Legendary programmer Scott Hanselman, currently serving as VP and Member of Technical Staff at Microsoft, has introduced an innovative tool that brings a delightful feature from macOS to the Windows platform. Dubbed PeekDesktop, this utility allows users to click on an empty area of their desktop wallpaper, prompting all open windows to minimize instantly. A second click or switching back to any application restores the windows to their original positions, creating a seamless user experience.
This functionality closely mirrors the “click wallpaper to reveal desktop” feature found in macOS Sonoma, a capability that has been absent from Windows until now. While Windows does offer options like “Show Desktop,” Hanselman emphasizes that PeekDesktop provides a more intentional interaction. Traditional keyboard shortcuts such as Win + M and Win + D are less intuitive, with only one of them restoring the workspace effectively.
For those familiar with trackpad gestures, the four-finger swipe-down action on macOS achieves a similar effect, but PeekDesktop stands out for its simplicity and efficiency. The absence of this feature in Windows raises questions about why it wasn’t integrated sooner. Hanselman’s tool is straightforward, requiring no additional user interface or setup, and can be easily downloaded from GitHub.
I tested PeekDesktop, macOS’s click wallpaper to reveal the desktop feature for Windows
To install the Click to Reveal Desktop feature on a Windows PC, users simply need to download a 6.15 MB zip file from GitHub, extract it, and run the executable. Notably, PeekDesktop is also compatible with Windows on ARM, supporting Snapdragon-powered devices.
Once activated, the tool quietly resides in the system tray, utilizing minimal memory—under 2 megabytes when idle. Users can click on the desktop wallpaper (not icons) to minimize all windows instantly, resulting in a clean workspace for organizing files or icons without obstruction. Importantly, the tool avoids misfires when interacting with icons, ensuring usability remains intact.
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Restoring windows is equally effortless; users can click any application, the taskbar, or the wallpaper again to bring everything back to its previous state, including window positions and states. However, some quirks have been noted, such as difficulties in emptying the Recycle Bin, where right-clicking inadvertently reopens minimized applications. Additionally, the Task Manager does not respond to wallpaper clicks, remaining unaffected by the minimization process.
While the right-click menu on the desktop may behave erratically when all apps are minimized, the overall experience remains intuitive compared to traditional methods. The keyboard shortcuts Win + M and Win + D have their limitations, and the taskbar “Show Desktop” button operates similarly to PeekDesktop, but lacks the muscle memory familiarity that macOS users possess.
How PeekDesktop works
PeekDesktop operates through a set of lightweight Windows APIs, efficiently detecting desktop clicks and managing window states without disrupting normal usage. Mouse detection is facilitated by a low-level hook called SetWindowsHookEx(WHMOUSELL), allowing the app to capture clicks globally. It identifies clicks on the desktop wallpaper using WindowFromPoint to determine the cursor’s position and employs an accessibility layer through AccessibleObjectFromPoint to ensure it only responds to clicks on empty wallpaper.
Window tracking is a critical component, utilizing EnumWindows to gather information about all open windows, including their position, size, and state. When restoring windows, PeekDesktop monitors changes in the active window using SetWinEventHook(EVENTSYSTEMFOREGROUND), ensuring everything returns to its original state seamlessly.
This tool runs without requiring admin rights and is designed to be resource-efficient. Users can customize settings in the system tray, such as toggling the tool on or off, setting it to launch at startup, and checking for updates. It is advisable to enable the “Start with Windows” option, as the tool may not activate automatically upon system reboot.
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Hanselman is also working on enhancing the tool to replicate macOS-style behavior, where windows shift to the edges instead of minimizing. However, this presents challenges due to multi-monitor setups and real-time window position tracking.
As PeekDesktop continues to evolve, with recent updates reducing its download size to just 1.16 MB, it becomes increasingly clear that integrating such features into Windows could significantly enhance user experience. Once accustomed to the convenience of clicking the wallpaper to clear the workspace, reverting to keyboard shortcuts or corner buttons may feel unnecessarily cumbersome.
With Microsoft focusing on performance improvements and addressing long-standing usability issues in Windows 11, incorporating features like PeekDesktop could represent a step in the right direction, aligning with user preferences and enhancing overall productivity.
