Workspaces

Workspaces allows you to save snapshots of your running applications and their window arrangements, then restore them later with a single action. Perfect for managing different workflows or project contexts.

Overview

Workspaces saves:

Running applications
Window positions and sizes
Window states (maximized, minimized, snapped)
Multi-monitor arrangements
Application arguments and parameters

Activation

Open Workspaces Editor

Launch Workspaces from the PowerToys system tray menu or from Start Menu.

Create Workspace

Click “Create New Workspace” or “Capture Current Layout.”

Add Applications

Select which running applications to include in the workspace.

Save Workspace

Name your workspace and save it.

Launch Workspace

Select a saved workspace and click “Launch” to restore the layout.

Creating Workspaces

Capture Current Layout

The easiest way to create a workspace is from your current setup:

Arrange Windows

Open and position all applications for your workflow.

Capture

Open Workspaces and click “Capture Current Layout.”

Select Apps

Choose which running applications to include.

Configure

Adjust window positions if needed.

Save

Name and save the workspace.

Manual Workspace Creation

Add Applications
Configure Position

Build workspace from scratch:

Create new workspace
Click “Add Application”
Browse for executable or select from list
Configure window position and size
Repeat for all apps in workflow
Save workspace

Workspace Components

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.h:11-37:

class Launcher
{
public:
    Launcher(const WorkspacesData::WorkspacesProject& project, 
             std::vector<WorkspacesData::WorkspacesProject>& workspaces, 
             InvokePoint invokePoint);

private:
    WorkspacesData::WorkspacesProject m_project;
    std::vector<WorkspacesData::WorkspacesProject>& m_workspaces;
    
    LaunchingStatus m_launchingStatus;
    std::unique_ptr<LauncherUIHelper> m_uiHelper;
    std::unique_ptr<WindowArrangerHelper> m_windowArrangerHelper;
    
    std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, std::wstring>> m_launchErrors{};
};

Key components:

WorkspacesProject: Container for workspace data
LauncherUIHelper: Handles UI during launch
WindowArrangerHelper: Positions windows after launch
LaunchingStatus: Tracks launch progress

Launching Workspaces

Launch Process

Select Workspace

Choose workspace from Workspaces manager.

Launch Applications

Workspaces launches all configured applications.

Arrange Windows

Windows are automatically positioned according to saved layout.

Verify

Check all applications launched and positioned correctly.

Launch Behavior

When launching a workspace:

Applications start in parallel for faster launch
Window positioning waits for applications to initialize
Errors are tracked and reported
Progress indicator shows launch status
Timeout handling for unresponsive applications

Implementation: /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.cpp

Invoke Points

Workspaces can be launched from multiple locations: From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.h:20:

const InvokePoint m_invokePoint;

Workspaces UI: Manual launch from editor
Command line: Launch via CLI arguments
Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts or desktop shortcuts
Startup: Auto-launch on Windows login

Features

Multi-Monitor Support

Monitor Awareness

Workspaces handles multiple monitors intelligently:

Save window positions relative to specific monitors
Restore layouts across different monitor configurations
Adapt to missing monitors (fallback to primary)
Handle monitor resolution changes
Support mixed DPI setups

Application Launch Configuration

Launch Parameters

Configure how applications start:

Executable path: Full path to application
Command-line arguments: Startup parameters
Working directory: Starting folder
Run as administrator: Elevated privileges (if needed)
Window state: Normal, maximized, minimized

Position Persistence

Window positions are saved with:

X, Y coordinates
Width and height
Monitor identifier
Snap state (if snapped)
Maximized/minimized state

Implementation: /src/modules/Workspaces/WindowProperties/WorkspacesWindowPropertyUtils.h

Window Arrangement

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/WindowArrangerHelper.h:

Window Arranger

The Window Arranger component:

Waits for applications to finish initializing
Detects when windows are ready to be positioned
Applies saved positions and sizes
Handles window snap states
Manages Z-order (window stacking)
Sends messages to coordinator

std::unique_ptr<WindowArrangerHelper> m_windowArrangerHelper;
void handleWindowArrangerMessage(const std::wstring& msg);

Registry Integration

For persistent application data: Implementation: /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/RegistryUtils.h, RegistryUtils.cpp

Store workspace configurations
Persist application associations
Remember last used workspaces
Track launch statistics

Use Cases

Development Environments

Project Contexts:

Code editor + terminal + browser + debugger
Different layouts for frontend/backend work
Switch between multiple projects instantly
Documentation + IDE + testing tools

Content Creation

Creative Workflows:

Video editing + audio tools + file browser
Design tools + reference images + color palettes
Writing + research + notes
3D modeling + rendering + asset management

Communication

Meeting Setups:

Video conferencing + notes + calendar + chat
Presentation + speaker notes + timer
Screen share preparation
Team collaboration tools

Research & Analysis

Data Workflows:

Spreadsheet + database + visualization
Multiple document viewers
Research papers + note-taking + citation manager
Financial analysis tools

Daily Routines

Morning Startup:

Email client + calendar + task manager + news
Positioned for productivity
Launch with Windows startup
Save time every day

Example: “Morning” workspace opens Outlook, Teams, To-Do, and Edge on appropriate monitors.

Context Switching

Multiple Projects:

Quickly switch between client projects
Different toolsets for different work
Separate workspaces for work/personal
Meeting vs. focus time layouts

Example: Switch from “Client A” workspace (Slack + Project Files + Browser) to “Client B” workspace (Teams + Different Files + Different Browser Profile).

Teaching & Presentations

Training Sessions:

Demo applications + slides + notes
Screen recording setup
Virtual classroom layout
Workshop preparation

Example: “Training” workspace opens PowerPoint on projector, notes on laptop, and Zoom in present mode.

Advanced Features

Launch Status Tracking

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.h:23:

LaunchingStatus m_launchingStatus;
std::atomic<bool> m_launchedSuccessfully{};

Tracks:

Which applications have launched
Which windows have been positioned
Launch errors and failures
Overall workspace launch success

Error Handling

Launch Error Management

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.h:31-32:

std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, std::wstring>> m_launchErrors{};
std::mutex m_launchErrorsMutex;

Workspaces handles:

Application not found errors
Insufficient permissions
Timeout during launch
Window positioning failures
Monitor not available

Errors are collected and presented to user after launch.

Application Launcher

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/AppLauncher.h:

App Launch Logic

The AppLauncher component:

Resolves application paths
Handles command-line arguments
Manages working directories
Supports elevation when needed
Detects launch failures
Returns process information

UI Helper

From source /src/modules/Workspaces/WorkspacesLauncher/LauncherUIHelper.h:

std::unique_ptr<LauncherUIHelper> m_uiHelper;
void handleUIMessage(const std::wstring& msg);

Provides:

Launch progress indication
Error message display
Status updates during launch
User feedback during window arrangement

Configuration

Workspace Settings

Open Workspaces

Launch Workspaces from PowerToys settings or system tray.

Configure Options

Set global workspace preferences:

Launch behavior
Window arrangement timing
Error handling

Per-Workspace Settings

Configure individual workspace options:

Auto-launch on startup
Delay before window positioning
Override monitor on missing displays

Keyboard Shortcuts

Set up shortcuts to launch workspaces:

Assign hotkeys to specific workspaces
Quick switch between workspaces
Launch most recent workspace

Troubleshooting

Applications Not Launching

Common Issues:

Application path changed or invalid
Insufficient permissions (try “Run as administrator”)
Application requires user interaction on startup
Antivirus blocking automated launch

Solutions:

Verify application paths in workspace configuration
Update workspace with current application locations
Check Windows Event Viewer for errors
Whitelist PowerToys in security software

Windows Not Positioning Correctly

Possible Causes:

Monitor configuration changed
Application takes long to initialize
DPI scaling differences
Application overrides window position on startup

Fixes:

Update workspace with current monitor setup
Increase window arrangement delay
Manually adjust positions after launch
Check application startup settings

Missing Monitor Handling

When a saved monitor is unavailable:

Windows default to primary monitor
Size/position may need adjustment
Update workspace for current setup

Recommendation: Create separate workspaces for different monitor configurations (e.g., “Office-3-Monitors” vs. “Home-Laptop”).

Workspace Won't Launch

Checklist:

Verify Workspaces is enabled in PowerToys
Check workspace file isn’t corrupted
Ensure no applications are already running (if configured to avoid duplicates)
Review launch errors in Workspaces UI
Try launching applications individually

Best Practices

Organizing Workspaces

Naming Conventions:

Use descriptive names: “Web Development” not “Workspace 1”
Include context: “Client-ABC-Design” or “Morning-Routine”
Add tags or prefixes: “[Work]” vs “[Personal]”

Folder Organization:

Group related workspaces
Separate by project, time of day, or task type
Archive old/unused workspaces

Maintaining Workspaces

Regular Updates:

Update paths when applications move
Refresh positions after monitor changes
Remove deprecated applications
Test workspaces periodically

Version Control:

Export important workspaces as backup
Document workspace purposes
Keep notes on special configurations

Performance Tips

Optimize Launch Times:

Limit number of applications (< 10 per workspace)
Avoid heavy applications that take long to start
Use SSD for application installations
Close resource-intensive apps before launching workspace

Window Arrangement:

Allow sufficient delay for app initialization
Test different timing settings
Consider manual positioning for problematic apps

Source Code

Location: /src/modules/Workspaces/

Launcher: WorkspacesLauncher/Launcher.h, Launcher.cpp
Application launching: WorkspacesLauncher/AppLauncher.h, AppLauncher.cpp
Window arrangement: WorkspacesLauncher/WindowArrangerHelper.h, WindowArrangerHelper.cpp
UI helper: WorkspacesLauncher/LauncherUIHelper.h, LauncherUIHelper.cpp
Registry utilities: WorkspacesLauncher/RegistryUtils.h, RegistryUtils.cpp
Window properties: WindowProperties/WorkspacesWindowPropertyUtils.h

Get Started

Core Utilities

Mouse & Input

Productivity Tools

Configuration

Community & Support

Overview

Activation

Creating Workspaces

Capture Current Layout

Manual Workspace Creation

Workspace Components

Launching Workspaces

Launch Process

Invoke Points

Features

Multi-Monitor Support

Application Launch Configuration

Window Arrangement

Registry Integration

Use Cases

Development Environments

Content Creation

Communication

Research & Analysis

Advanced Features

Launch Status Tracking

Error Handling

Application Launcher

UI Helper

Configuration

Workspace Settings

Keyboard Shortcuts

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Source Code

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

Core Utilities

Mouse & Input

Productivity Tools

Configuration

Community & Support

​Overview

​Activation

​Creating Workspaces

​Capture Current Layout

​Manual Workspace Creation

​Workspace Components

​Launching Workspaces

​Launch Process

​Invoke Points

​Features

​Multi-Monitor Support

​Application Launch Configuration

​Window Arrangement

​Registry Integration

​Use Cases

Development Environments

Content Creation

Communication

Research & Analysis

​Advanced Features

​Launch Status Tracking

​Error Handling

​Application Launcher

​UI Helper

​Configuration

​Workspace Settings

​Keyboard Shortcuts

​Troubleshooting

​Best Practices

​Source Code

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Activation

Creating Workspaces

Capture Current Layout

Manual Workspace Creation

Workspace Components

Launching Workspaces

Launch Process

Invoke Points

Features

Multi-Monitor Support

Application Launch Configuration

Window Arrangement

Registry Integration

Use Cases

Advanced Features

Launch Status Tracking

Error Handling

Application Launcher

UI Helper

Configuration

Workspace Settings

Keyboard Shortcuts

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Source Code