Long reserved for users of macOS Sonomathe action that instantly displays the desktop by clicking on the wallpaper finally arrives on Windows 11 And Windows 10. It does not go through an official update, but through a small free tool developed in his free time by Scott Hanselmanvice president at Microsoft.
Its program, called PeekDesktopreproduces this gesture that has become natural on Mac: one click on the desktop, all the windows are hidden, another click, everything returns to its place. Enough to simplify the lives of those who juggle many windows, to the point of regretting the absence of an equivalent option directly in Windows 11.
Windows 11 adopts a gesture from macOS Sonoma: how does PeekDesktop change the game?
On macOS Sonomaclicking on an empty space on the wallpaper hides all non-full screen windows and brings the desktop to the foreground. A second click restores exactly the previous layout, including multiple screens. This simple reflex avoids looking for a keyboard shortcut or a tiny button in a corner of the screen.
PeekDesktop apply the same logic to Windows 10 And Windows 11. Left-clicking on an empty area of the desktop minimizes the windows, clicking again returns them to their place. Clicking on an icon does not trigger the action, which limits errors. In use, it’s often nicer than the “Show desktop” button on the far right of the taskbar or the Windows + D and Windows + M shortcuts.
How to install PeekDesktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in seconds?
Installation is minimal. Just download the archive of PeekDesktop on its GitHub page, choosing the version suited to your processor, x64 or ARM. Once the file is extracted, you simply launch “PeekDesktop.exe”: no heavy installation, the program is located in the hidden icon area of the taskbar.
The tool weighs less than 1.2 MB and its memory consumption is negligible, which makes it discreet even on a modest PC. By right-clicking on its icon, you can choose activation by single or double click, adjust the minimization animation and activate automatic startup with Windows.
A macOS function soon integrated natively into Windows 11?
For now, PeekDesktop remains a personal project, even if it is supported by a manager Microsoft. Its existence shows that there is a real expectation around this simple gesture, while Windows 11 is already multiplying small ergonomic tweaks to make window management more fluid. It’s hard not to see her as a serious candidate for future official integration.
Not everything is perfect though. The first tests point out some oddities, such as right-clicking on the Recycle Bin or on an empty area of the desktop which can reappear the windows instead of directly displaying the menu, or the Task Manager which sometimes refuses to minimize itself. Details that an update will surely correct.