Use Mission Control to create and organize desktop Spaces, move windows between them, assign apps to specific desktops, and adjust how macOS switches between Spaces. Most controls are in Mission Control or System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
What Mission Control and Spaces do
Mission Control gives you an overview of open windows. Its Spaces bar shows your desktops, full-screen apps, and Split View pairs, so you can move between work areas or reorganize them.
To open Mission Control, use any available method:
- Press the Mission Control key or Control–Up Arrow.
- Swipe up with three fingers on a trackpad.
- Double-tap with two fingers on a Magic Mouse.
- Drag a window to the top of the screen, if that option is enabled.
You can change the trackpad gesture in Trackpad settings, the mouse gesture in Mouse settings, and the window-drag option in System Settings > Desktop & Dock. When you open Mission Control on a second display, it shows the windows and Spaces for that display. Apple’s Mission Control guide describes these entry methods.
Add a desktop Space and switch between Spaces
Create a Space
- Open Mission Control.
- In the Spaces bar at the top of the screen, click the Add button.
- Select the new Space’s thumbnail to open it.
Apple Support says you can create up to 16 Spaces in its guide to working in multiple spaces on Mac. The guide does not state a publication year.
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#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 Spaces
Choose the method that suits your hardware and preferred controls:
| 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 a Space in the Spaces bar. |
Gesture availability can depend on your hardware and gesture settings. Apple also suggests assigning System Settings to all desktops before setting a different desktop picture for each Space; this is an optional personalization step, not a requirement for managing Spaces.
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 windows to another Space
There are two direct ways to move a window:
- Move it to the neighboring Space: Drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen and pause briefly.
- Choose a specific Space: Open the Space containing the window, enter Mission Control, then drag the window to the target Space’s thumbnail.
Dragging a window onto a full-screen app thumbnail can bring the apps together in Split View.
Keep an app on a chosen desktop
- If the app is not in the Dock, open it first.
- Control-click the app’s Dock icon.
- Choose Options > Assign To, then choose the desired setting.
The available assignments are All Desktops, This Desktop, Desktop on Display [number] when another display is available, and None. Apple documents these choices in its guide to working in multiple spaces.
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.
By default, macOS switches to a Space that contains an app’s open windows when you switch to that app. To change this, open Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock, scroll to Mission Control, and adjust the option for switching to a Space with the app’s open windows. For example, a new TextEdit document may open in a Space where TextEdit already has a window. Leave automatic switching on if you want to follow an app’s existing windows; turn it off if you prefer to remain on your current Space when activating apps.
Delete a Space or exit full-screen and Split View
Delete a desktop Space
- Open Mission Control.
- Move the pointer to the Spaces bar and hover over the Space you want to remove.
- Click the Delete button on that Space’s thumbnail.
Windows in a deleted Space move to another Space.
Exit a full-screen app or Split View
In Mission Control, find the full-screen app or Split View thumbnail in the Spaces bar and use its Exit button.
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
Adjust Mission Control and multi-display behavior
Open Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock, then scroll to Mission Control. Apple lists settings for rearranging Spaces by recent use, switching to a Space with an app’s open windows, grouping windows by application, using separate Spaces for displays, dragging windows to the screen top to enter Mission Control, keyboard shortcuts, and Hot Corners. Labels and behavior can vary by macOS version. Apple’s Desktop & Dock settings guide describes these controls.
The Displays have separate Spaces setting affects how multiple monitors behave. When it is on, the Dock is available on all displays; when it is off, the Dock appears only on the main display. Apple says this setting must be on to use Split View on other displays or Stage Manager.
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.
Set up a Hot Corner
- In System Settings > Desktop & Dock, 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 require a modifier key before a corner triggers, hold Command, Shift, Option, or Control—or a combination of them—while choosing the action. Defaults and available actions may vary by macOS version; Apple’s guide says Quick Note is the default for the bottom-right corner on the version it documents. See Apple’s Hot Corners guide.
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