Mission Control gets a makeover with El Capitan. It is now easier than ever to use multiple desktops and full screen apps. A new feature of El Capitan is the ability to split a screen between two apps. Learn how to use Mission Control to become more productive.
Comments: 15 Responses to “Mission Control and Split View”
Tripp Frohlichstein
9 years ago
Is there a way to have the same app open in multiple desktops-such as notes?
So one desktop might have Calendar and notes and the other might have Word and Notes?
Definitely. The Notes app lets you open multiple windows -- just double-click on the note in the left sidebar to pop it out as a window. Then use Mission Control to put one window on one desktop and one window on the other.
Or, if you mean you want a single Notes window (the main one, for instance) shown on more than one desktop at the same time, then Control+click Notes on the Dock and select Options, Assign To: All Desktops.
Bob Riley
9 years ago
Very timely, Gary. I just upgraded to El Capitan and was about to look around and play with Mission Control and Split Screen. Thank you for the always helpful heads-up.
Brian Neely
9 years ago
Excellent and long overdue
John Stires
9 years ago
I've use this and find it ruins whatever order my windows were in in the 1st place. For example, I keep Mail in my 1st window, Firefox in Window 2, Photoshop in 3, Bridge in 4, and so on. Once I select split screen all bets are off, the sort order is in chaos. The fourth window could be labeled Window 2. I've tried to make repeatable moves without success, it just seems chaotic... which makes it not worth fooling with. I typically keep 6 windows open and it's easy to swipe to get to them. MBP
It is useful to think of Split View as the same as Full Screen, but with two apps instead of one. Definitely go with multiple desktops if you want the most control over where everything is exactly.
JC
9 years ago
When I open Mission Control, I have Dashboard on the top bar in addition to Desktop. Is this normal? You don't have Dashboard in your video.
Dashboard is now off by default. You can turn it on in System Preferences, Mission Control. Sounds like you just have it on, while I have it set to the default.
Bill Toney
9 years ago
Another great instruction video - Thank you.
Are there some apps the split screen won't work with? For example: Quicken and Excel. For some reason I can't seem to make them work in split screen.
Yes, probably. I'm sure they need to be built with all the latest developer libraries. There will always be some third-party apps that don't play the same rules. Many games, for instance, don't even run in a traditional "window" at all.
Larry
9 years ago
Gary, thanks ever so much for this. Took days to download ElCap, an hour to install and your 5 min video actually made it worthwhile and VERY easy to use.
Larry
2015OC07 16:30 Sydney Australia
Jörg
9 years ago
Hi Gary,
On my 13" MBP, I cannot figure out how to get Keynote and Pages - my most often used combination of two apps running simultaneously - to come up with the screen spilt down the center. Once I choose either one to go to split view, all I get is "Not available in full screen" on the other.
Thanks, Jörg
Keynote doesn't work in Split View. Makes sense since it is a presentation tool that is meant to take over the full screen. They could have made it where you could edit your presentation in Split View, but then it would get confusing and complicated when you try to play your presentation. The real bug here is that it shouldn't even let you try to go into Split View starting with Keynote.
Pages, on the other hand works find in Split View with other apps.
Jörg
9 years ago
As a teacher, I write daily lesson plans. I take those plans and then use Keynote as the visual instruction aid in class. While I agree that Keynote looks best in full screen mode, for my workflow in developing presentations and plans, I need at least those two apps open at the same time and normally, Safari needs to be running as well. Seems to me, Apple should really give us a choice which apps we need to work in split view. As is, I won't have much use for it.
Jörg
9 years ago
Hurray! The latest update for Keynote and Pages now makes it possible to use the two apps for editing in split view.
Naturally, I am taking full credit...
Is there a way to have the same app open in multiple desktops-such as notes?
So one desktop might have Calendar and notes and the other might have Word and Notes?
Definitely. The Notes app lets you open multiple windows -- just double-click on the note in the left sidebar to pop it out as a window. Then use Mission Control to put one window on one desktop and one window on the other.
Or, if you mean you want a single Notes window (the main one, for instance) shown on more than one desktop at the same time, then Control+click Notes on the Dock and select Options, Assign To: All Desktops.
Very timely, Gary. I just upgraded to El Capitan and was about to look around and play with Mission Control and Split Screen. Thank you for the always helpful heads-up.
Excellent and long overdue
I've use this and find it ruins whatever order my windows were in in the 1st place. For example, I keep Mail in my 1st window, Firefox in Window 2, Photoshop in 3, Bridge in 4, and so on. Once I select split screen all bets are off, the sort order is in chaos. The fourth window could be labeled Window 2. I've tried to make repeatable moves without success, it just seems chaotic... which makes it not worth fooling with. I typically keep 6 windows open and it's easy to swipe to get to them. MBP
It is useful to think of Split View as the same as Full Screen, but with two apps instead of one. Definitely go with multiple desktops if you want the most control over where everything is exactly.
When I open Mission Control, I have Dashboard on the top bar in addition to Desktop. Is this normal? You don't have Dashboard in your video.
Dashboard is now off by default. You can turn it on in System Preferences, Mission Control. Sounds like you just have it on, while I have it set to the default.
Another great instruction video - Thank you.
Are there some apps the split screen won't work with? For example: Quicken and Excel. For some reason I can't seem to make them work in split screen.
Yes, probably. I'm sure they need to be built with all the latest developer libraries. There will always be some third-party apps that don't play the same rules. Many games, for instance, don't even run in a traditional "window" at all.
Gary, thanks ever so much for this. Took days to download ElCap, an hour to install and your 5 min video actually made it worthwhile and VERY easy to use.
Larry
2015OC07 16:30 Sydney Australia
Hi Gary,
On my 13" MBP, I cannot figure out how to get Keynote and Pages - my most often used combination of two apps running simultaneously - to come up with the screen spilt down the center. Once I choose either one to go to split view, all I get is "Not available in full screen" on the other.
Thanks, Jörg
Keynote doesn't work in Split View. Makes sense since it is a presentation tool that is meant to take over the full screen. They could have made it where you could edit your presentation in Split View, but then it would get confusing and complicated when you try to play your presentation. The real bug here is that it shouldn't even let you try to go into Split View starting with Keynote.
Pages, on the other hand works find in Split View with other apps.
As a teacher, I write daily lesson plans. I take those plans and then use Keynote as the visual instruction aid in class. While I agree that Keynote looks best in full screen mode, for my workflow in developing presentations and plans, I need at least those two apps open at the same time and normally, Safari needs to be running as well. Seems to me, Apple should really give us a choice which apps we need to work in split view. As is, I won't have much use for it.
Hurray! The latest update for Keynote and Pages now makes it possible to use the two apps for editing in split view.
Naturally, I am taking full credit...