VirtualDesktop.WinForms

C# Wrapper for the Virtual Desktop API on Windows 11 (and Windows 10).


Keywords
Windows, Windows10, Windows11, Desktop, VirtualDesktop, csharp, dotnet
License
MIT
Install
Install-Package VirtualDesktop.WinForms -Version 5.0.5

Documentation

VirtualDesktop

VirtualDesktop is C# wrapper for IVirtualDesktopManager on Windows 11 (and Windows 10).

Build Nuget (with prereleases) License

Features

  • Switch, add, and remove a virtual desktop.
  • Move the window in the same process to any virtual desktop.
  • Move the window of another process to any virtual desktop (Support in version 2.0 or later).
  • Pin any window or application; will be display on all desktops.
  • Notification for switching, deletion, renaming, etc.
  • Change the wallpaper for each desktop.

Sample app

samples/VirtualDesktop.Showcase

Requirements

<TargetFramework>net5.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
  • .NET 5 or 6
  • Windows 10 build 19041 (20H1) or later

Installation

Install NuGet package(s).

PM> Install-Package VirtualDesktop

How to use

Preparation

Because of the dependency on C#/WinRT (repo), the target framework must be set to net5.0-windows10.0.19041.0 or later.

<TargetFramework>net5.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
<TargetFramework>net6.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>

If it doesn't work, try creating an app.manifest file and optimize to work on Windows 10.

<compatibility xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1">
    <application>
	    <!-- Windows 10 / 11-->
	    <supportedOS Id="{8e0f7a12-bfb3-4fe8-b9a5-48fd50a15a9a}" />
    </application>
</compatibility>

The namespace to use is WindowsDesktop.

using WindowsDesktop;

Get instance of VirtualDesktop class

// Get all virtual desktops
var desktops = VirtualDesktop.GetDesktops();

// Get Virtual Desktop for specific window
var desktop = VirtualDesktop.FromHwnd(hwnd);

// Get the left/right desktop
var left  = desktop.GetLeft();
var right = desktop.GetRight();

Manage virtual desktops

// Create new
var desktop = VirtualDesktop.Create();

// Remove
desktop.Remove();

// Switch
desktop.GetLeft().Switch();

Subscribe virtual desktop events

// Notification of desktop switching
VirtualDesktop.CurrentChanged += (_, args) => Console.WriteLine($"Switched: {args.NewDesktop.Name}");

// Notification of desktop creating
VirtualDesktop.Created += (_, desktop) => desktop.Switch();

for WPF window

// Need to install 'VirtualDesktop.WPF' package

// Check whether a window is on the current desktop.
var isCurrent = window.IsCurrentVirtualDesktop();

// Get Virtual Desktop for WPF window
var desktop = window.GetCurrentDesktop();

// Move window to specific Virtual Desktop
window.MoveToDesktop(desktop);

// Pin window
window.Pin()

See also:

License

This library is under the MIT License.