macOS creates multiple desktops—called Spaces—to group windows, cut clutter, and let you jump between tasks using Mission Control or trackpad swipes.
Your Mac is showing “Desktop 2,” “Desktop 3,” and friends because macOS uses Spaces—extra desktops that keep windows sorted by task. They’re handy once you know what creates them and how to drive them today.
Why Your Mac Has Multiple Desktops: The Real Causes
Those extra desktops don’t appear at random. Common triggers include:
- You made an app full screen. A full-screen window lives in its own Space. Close full screen to bring it back to your main desktop.
- You used Split View. Two apps side-by-side create a separate Space while that layout is active.
- You added a Space in Mission Control. The “+” button creates a fresh desktop for a project or meeting.
- You use more than one display. With “Displays have separate Spaces” on, each monitor gets its own set of desktops.
- Stage Manager is on. It organizes windows, and you might think it’s a new desktop when it’s just a staged set.
| Trigger Or Clue | What It Means | How To Control It |
|---|---|---|
| App went full screen | macOS created a Space for that app | Exit full screen or swipe to another Space |
| Split View layout | Two windows share a Space | Exit Split View to return those windows |
| Clicked “+” in Mission Control | You made a new desktop | Hover its thumbnail and click × to remove |
| External monitor added | Each display carries separate Spaces | Toggle “Displays have separate Spaces” if needed |
| Stage Manager showing stacks | It’s a window set, not a Space | Turn Stage Manager off or keep using Spaces with it |
Apple documents Spaces as part of Mission Control, where you can make, view, and remove desktops from the bar at the top of the screen.
What Spaces Are And Why They Help
Think of each Space as a clean surface. One can hold your browser and notes, another your editor and terminal, a third your meeting apps. Only the windows in the current Space are visible, which keeps focus tight and screens tidy.
You can create up to 16 Spaces, which is plenty for most workflows. A few focused desktops beat one crowded one.
See All Desktops And Move Around Fast
With Mission Control
Press Control + Up Arrow to open Mission Control. Your open windows fan out. Along the top, you’ll see thumbnails named “Desktop 1,” “Desktop 2,” and any full-screen apps. Point to a thumbnail to preview; click to switch.
With The Trackpad
Swipe left or right with four fingers to slide across desktops. Set your swipe in Trackpad settings and try the double-tap for Mission Control if you like that gesture.
Apple’s gesture list lives in Trackpad settings.
With The Keyboard
Open Mission Control with Control + Up Arrow. To jump directly, add per-Space shortcuts in System Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control and bind “Move left a space” and “Move right a space.”
With A Mouse Or Hot Corner
If you use a Magic Mouse, swipe with two fingers to move between desktops. A fast option is a Hot Corner that triggers Mission Control when you flick the pointer to a corner.
Set Preferences That Shape Spaces
Displays Have Separate Spaces
On multi-monitor setups, you can choose whether each display keeps its own row of desktops. Go to System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Mission Control. Turn “Displays have separate Spaces” on when you want each monitor to switch independently. Turn it off if you prefer one giant desktop spread across displays.
Switch To A Space With Open Windows
In the same pane, the option “When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application” sends you to the desktop where that app already lives. Turn it off if you prefer staying put and bring the window to your current Space.
Apple explains both switches under Desktop & Dock settings.
Create Or Remove Desktops Cleanly
Create A New Desktop
Open Mission Control, then move the pointer to the top-right and click the + button. Drag windows onto the new desktop to keep related work together.
Close An Extra Desktop
Open Mission Control, hover a desktop thumbnail, then click the ×. macOS moves any windows from that Space to the previous desktop, so no work gets lost. Tip: close a full-screen app with the green button if that Space only exists for that one window.
Use Wallpaper As Labels
Spaces don’t have names in the interface, yet different wallpapers act like labels. Set a distinct image per Space so you always know where you landed.
Keep Full Screen From Spawning Desktops
Full screen always creates a Space. If you want a larger window without a new desktop, use the green button’s menu to choose a tiling layout, or just resize the window. Tiling pairs windows on one desktop so you can work side-by-side without generating an extra Space.
Shortcuts And Gestures Cheat Sheet
| Action | Shortcut Or Gesture | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open Mission Control | Control + Up Arrow | Also works: F3 on many keyboards |
| App Exposé (front app windows) | Control + Down Arrow | Great for picking a buried window |
| Move left/right a Space | Your custom keys | Set in Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control |
| Swipe between desktops | Four-finger swipe | Set in Trackpad → More Gestures |
| Add a desktop | Mission Control → + | Up to 16 total Spaces |
| Delete a desktop | Mission Control → × | Windows move to the previous Space |
Fixes For Common Annoyances
Trackpad Swipes Do Nothing
Open System Settings → Trackpad → More Gestures. Turn on the swipe between full-screen apps setting and the Mission Control gesture. Try both three and four fingers to see what feels right.
Control + Arrow Doesn’t Switch Desktops
Open System Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control. Bind “Move left a Space” and “Move right a Space.” If the keys clash with another app, pick a different combo.
Other Monitor Goes Black When An App Is Full Screen
Turn on “Displays have separate Spaces” in Desktop & Dock → Mission Control. With that on, each monitor keeps its own content when a window goes full screen.
Apps Jump To Other Desktops
Turn off “When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application.” Then open the app’s window menu and choose an option to move that window to your current desktop.
Clean, Repeatable Workflows
Give Each Space A Job
Make Desktop 1 your comms hub, Desktop 2 your writing kit, Desktop 3 your media tools. Keep the set small and consistent so muscle memory kicks in.
Use Hot Corners Or Function Keys
Assign a Hot Corner for Mission Control so you can flick to the map of desktops without thinking. If you use a keyboard with an F3 button, it toggles Mission Control as well.
Drag Windows Between Desktops
Open Mission Control, then drag a window up onto a desktop thumbnail. This is the fastest way to tidy a Space without closing anything.
Pair Spaces With Stage Manager
Stage Manager can sit on top of Spaces. Keep Spaces for broad tasks, then switch sets inside each Space with Stage Manager when you need a quick change of tools.
When Fewer Desktops Is Better
If extra desktops feel noisy, prune them. Use just two or three, and rely on App Exposé or Stage Manager for the rest. The goal is steady focus with quick hops, not a maze of places to get lost.
Multiple Displays: Best Practices
Two monitors multiply your canvas. Decide how you want them to behave. If you present or screen-share on one display, turn on separate Spaces so your work screen stays steady while the shared screen flips between slides, code, or demos. If you edit photos or video and need one giant surface, turn separate Spaces off so windows can span both panels.
Dock placement can help. Put the Dock on the side farthest from your main menu bar so you don’t brush it while mousing between screens.
Keep the number of desktops modest on each display. A few clear Spaces per monitor keeps navigation quick. If you add new displays often, reset your desktop set once in a while to remove old, empty thumbnails.
Faster Habits That Stick
Open Mission Control often. The more you use that bird’s-eye view, the faster your brain maps where windows live. Peek at it for five seconds between task switches and you’ll spend less time hunting for buried work.
Use one trick per input method. For the keyboard, pick just two combos: open Mission Control, and move left or right a Space. For the trackpad, pick a single swipe for desktop moves. For the mouse, grab a Hot Corner.
Color code Spaces with wallpaper families. Warm palettes for creative work, cool palettes for admin tasks. Your eyes will learn the cues and you’ll stop guessing where you are.
Myths, Busted
“More Desktops Make My Mac Slow.”
Spaces don’t run copies of macOS. They’re views of the same set of apps. If things feel heavy, it’s usually the number of open windows, not the count of desktops. Close stale tabs and quit idle apps before you blame the extra desktops.
“I Can’t Move A Window To Another Desktop.”
You can. Open Mission Control and drag the window onto a desktop thumbnail. If the app resists, it may be in full screen. Exit full screen, then try again slowly.