WindowBlinds is a popular customization tool that's been around for years, but which has been constantly improved and expanded, and has recently hit version 7. With WindowBlinds you can customize your system from top to bottom, including toolbar, start menu, window skins, wallpapers, fonts and other elements, in a really easy way. No system restarts, no dealing with DLL files, no fuss at all! WindowBlinds takes care of everything in just one click.

The program features a nicely designed interface where you can browse different categories (visual styles, colors, textures, wallpapers and more) and select the ones you'd like to apply. WindowBlinds offers an instant preview of the selected element, and also offers extra configuration settings to customize it – like being able to choose the color you want on your window skin. To apply all selected elements, simply click "Apply changes".

WindowBlinds is very easy to use and includes lots of customization options. Plus it enables you to download more visual themes from the developer's website. On the downside, I missed having more options in the trial version, which sometimes feels a bit too limited.

WindowBlinds is an excellent utility with which you can easily customize almost every detail on your system.

Download WindowBlinds 7.1 in Softonic

So what will virtualization do for you? Well, many people use it as a way of maximizing space and efficiency while undertaking multiple tasks at once. Dexpot does this by allowing you to create various virtual desktops – clones of your normal desktop that are accessed with a simple click.

Dexpot allows you to create up to 20 desktops, making it particularly suitable for power users. Imagine you’re trying to edit photos and copy files at the same time. Simply use Dexpot’s configuration to create 2 virtual desktops, do the editing in one, and neatly “file away” the copying to the second, which will be maintained out of sight.

This virtualization app has some great configuration options that make sure each desktop is tweaked just to your liking. You can change the desktop’s resolution, set a notification for when you come in or out, password-protect it and even customize each desktop’s appearance. Dexpot also lets you tweak overall options, like how to control and visualize switching between desktops and creating rules for automated behaviors.

A lot of thought and attention has obviously gone into Dexpot, meaning that an app that is obviously very useful is also a pleasure to use. We recommend taking a look at the configuration options before you start, and always bear in mind that apps like Dexpot maximize your space, not your memory, so don’t expect it to facilitate any multi-app miracles!

Looking for a desktop virtualization app? Download Dexpot without delay – it’s fantastic!

Download Dexpot 1.5.14 in Softonic

This is just an EXE file, so there's no need to install it. This gives it the advantage of being small and quick to use, but also partly explains why it's so simple. Double clicking the .EXE file will plant a while rectangle in the system tray, and when clicked, your desktop will shrink back, and using the cursor keys or mouse wheel you can rotate to a new clean desktop.

Right clicking the rectangle allows you to add more desktops. You can open whatever you want on any desktop, though when you change desktops processes don't stop. If you have iTunes playing, you'll continues to hear it even if you're on a different desktop.

The graphical effect when changing desktops is attractive without being intrusive - flicking between desktops is quick and smooth. Unfortunately Desk Hedron doesn't support multi-monitor setups, and unlike Apple's Spaces, you can't pre-assign certain applications to specific desktops.

Despite lacking options, Desk Hedron is a lightweight program that can help clear up your cluttered monitor.

Download DeskHedron 1.0 in Softonic

When you activate the button of the program in the system tray it launches a three-dimensional vision of four desks. They can be ordered as faces of a cube, as a tapestry with all the desks in the same light or as a succession of them arranged in a row. Shock 4Way 3D has a system of keystrokes to change the view and move from one desktop to another with ease.

The combinations can be customized, but by default they are: Ctrl + Alt + `: Changes to the active window; Ctrl + Alt +1: Changes to the first screen; Ctrl + Alt +2: Changes to the second screen; Ctrl + Alt +3: Changes to the third screen and Ctrl + Alt +4: Changes to the fourth screen.

This program looks great and makes you feel like you're working with a really flashy operating system but be warned - it hogs your RAM terribly and will slow down anything else you have running unless you've got plenty of RAM installed in the first place.

A great looking program that quite literally, adds a new dimension to the way you work on multiple desktops.

Download Shock 4Way 3D 1.21 in Softonic

With ZBar you can have the Windows toolbar on all your screens, either on top or at the bottom. To make it fit your current Windows style, ZBar features a bunch of customization options, including eight different skins, support for standard or double height and a few special effects including mirror and glass.

The good thing about ZBar is that it also includes a few extra goodies, such as an optional clock and a six-month calendar, as well as a tool to use different wallpapers on each screen or just one image across all of them – which is not supported natively by Windows.

ZBar doesn’t require installation, and given its barely noticeable impact on system resources (7 MB), it’s the perfect companion for everyone with multiple-monitor computers.

ZBar makes the Windows toolbar stretch across multiple monitors, and also lets you use different wallpapers on each screen.

Download ZBar 0.81 in Softonic

Microsoft Desktops is a very simple little program from the computer giant that splits your desktop into four separate screens, navigable with a selection of keys. The idea is simple - you split the contents of your desktop between the four screens, leaving you with more space on each.

The interface is a very simple one. You chose the hotkeys you'll use to swap between one screen and another, decide if you want to run Microsoft Desktops at start-up and that's about it. The program icon will sit in the task bar when closed and by right-clicking on it, you can open up the interface or chose a particular screen from a visual representation of the four.

Some might accuse Microsoft Desktops of lacking features, but it does what it says it will without complications. Other programs might do the same and more, but sometimes you just want the basics. If that's true, then Microsoft Desktops is for you. All you have to remember is what desktop you left which application on!

Microsoft Desktops - a simple tool to maximize desktop space.

Download Microsoft Desktops 1.02 in Softonic

Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager is a simple tool to help maximize the physical space on your desktop by creating multiple virtual areas, all with their own elements. You can have up to one hundred virtual desktops, but, for most people, three or four will do.

For example, say a student is finding it hard to work with all tools that are cluttering up his or her desktop. Using Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager, one solution might go like this - one desktop with his or her college work in Word and all the websites being used for research, a second one with all the instant messaging, VOIP and social networking applications he or she uses, and a third with his or her downloads and download managers. As all of these applications are open in different "areas", they help keep each individual desktop organized and tidy.

Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager can be controlled via hotkeys, a slimline taskbar that appears when the program is active, or by right clicking the icon in the taskbar. It has lots of configuration options, especially for controlling the hotkeys, and also displays a mini version of your open desktops when you roll over the icon. It comes with a help file, but I found the program slightly buggy at times.

Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager is an easy solution for overcrowded desktops.

Download Vista/XP Virtual Desktop Manager 1.2 in Softonic

Virtual Desktop Manager Powertoy converts your single Windows Desktop into four virtual, independent desktops that provide you with a lot more space to organize and distribute windows, applications and documents. What's more, you can assign a hotkey to each one to switch between them more quickly, or just use the four buttons on your taskbar, although you'll probably need to activate this manually by right clicking on the taskbar.

The program includes a Preview function that enables you to get a sneak peek of what's going on in all four desktops. In any case, we highly recommend using different wallpapers on each one of them to avoid the initial confusion.

Multiply your desktop space by four with this easy tool

Download Virtual Desktop Manager Powertoy 1.0 in Softonic

This allows you to freely, and easily group launching programs, by any criterion. There is an illusion, like you are working on a multiscreen system, where on every screen you are launching different applications. Deskillusion is a fast/functional and small virtual desktop manager with a simple interface that gives you the option of using an amazing 100 different virtual desktops (not that you'd ever want that many!). You can switch between them using hotkeys which you can specify manually. What's more, you can assign a name to each virtual desktop such as work, leisure, games etc so you know exactly what each one contains. You can create a virtual desktop simply by right clicking on any desktop screen and creating a new one. Deletion is similarly very easy indeed. You can even send windows between virtual desktops for example, if you want to merge one desktop with another.

If you feel like you're running out of desktop space, then Desk Illusion gives you the power to create as many workspaces as you want.

Download Desk Illusion 1.1 in Softonic

So what will virtualization do for you? Well, many people use it as a way of maximizing space and efficiency while undertaking multiple tasks at once. Dexpot Portable does this by allowing you to create various virtual desktops – clones of your normal desktop that are accessed with a simple click.

Dexpot Portable allows you to create up to 20 desktops, making it particularly suitable for power users. Imagine you’re trying to edit photos and copy files at the same time. Simply use Dexpot Portable’s configuration to create 2 virtual desktops, do the editing in one, and neatly “file away” the copying to the second, which will be maintained out of sight.

This virtualization app has some great configuration options that make sure each desktop is tweaked just to your liking. You can change the desktop’s resolution, set a notification for when you come in or out, password-protect it and even customize each desktop’s appearance. Dexpot Portable also lets you tweak overall options, like how to control and visualize switching between desktops and creating rules for automated behaviors.

A lot of thought and attention has obviously gone into Dexpot Portable, meaning that an app that is obviously very useful is also a pleasure to use. We recommend taking a look at the configuration options before you start, and always bear in mind that apps like Dexpot Portable maximize your space, not your memory, so don’t expect it to facilitate any multi-app miracles!

Looking for a desktop virtualization app? Download Dexpot Portable without delay – it’s fantastic!

Download Dexpot Portable 1.5.14 in Softonic

VirtuaWin Portable is a virtual desktop manager for the Windows which lets you organize applications over several virtual desktops (also called 'workspaces'). You can create up to 20 desktops which you can chop and change to using desktop shortcuts - just hold down the Windows key and use the cursor keys.

The good thing about VirtuaWin Portable is that it can be taken anywhere on a USB stick so it's useful for those that don't have a laptop or don't have enough disk space to install the original program. Unfortunately, it seems that VirtuaWin Portable has a few bugs, most annoying of which is the gaps that sometimes appear in the taskbar when you change desktops.

VirtuaWin Portable developers say this is caused by a bug in the 'Group similar taskbar buttons' feature of the Windows taskbar which cannot always correctly handle the large number of window state changes that occur during desktop change. However, it can be remedied by disabling the taskbar option although this is quite a drastic measure to take to ensure VirtuaWin Portable works properly.

VirtuaWin Portable is a useful way to organise your Windows and desktop but this portable version is still prone to bugs.

Download VirtuaWin Portable 4.3 in Softonic

VirtuaWin is small, fast and easy-to-use and doesn't overload itself with unnecessary features. It sits in the system tray and supports the addition of small plugins without weighing down VirtuaWin. Although virtual desktops are a relatively new concept in Windows, they have been common in Unix systems for a while and although it takes some getting used to, you will find numerous advantages.

By separating different areas of your work over different workspaces, you can avoid confusions caused by mixing folders and tasks. You can also make a clearer distinction between that work which requires prioritising and that which doesn't. With plenty of add-ons to customise it according to your needs, you should find that VirtuaWin increases your productivity or even helps you decide whether to switch to Linux or not.

VirtuaWin is a simple elegant tool that brings many of the desktop sharing advantages of Linux to Windows.

Download VirtuaWin 4.3 in Softonic

Or for example, you can have one window maximized on a desktop one and one minimized on the other desktop using an external monitor.

Once you get used to using two desktops, it's probably hard to switch back and get used to using one again. However, it seems that not all windows or applications will show up on an external monitor.

Why this is is not exactly clear but it may be a bug in the program or simply that not all programs are compatible with it.