You can quickly access the desktop by using Show Desktop instead of closing or minimizing each app.

Fastest methods (Windows)

  • Press Windows key + D to instantly toggle between your open windows and the desktop.
  • Click the thin “Show desktop” area at the far right end of the taskbar (next to the clock) to hide all windows and show the desktop; click again to bring them back.
  • Press Windows key + M to minimize all windows (Windows key + Shift + M restores them).

For the question “how can you quickly access the desktop when you have many applications open?”, the expected answer is: Clicking the Show Desktop icon / button.

TL;DR: Don’t close apps—use Windows+D or the Show Desktop button to jump to the desktop in one step.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.