How to Set Up Multiple Desktops on Mac

If your Mac screen gets cluttered with too many open windows, multiple desktops (called Spaces on Mac) can help. Spaces let you create separate virtual desktops — for example, one for work with your email and documents, another for web browsing, and a third for personal tasks. You switch between them with a swipe or keyboard shortcut, keeping each workspace clean and focused.

To see your current desktops, swipe up with three fingers on your trackpad (or press Control + Up Arrow on your keyboard). This opens Mission Control, which shows all your open windows and your desktop spaces as thumbnails across the top of the screen.

To create a new desktop, move your mouse to the top-right corner of the Mission Control view. A "+" button will appear. Click it to add a new desktop. You can create as many desktops as you need, though 2 to 4 is typical for most people.

To move a window to a different desktop, open Mission Control (three-finger swipe up or Control + Up Arrow). Then click and drag any window from the center of the screen up to the desktop thumbnail where you want it. Release the window to move it to that desktop.

To switch between desktops, swipe left or right with three fingers on your trackpad. You can also press Control + Left Arrow or Control + Right Arrow on your keyboard. Each swipe takes you to the next desktop, and the transition is smooth enough that it feels like sliding between screens.

You can assign specific apps to always open on a particular desktop. Right-click (or Control-click) an app icon in the Dock, go to "Options," and under "Assign To," choose a specific desktop. For example, you can set Mail to always appear on Desktop 2, so whenever you click its icon, it takes you to that desktop.

To remove a desktop you no longer need, open Mission Control and hover over the desktop thumbnail you want to remove. An "X" button will appear in its corner. Click it to close that desktop. Any windows on that desktop will move to an adjacent desktop — nothing is lost.

Multiple desktops work particularly well when paired with full-screen apps. Open an app in full screen (by clicking the green button in the top-left corner of any window), and it automatically becomes its own separate Space that you can swipe to.