Sets is the implementation of the tabbed shell for Windows 10 which will allow app grouping exactly like tabs in a browser. When enabled, Sets will allow combining windows from different apps in a tabbed view. By default, the Alt+Tab window switcher shows windows and tabs, but you can hide tabs from there, so it will show only opened windows.
The main idea behind Sets is to provide the user a way to organize your workspace efficiently: your opened web sites in a browser, documents in a word processor - every app connected with a single task can be grouped together in a single window.
Here's the official announcement of the feature:
Sets: With all the elements that go into a task, sometimes convincing yourself to get started is the hardest part. Sets help you keep webpages, documents, files, and apps connected, while remaining just one click away. When you close a file that includes a group of tabs, we’ll help you bring those tabs back to life the next time you open it. Whether it’s something you pick up later in the day or in a couple weeks, Sets is being designed to help you keep the important things together.
Add tabs to apps: To help fuel Sets, most apps will be able to add app and web tabs. When you select a link in something like an e-mail, it’ll open in a new tab next to the app you were using. Selecting the plus (+) in an app will take you to a new tab page, which will help you jump to your next location. You might already know where you want to go, or just need a little bit of inspiration. From here, you’ll be able to search your PC and the internet, access customized feeds, open frequently used websites and apps, and get suggestions based on your recent activity.
To hide tabs in Alt+Tab in Windows 10, do the following.
- Open the Settings app.
- Navigate to System - Multitasking.
- On the right, go to the option Pressing Alt+Tab shows the most recently used.
- In the drop-down list, select Windows only. The default value of the option is Windows and tabs.
You are done.
The option can be configured with a Registry tweak.
Configure Alt + Tab behavior for Sets with a Registry tweak
To hide or show window tabs in the Alt + Tab view with a Registry tweak, you need to change the value data of the DWORD (32-bit) value AltTabExcludeInactiveTabs under the following Registry branch.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Tip: See how to go to a Registry key with one click.
Setting it to 1 will hide Tabs from Alt + Tab. A value data of 0 is the default value, meaning Tabs will be visible in Alt + Tab.
Note: Even if you are running 64-bit Windows you must still create a 32-bit DWORD value.
Note: The final version of the Sets feature may come with Windows 10 Redstone 5. This could change if Microsoft prioritizes the Sets feature to ship with Redstone 4 but as of this writing, that does not seem to be the case. Also, the name for Sets may change in the final release.
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