Mac Basics: Mission Control

Learn how to use Mission Control on your Mac to have multiple Desktops, also called Spaces, that make it seem like you have more than one display.

Comments: 16 Responses to “Mac Basics: Mission Control”

    Martin
    3 years ago

    Hi Gary, just saw your tutorial. Usually I have opened approx. 15 apps. Each of then at its own screen. Just the first screen could be reached out by a shortcut Crtl+1. Using arrow keys with Crtl you can swipe from left to right and vice versa. Any idea to create a short cut to reach directly the each of that screens? Appreciating your help very much. Its a great channel, I hope to learn more from you!
    Greetings from Essen, Germany

    3 years ago

    Martin: Look in System Preferences, Keyboard, Shortcuts, Mission Control. You'll see there are shortcuts you can activate for Desktops 1 through 4. But you can also just use the App Switcher (Hold Command, press Tab) to switch apps, which would take you to the Space with that app. Or any other method to switch to an app.

    Greg
    3 years ago

    I don't seem to be able to get split view to work on my MacBook. I've checked the settings in Mission Control, but can only get one app loaded into the split view. it always says other app no available for split view. not sure what I am doing wrong. Thanks

    3 years ago

    Greg: Not all apps can do Split View. Which apps are you trying?

    Greg
    3 years ago

    got it fixed by unchecking and restarting

    Sandi
    3 years ago

    Curious how/if Mission Control would work with Zoom, FaceTime, Team Viewer and other screen sharing of desktops. In other words if I had 2+ desktops and Zoom on one could I keep a Zoom session going on a second desktop and hear it while working on things full screen on a different desktop? Can I choose which desktop to share in FT or choose which screen to access with Team Viewer?
    This was quite informative as I have never used Mission Control before. Eager to give it a try.

    Gary Travers
    3 years ago

    Hello Gary, love your stuff, keep it up. I've tried Mission Control so many times before and have always drifted back to plain, old and simple Command-Tab.

    Rocky
    3 years ago

    I discovered that the split screen feature only works on Mac OS Catalina and above. I could upgrade to Catalina, but certain apps (that I use often) don't work on it. To make matters worse, the companies that created the apps have also gone out of business and there's no longer support for them. Do you know of an equivalent to the background app Quickeys (the keyboard shortcut creator). They went out of business a few years ago and the app only works now on Mojave.

    3 years ago

    Rocky: It depends on what you want to do. There's a lot that can be done in macOS without anything like that. Ask in the forum (link in the Nav Bar above) about the specific types of things you need to do and I'll see if I can help.

    Sandy
    3 years ago

    Hi Gary! Thanks so much for sharing your many tips and info on Macs! I've been trying to figure out a way I can save specific videos to my Pinterest page. I finally figured out one way but it's not simple - I was hoping for a one-click type thing. Any suggestions? Thanks!

    3 years ago

    Sandy: Sorry, I don't use Pinterest much. Isn't it just one of the standard functions of Pinterest to do that?

    Gene
    3 years ago

    When I go into Mission Control, at the top it says in part, Desktop 1, Photos, Numbers, Desktop 2. How did Photos and Numbers get in their own Desktop?

    3 years ago

    Gene: If they are in Full Screen mode, they have their own desktop all to themselves. Technically, these are all called "spaces" and you have to Desktops as spaces and two Full Screen apps as spaces.

    Deb
    3 years ago

    Thank you for this really helpful tip!

    Hemang
    3 years ago

    Is it possible to keep any App floating on all desktops like Stickies? For example, I want to keep my Calendar visible on all desktops using Mission Control.

    3 years ago

    Hemang: As far as I know the app would need to have that as a feature. You can't just make the window of the app do that on your own.

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