To customize Mission Control and Desktop Spaces on a Mac, open Mission Control, add or remove Spaces from the Spaces bar, and use System Settings > Desktop & Dock to adjust how macOS arranges and switches between them. You can also move windows between desktops, assign apps to particular Spaces, and choose a navigation method that suits your hardware.
What Mission Control and Spaces do
Mission Control gives you an overview of open windows. Its Spaces bar shows desktop Spaces, full-screen apps, and Split View pairs, letting you move between them or organize windows without closing them. Apple documents a maximum of 16 Spaces.
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Open Mission Control by pressing the Mission Control key or Control–Up Arrow. You can also swipe up with three or four fingers on a trackpad, double-tap a Magic Mouse with two fingers, or drag a window to the top of the screen. Gesture availability depends on your device and settings. On a second display, Mission Control shows the windows and Spaces for that display.
Add a desktop Space
- Open Mission Control using one of the methods above.
- In the Spaces bar at the top of the screen, click the Add button.
- Select the new Space’s thumbnail to switch to it.
For separate desktop pictures, Apple suggests assigning System Settings to all desktops first, then changing the picture in each Space.
#1 Best Overall
- WIRELESS, RECHARGEABLE CONVENIENCE — Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad connects wirelessly to your Mac, iPad, or iPhone via Bluetooth. And the rechargeable internal battery means no loose batteries to replace.
- WORKS WITH MAC, IPAD, OR IPHONE — It pairs quickly with your device so you can get to work right away.
- ENHANCED TYPING EXPERIENCE — Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience. Its extended layout features document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys. The numeric keypad is ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- GO WEEKS WITHOUT CHARGING — The incredibly long-lasting internal battery will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges. (Battery life varies by use.) Comes with a Lightning to USB Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB port on your Mac.
- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS — Requires a Bluetooth-enabled Mac with macOS 10.12.4 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 13.4 or later, or an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 10.3 or later.
Switch between Spaces
Choose whichever method is easiest with your setup:
| Method | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | Press Control–Left Arrow or Control–Right Arrow. |
| Trackpad | Swipe left or right with three or four fingers. |
| Magic Mouse | Swipe left or right with two fingers. |
| Mission Control | Open Mission Control and select the Space’s thumbnail in the Spaces bar. |
Trackpad and mouse gestures can be customized in their respective settings, so a gesture may differ from the default or be unavailable on your device.
Rank #2
- Magic Keyboard delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It’s also wireless and rechargeable, with an incredibly long-lasting internal battery that’ll power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
- It pairs automatically with your Mac, so you can get to work straightaway.
- It features a USB-C port and includes a woven USB-C Charge Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac.
Move a window to another Space
To move a window to the next desktop, drag it to the left or right edge of the screen and pause briefly. Or use Mission Control:
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- Open Mission Control.
- Drag the window to the target Space’s thumbnail in the Spaces bar.
Dragging a window onto a full-screen app thumbnail can create a Split View pair.
Rank #3
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
Keep an app on a chosen desktop
Control-click the app’s Dock icon, choose Options, then choose an assignment under Assign To. If the app is not in the Dock, open it first. Available choices are:
- All Desktops — show the app’s windows across Spaces.
- This Desktop — assign the app to the current Space.
- Desktop on Display [number] — assign it to a desktop on another display, when one is available.
- None — remove a specific desktop assignment.
macOS normally switches to a Space containing an app’s open windows when you switch to that app. To change this behavior, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock, scroll to Mission Control, and turn off switching to a Space with open windows for the app. For example, with automatic switching enabled, a new TextEdit document may open in the Space where TextEdit already has a window.
Rank #4
- Ultra Thin Wired Keyboard: Constructed with aluminum backing, the slim keyboard's height is less than that of a penny.
- Broad Compatibility: Able to work with Apple and compatible with Windows PC operating systems
- Full Sized Extended Keyboard: Easy access to media with 20 Apple shortcut keys (cut/copy/paste, iTunes control, Volume up/down, etc.) and multimedia shortcuts for Windows PC. Also, contains a ten-key numeric keypad for easy data entry.
- Plug and Play (No Drivers Required): No need to continually change or recharge batteries of wireless keyboards
- Long Cord: 4'7" (140 cm) USB cable to connect your external keyboard to the computer
Remove a Space or exit a full-screen view
Open Mission Control, move the pointer to the Spaces bar, hover over the Space you want to remove, then click its Delete button. Any open windows in the deleted Space move to another Space. To leave a full-screen app or Split View, use the Exit button on its thumbnail in the Spaces bar.
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Open Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock, then scroll to Mission Control. The available controls include:
Best Value
- Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy and secure authentication for logins and to unlock your Mac.
- Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience.
- It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming.
- The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications.
- It’s wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.
- Automatically rearrange Spaces based on recent use.
- Switch to a Space with an app’s open windows when switching to that app.
- Group windows by application.
- Use separate Spaces for displays.
- Drag windows to the top of the screen to enter Mission Control.
- Configure Mission Control shortcuts and Hot Corners.
Turning on Displays have separate Spaces makes the Dock available on all displays. When it is off, the Dock appears only on the main display. Apple also says this option must be on to use Split View on other displays or Stage Manager.
Set up a Hot Corner
- In Desktop & Dock settings, open Hot Corners.
- Choose an action from the menu for the corner you want to configure.
- Click Done.
Available actions include Notification Center, Apps, and Lock Screen. To prevent accidental activation, hold Command, Shift, Option, or Control—or a combination of those keys—while choosing the action. Defaults and available actions can vary by macOS version; Apple’s guide lists Quick Note as the default for the bottom-right corner.
Apple’s instructions: Work in multiple spaces on Mac, Change Desktop & Dock settings, and Use Hot Corners. Apple’s pages do not identify publication dates in the retrieved content; labels and behavior may vary by macOS version.
Quick Recap
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