One of the things that the Mac system has is the ease of handling and productivity so high that you can have when you know all its secrets. I have been in front of Mac for more than 8 years and today I know many forms and procedures existing in the system but as time goes by I realize that macOS is a system full of surprises.
In this article I am going to show you how to change the desktop without having to use the trackpad or mouse, that is, using a keyboard shortcut.
In the Mac system there is the possibility of creating multiple desktops in which to locate the applications that you are opening so that with a simple gesture of sliding four fingers on a trackpad or two fingers on the Magic Mouse, you go from one to other. The truth is that I have always used the procedure with the trackpad and the Magic Mouse, but for some time now, in which I am learning all possible keyboard shortcuts to increase my speed in the systemI've been using the existing keyboard shortcut to switch between desktops.
This keyboard shortcut is very simple and you only have to press the «control» key with the left hand and the right or left arrows with the right. That way you get the desks to show up. If, in addition, you keep the window of an application selected by continuously clicking on the title bar of the same and then you make the shortcut that I have mentioned, what happens is that the application remains fixed on the screen and when you change the desktop behind it, the effect is that the application window changes the desktop.
At times, we may work with multiple application windows at once. In a typical workflow, you’d place the windows in a particular location, resize or rearrange them, or move them to uncover information. This constant juggling puts undue stress on the brain, resulting in loss of focus, distraction, and desktop clutter.
To counter this, Apple launched a multiple desktop feature in the form of Mission Control. A surprising number of users either don’t know about this feature or have some confusion about using it. So we’ll show you how to use multiple desktops on your Mac and take control of your screen space below.
Why Do I Need More Desktops?
Screen space is a limited resource for computer users. To increase the workspace, you can either plug in a second monitor or use a virtual desktop. Virtual desktops expand the space available for application windows by allowing you to switch between workspaces.
Here are some examples to show you the different organization strategies for using multiple desktops:
- By Task: You have one desktop for each project. For example, each desktop could contain a code editor, testing, and documentation related to its project.
- By Subtask: You work on a single project and devote one desktop to each task, like editing, with a second desktop for testing, and a third for documentation.
- Primary/Secondary: Use one desktop for work, a second for email, and a third for web browsing.
- By Application: You devote software groups to a desktop by type rather than by task.
What application you choose in each desktop is up to you. Virtual desktops provide an excellent organizational aid by helping you stay focussed on a task while reducing the need to move windows constantly.
Using Mission Control and Desktop Spaces
Mission Control offers a bird’s eye view of your open Mac windows, full-screen apps, split-view apps, and desktop spaces. To access Mission Control, do any of the following:
- Swipe up with four fingers from the trackpad.
- Double-tap the Magic Mouse with two fingers.
- Press the F3 button on the keyboard.
- Launch Mission Control from Spotlight.
The ribbon at the top of the screen lists the desktop spaces. In the screenshot, you’ll see four spaces, numbered Desktop 1 to Desktop 4. You can rearrange the order of the spaces by dragging and dropping them. As you do so, it re-numbers the desktops accordingly.
How to Create and Navigate Desktop Spaces
Hover your pointer to the far-right edge of the ribbon, then click the plus [+] sign to create a new desktop space. It’s possible to create up to 16 spaces, though you won’t need that many unless you’re working on a complicated project.
Move your pointer over the desktop, then click the X located in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail to remove a desktop. You can navigate between desktops using three-finger horizontal swipes on a trackpad or Control + Arrow keys on a keyboard.
How to Move a Window to Another Desktop Space
Open Mission Control. Hover your pointer over an application window [it’ll get highlighted with a blue border], then drag-and-drop the window to your desired desktop space. Or, grab the window by its title bar and press the Control + Arrow keys to move the window left or right.
Advanced Tips for Working With Mission Control
There are some advanced tips and tricks you can use to develop a workflow strategy with Mission Control. You’ll find navigating and using apps with multiple desktops even easier.
Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Spaces
Keyboard shortcuts are by far the quickest way to jump between desktop spaces. Head to System Preferences > Keyboard, then select the Shortcuts tab. Click on Mission Control in the left sidebar, and check its corresponding shortcut in the right sidebar.
Then, simply type the number of the desktop space you want to go by holding down the Control key. You’ll immediately jump to that space.
Assign Apps to Specific Desktops
It’s possible to assign applications to specific desktops, so they can always be found in the same place. To assign an app, create the desktop and navigate to it. Open your app of choice, and Control-click its icon in the dock. Under Options, select Assign to this Desktop and, in the future, the app will always open in the selected space.
Assign Wallpapers to Each Space
Once you’ve created a new desktop, you can use the standard System Preference > Desktop & Screensaver menu to pick a wallpaper. The wallpaper you choose will remain the same, even if you reorder your desktops.
Turn Off Automatic Space Rearrangement
While working with desktop spaces, you’ll notice something odd. The desktops seem to rearrange themselves automatically, based on the most recent use. So Desktop 4 can work its way to become Desktop 1 if the apps on Desktop 4 have been recently used.
If you find this behavior confusing, open the System Preference > Mission Control and uncheck the box next to Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.
You might want to check Displays have separate spaces if you use a second monitor and want an independent set of desktop spaces for each display. For a dual-monitor setup, you can have up to 32 desktops, and each display has its own menu bar.
Use Quick Look in Mission Control
If you have a lot of windows on one screen, it can be difficult to see what’s next. When you highlight a window with your mouse and press Space, the application window will zoom in and provide you a better view.
Quick Look comes handy when you have windows grouped by application. Here are some essential Quick Look tips for previewing files.
Use App Exposé and Show Desktop
As the name suggests, App Exposé removes desktop clutter to reveal all the open windows of a chosen app. To launch App Exposé, select your app and press Control + down arrow. Then, select the desired window by clicking on it.
The Show Desktop feature clears the desktop of all open windows by pushing them off the edge of the screen. This allows you to peek at the desktop quickly without minimizing the apps.
Keep Your App Windows Organized for a Tidy Desktop
Mission Control solves the problem of organizing multiple application windows with a few keystrokes. However, desktop management in Mac is still rudimentary and does not offer many features. Luckily, there are lots of third-party tools for managing windows to keep them organized.