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How to Use Multiple Desktops on Mac and Windows: We may work with more than one application window at a time. In a typical workflow, you would put the windows in a certain place, change their size or position, or move them to find information.
This constant juggling puts too much stress on the brain, which leads to a lack of focus, getting sidetracked, and a messy desk. To deal with this, Apple came out with Mission Control, which lets you use more than one desktop at the same time. Surprisingly many users don’t know about this feature or don’t understand how to use it. Visit their Official website for more support.
How to Use Multiple Desktops on Windows
- On the taskbar, select Task View – a little icon showing overlaid panels – then New desktop
- Simply open the apps that you want to use on that desktop
- Simply open the apps that you want to use on that desktop
- If you want to switch between desktops, click on Task View again or hold the Windows Key at the same time as the Tab key. You’ll see the available desktops at the top of the screen.
How to Use Multiple Desktops on Mac
- Firstly, you’ll need to open Mission Control. This can be done through two methods:
- Trackpad: Swipe up on your MacBook’s trackpad with three fingers.
- Keyboard: Click the Mission Control key (located on the top strip of your Mac keyboard in the form of the F3 key or Touch Bar). Alternatively, use the Control + Up button keyboard combination.
- Click the Add button located on the far right hand side of the screen. This will open another desktop space for your Mac. You’re able to create up to 16 spaces.
- Enter that newly opened desktop by clicking its thumbnail.
Navigate between different desktops
- Once you have more than one desktop available to use, one of the ways to navigate between them is through the touchpad. Swipe left with three fingers on your trackpad to access the next desktop space. For example, doing so on your primary desktop (Desktop 1) will open Desktop 2. Similarly, if you’re within Desktop 2, swipe right on the trackpad with three fingers to jump back to Desktop 1.
- Click the Mission Control button on your keyboard (F3) and click the desktop you want to access on the top strip.
- Keyboard shortcuts: Click the Control button + Right Arrow key together or Control + the Left Arrow to seamlessly navigate through different desktop spaces.
Why do you need more desktops?
You might not understand right away why the single Mac workspace you’ve been using for as long as you’ve had a Mac is not enough. But think about it: how many apps are open at the same time? How many apps do you use every day? How many apps do you minimize on your Mac to save space?
How many apps on your Mac are still running because you forgot about them? Managing desktops on a Mac is another way to improve the way you work. Instead of hiding and showing apps, you can focus better and get more done by swiping between desktops.
- Organizing open apps. With multiple desktop spaces, you can have all your essential apps open and waiting for you. No more minimizing and quitting apps. Once you know how to switch between desktops on Mac and organize your apps properly, the benefits become immediately apparent.
- Finding the right tools faster. Those who have several apps open often spend far too much time trying to find the app they want to use. Sometimes it’s minimized, other times the app is in the background. With multiple desktops you can move between unique environments instead of hunting for the app you want to use.
- Great for multiple monitors. When you have several desktops and multiple monitors, displays have separate spaces Mac alone can’t do. You can extend your display across monitors and configure your virtual desktops to display in the order you want.
FAQs
On the taskbar, select the Task view icon, then select New desktop. Open the apps you want to use on that desktop. To switch to another desktop, select Task view again.
Although Windows and Mac keyboards feature most of the same keys, there are a few that differ. When using a Windows keyboard on a Mac, the Windows key is used instead of the Command key, and the Alt key is used in place of the Option key.
If you don’t have a monitor to plug into your Windows or Mac laptop as a second screen but you have an HDMI port and a second Windows or Mac laptop, you can do it. You can use a video capture device that costs around $25 to use the second laptop as a second screen for your primary laptop.