prompt to access the desktop:
Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box. Type CMD and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt. Type the following command and press Enter to access the desktop:
Meanwhile, here’s how you can use PowerShell to access the desktop:
Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog box. Type Powershell and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated PowerShell window. Type the following command and press Enter to access the desktop:
10. Create a Shortcut
Do you prefer creating and using your own shortcuts? If so, let’s show you how you can create a shortcut that helps you quickly access the desktop:
Navigate to the desktop using any of the methods we’ve covered. Right-click on a blank space on the desktop and select New > Shortcut. In the next window, type the following command and then click Next:
Name the shortcut as Show Desktop or something similar. Click Finish to complete the process.
You’ll notice that the default icon for the Show Desktop shortcut is similar to File Explorer’s icon. To customize your Show Desktop shortcut, here’s what you can do:
Right-click on the Show Desktop shortcut and select Properties. Navigate to the Shortcut tab and click the Change icon button. Select your favorite icon and press OK. Click Apply and then click OK to apply these changes.
Finally, all you need to do is to pin the Show Desktop shortcut to the taskbar. Here’s how:
Right-click on the Show Desktop shortcut and select Pin to taskbar. Now, you can switch between your active windows and the Desktop by left-clicking on this Taskbar icon.
How Often Do You Access the Desktop?
It’s quite an easy task to switch between your active programs and the Windows desktop. But if you really want to access the desktop like a pro, simply apply any of the methods we’ve covered.
