How to rename Virtual Desktops in Windows 10 v1511?

Question

With the v1511 version update on Windows 10 Virtual Desktops now are named with quotation marks. Does this mean that you can rename them now?

I also discovered a registry key called "VirtualDesktopIDs" under

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\VirtualDesktops

which changes, when you add Virtual Desktops and when you remove them. I didn't try changing the key manually yet and can't find any documentation online.

Answer 1

I cannot reproduce the quoted numbers on any of my machines. However, no, you still can't rename desktops. What you see in that registry key appears to just be a unique identifier, as it changes each time you remove and re-add a desktop.

I decided to run ProcMon while creating and removing desktops, and confirmed there was no registry key or file being used during that time that contained "Desktop 1", Desktop 2", etc. I suspect the names are generated on the fly and the "Desktop" part is hard-coded in a DLL somewhere. The only place I found those IDs referenced was in various keys under

"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SessionInfo\1\ApplicationViewManagement"

which I presume are to keep track of which desktop applications were last opened in.