At CES 2026, a software company called OpenWorkspace introduced a major redesign of the personal desktop. Rather than a simple wallpaper with icons, OpenWorkspace is a desktop automation platform that treats your screen as a spatial environment. It allows users to save and instantly restore entire “workstates,” ensuring that the correct apps and files are always exactly where they were left.
The main innovation of the OpenWorkspace platform is its patented “dual region” interface, which they call FocalContextual. Traditional desktops treat every part of the screen with equal importance, which can be distracting. OpenWorkspace divides the display area into two distinct zones. The central region is dedicated to “Focal” work, where your primary task or main document remains anchored and undisturbed.
The surrounding region is the “Contextual” zone. This area is reserved for supporting materials like research tabs, communication apps, or reference files. This layout ensures that while you focus on a specific project, your supporting tools remain visible and accessible in the periphery without cluttering your main workspace. By defining these specific regions, the software aims to reduce the “friction” of task switching, allowing the brain to maintain a higher level of concentration for longer periods.
How does this affect the digital environment?
One of the most frustrating parts of modern computing is setting up your digital workspace after a reboot or a lunch break. OpenWorkspace automates this process by capturing the exact position and state of every open window. When a user switches from a “Finance” workspace to a “Design” workspace, the software moves every relevant window into place in seconds. It can even restore specific browser tabs and scrolled positions within documents.
This automation is specifically optimized for large displays and multi-monitor setups. For professionals who use three or more screens, the manual effort of dragging windows to their preferred monitors can take several minutes every day. OpenWorkspace removes this step entirely. By treating the desktop as a set of saved environments, the platform allows professionals to jump between different types of work as easily as changing a tab in a browser.
How does it handle attention fragmentation
The designers of OpenWorkspace cite recent research on human attention spans as the inspiration for their redesign. Frequent interruptions and the need to search for buried windows contribute to “attention fragmentation,” which makes it harder to achieve a “flow state” in work. The platform is designed to act as a digital assistant that holds your place in every project.
By keeping supporting material visible in the Contextual zone, the system prevents the need to minimize and maximize windows repeatedly. This visual stability helps the brain stay “anchored” in the task. The platform also includes smart organization features that group related files and apps together automatically based on the project you are currently working on. This reduces the cognitive load required to manage a complex digital life.
What you need to know about compatibility
OpenWorkspace is designed to sit on top of existing operating systems rather than replacing them. At the CES launch, the company demonstrated the platform working seamlessly with both Windows 11 and the latest versions of macOS. It integrates with major productivity suites like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Adobe Creative Cloud. This ensures that users do not have to change the apps they already use; they simply use them in a more organized way.
The software also features a minimalist design that avoids adding more “bloat” to the system. It uses very little memory and is designed to work in the background without slowing down the computer. The interface uses a geometric, clean aesthetic that matches modern professional hardware. For users who work in offices with “hot desking,” OpenWorkspace allows them to log into any computer and have their specific multi-monitor layout restored instantly.
OpenWorkspace was officially unveiled on January 5, 2026, at CES in Las Vegas. The company is offering the platform through a subscription model, with a “Pro” version designed for individual power users and an “Enterprise” version for large teams.
