ShowDesktop Alternatives: Tools to Hide Your Workspace Fast

ShowDesktop Alternatives: Tools to Hide Your Workspace Fast

Quick built-in options

• Windows — Show desktop / Win+D: minimizes or restores all windows.
• macOS — Show Desktop (F11 or Fn+F11) / Mission Control: reveal desktop or use Hot Corners.
• Linux (most DEs) — Workspace switch / Show Desktop shortcut: often Super+D or a configurable hotkey.

Lightweight utilities (Windows)

• PowerToys (Microsoft): offers window management utilities and customizable hotkeys.
• AutoHotkey: scriptable — create a one-key “show desktop” or more advanced hide/restore behaviors.
• VirtuaWin / Dexpot: virtual desktop managers to move clutter to other desktops.
• ShowDesktop++: small utility that replicates/minimizes windows with extra options.

macOS utilities

• BetterTouchTool: custom gestures/hotkeys to call Show Desktop or hide apps.
• Hammerspoon: Lua scripting for precise hide/minimize workflows.
• Magnet / Rectangle: mainly window tiling but can be combined with shortcuts to declutter.

Linux tools & approaches

• Window manager built-ins: GNOME/KDE/Xfce offer Show Desktop or workspace shortcuts (often configurable).
• Tiling WMs (i3, Sway, bspwm): keep focused windows visible; configure keybindings to hide others or switch layouts.
• Devilspie2 / wmctrl: scripting utilities to minimize or move windows programmatically.

Browser-based / privacy note

• If you need to quickly hide browser content, most browsers support extensions to blank tabs or toggle a privacy cover; otherwise use the OS-level Show Desktop.

Recommendation (practical)

• For one-key convenience on Windows: use Win+D or an AutoHotkey script for custom behavior.
• On macOS: enable Hot Corners for Show Desktop or use BetterTouchTool/Hammerspoon for flexible hiding.
• On Linux: bind Super+D or write a small wmctrl/devilspie2 script, or adopt a tiling WM for focus-first workflows.

If you want, I can generate a ready-to-use AutoHotkey script (Windows) or a Hammerspoon snippet (macOS) to implement a custom “hide other windows / show only current” behavior.