Master Virtual Desktops in Windows 10/11: Setup, Shortcuts & Workflow Tips
Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 10 minutes
Virtual desktops are a powerful but often under‑used productivity feature in Windows. They let you separate workspaces by task—so you can keep your email and chat on...
Microsoft’s new handheld-focused Windows 11 “Xbox full‑screen” experience — the controller‑first launcher being trialed on the ROG Xbox Ally family — can be shoehorned onto older hardware like the original ASUS ROG Ally, and the early hands‑on results make clear where the performance wins...
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controller first ux
game bar
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handheld gaming mode
library aggregation
restart tax
rog ally
ryzen z2
sleep reliability
startup apps
taskview
windows 11
xbox full-screen
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Microsoft’s console-first pivot for small screens lands in a surprisingly usable form, and testing Windows 11’s new Handheld Gaming Mode on an OG ROG Ally shows both what’s changed and what still needs work for real-world handheld PC owners.
Background / Overview
Windows 11’s new Handheld Gaming...
anti cheat
asus rog ally
battery life
battery life handheld
console like ux
console-style launcher
controller ux
controller-first ux
desktop switching friction
drm
game bar
handheld compatibility program
handheld gaming
handheld gaming mode
handheld mode
idle power reduction
memory optimization
memory savings
oem tuning
og rog ally
pc portability
performance gains
restart tax
rog ally
startup apps
taskview
unified library
windows 11
windows 11 handheld gaming mode
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Microsoft has quietly remapped the Xbox (Guide) button on controllers when paired with Windows 11, turning a once-single shortcut into a three-state, controller-first multitasking tool: a quick tap still opens the Xbox Game Bar, a long press now opens Task View, and a continued sustained hold...
accessibility
app switching
bluetooth variability
cfr telemetry
controlled feature rollout
controller first ux
controller navigation
game bar
handheld windows
insider preview
living room pc
long press
oem partnerships
press and hold
remapping tools
taskview
windows 11
windows pc app
xbox button mapping
xbox controller
Windows 11 Insiders on the Dev Channel are getting a small but significant usability upgrade: Dev build 26220.6682 introduces a new three‑state behavior for the Xbox (Guide) button on connected controllers — a quick tap opens the Xbox Game Bar, a long press now brings up Task View, and a...
accessibility
console navigation
controller navigation
controller-first
dev channel
game bar
gamepad ux
gaming on windows
handheld gaming
handheld pc
insider preview
os input mapping
taskview
ui ux
windows 11
windows gaming
windows insider program
xbox accessories
xbox button
Microsoft is quietly turning the Xbox button on controllers into a small but consequential multitasking shortcut in Windows 11: a long press now opens Task View so gamers can switch between apps and games without leaving the controller, while a short press still opens the Game Bar and a...
accessibility
controlled feature rollout
controller first
controller mapping
game bar
handheld gaming
insider preview
multitasking
oem collaboration
power off
rog xbox ally
taskview
windows 11
windows gaming
windows insider
xbox button
xbox button mapping
Microsoft’s quiet tweak to the Xbox controller on Windows 11 — making a long press of the central Xbox button open Task View while preserving a tap for Game Bar and a sustained hold to power the controller off — is small in code but large in intent, signaling a deliberate push toward...
accessibility
controlled feature rollout
controller first
controller mapping
game bar
handheld gaming
insider preview
oem partnerships
on-screen keyboard
taskview
windows 11
windows insider
xbox button
Microsoft is testing a small but meaningful change in Windows 11 that lets the Xbox button on controllers do more: a long press will open Task View so gamers can quickly switch between apps and games, while a short press still opens the Game Bar and a sustained hold continues to power off the...
Microsoft has quietly adjusted how the Xbox/Guide button behaves when an Xbox Wireless Controller is paired with Windows 11, turning a familiar single-action shortcut into a three-state input that now opens the Game Bar on a tap, launches Task View on a long press, and still powers the...
accessibility
bluetooth issues
cfr
controlled feature rollout
controller input
controller-first
game bar
gamepad
handheld gaming
handheld windows
insider builds
living room pc
remappers
steam input
taskview
windows 11
windows gaming
windows insider
xbox button
xbox wireless controller
Microsoft’s latest Insider preview quietly repurposes the Xbox/Guide button into a three‑state system control: a short tap still summons the Game Bar, a long press now opens Task View, and a sustained hold continues to power the controller off — a small UX tweak that signals a deliberate push to...
Windows 11’s latest Insider flight borrows a small but decisive interaction from the emerging generation of Windows-powered handhelds: a long press of the Xbox/Guide button on a controller now opens Task View, while a short tap still summons the Game Bar and a sustained hold continues to power...
accessibility
beta channel
cfr rollout
controlled feature rollout
controller first
dev channel
game bar
handheld gaming
insider
insider preview
rog xbox ally
taskview
windows 11
xbox button
xbox button mapping
Microsoft has quietly begun remapping the Xbox controller’s central Guide button in recent Windows 11 Insider builds so that a short tap still opens the Game Bar, a long press now opens Task View, and a sustained hold continues to power the controller off — a small input-change that signals a...
accessibility
asus rog xbox ally
bluetooth compatibility
controlled rollout
controller
controller input
controller ux
dev beta
developer guidance
full screen
game bar
gaming hardware
gaming mode
handheld devices
handheld gaming
insider
insider program
multi-tasking
multitasking
oem partnerships
os accessibility
os navigation
power off controller
rog xbox ally
task switching
taskview
telemetry
third-party remappers
windows 11
windows gaming
windows gaming ux
windows updates
xbox button
Microsoft is quietly experimenting with a small but consequential change to how the Xbox button behaves on Windows 11: a long press of the Xbox button now opens Task View, while a short press still summons the Game Bar and a sustained hold continues to power the controller off.
Background /...
accessibility
controller input
controller ux
game bar
handheld windows
input mapping
insider preview
long press
multitasking
press and hold
rog xbox ally
short press
taskview
windows 11
windows insider
xbox button
Microsoft is quietly turning the Xbox button on controllers into a native Windows multitasking tool: in the latest Windows 11 Insider builds Microsoft maps a short press of the Xbox button to open the Game Bar, a long press to open Task View (the system-level app switcher and virtual desktop...
accessibility
beta channel
bluetooth
dev channel
game bar
gaming ux
handheld pc
insider preview
multitasking
taskview
windows 11
windows gaming
xbox button
xbox controller
Microsoft is quietly remapping the Xbox controller’s central Guide/Xbox button on Windows 11 so a short press still opens the Game Bar, a long press opens Task View, and a sustained press continues to power the controller off—an apparently small change that has outsized implications for...
accessibility
bluetooth issues
controlled-feature-rollout
controller-mapping
dev channel
dev-channel
game bar
game-bar
handheld-pcs
insider preview
rog xbox ally
taskviewtask-view
windows 11
windows gaming
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windows-insider
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Microsoft has begun testing a change that remaps the Xbox button on controllers in Windows 11 so a long press opens Task View, while a short press still opens the Game Bar and a sustained hold still powers the controller off.
Background
Microsoft has steadily worked to make Windows 11 friendlier...
accessibility
bluetooth stability
controller input
controller multitasking
dev-channel
game bar
game-bar
handheld devices
handheld gaming pc
handheld-gaming
insider preview
multitasking
remapping tools
taskviewtask-view
windows 11
windows insider
windows-11
windows-insider
xbox button
Microsoft has quietly repurposed the Xbox button on gamepads when used with Windows 11 Insiders: a long press now opens Task View while a short press still launches the Game Bar, and a press-and-hold continues to power down the controller — a small but practical tweak rolling out to Dev and Beta...
Master Window Management: Snap Layouts, FancyZones & Virtual Desktops for Multi-Monitor Workflows
Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 20 minutes
Managing lots of windows across two or more monitors can quickly become chaotic. Using Windows' built‑in Snap features together with Microsoft...
elevated windows
export layouts
fancyzones
keyboard shortcuts
move windows between desktops
multi monitor setup
new desktop
per monitor layouts
powertoys
snap assist
snap layouts
start at login
taskviewtaskbar on all displays
virtual desktops
windows 10
windows 11
Modern Windows laptops hide a tiny productivity powerhouse under your thumb: the Precision Touchpad and its rich set of gestures — many of which people only discover years into ownership. These gestures let you scroll, zoom, switch apps, show the desktop, and much more without touching a...
For years, productivity enthusiasts and power users have debated the strengths and shortcomings of Windows' multitasking features. The latest out-of-the-box capabilities in Windows 11—Task View, virtual desktops, Snap Layouts—represent significant improvements over past versions, yet many users...