What is Mission Control on a Mac and how do you use it?

What is Mission Control on a Mac?

In macOS, Mission Control is a primary feature that allows you to view all open windows on your Mac in one place. If you're not great at keeping your windows organized and tend to get overwhelmed, Mac Mission Control can be very useful. However, keep in mind that minimized windows won't show up in Mission Control.

Unlike Split Screen on a Mac, which is a primary macOS feature that lets you snap windows side by side, Mission Control allows you to create and arrange multiple desktops and spaces. With this tool, you can quickly move windows between desktops by clicking and dragging, make new desktops, get rid of old ones, and switch between them swiftly.

To get to Mission Control, you'll need to open System Preferences from the Mac dock, and then click on “Mission Control.” If you find yourself with multiple windows open on your MacBook and struggling to organize them, you'll want to learn how to use Mission Control to manage your macOS with ease.

How to Use Mission Control on a Mac

Mission Control was first introduced in OS X Lion and allows you to arrange apps, windows, and virtual desktops across designated spaces. This advanced feature combines gestures, keyboard commands, and mouse shortcuts to control its various functions.

To help you use Mission Control on your Mac, watch this video, which covers the following topics:

• 02:30 - Drag System Preferences to the desktop-1
• 02:43 - Drag Finder to the desktop-4
• 02:51 - Choose the desktop you want to display

In macOS, Mission Control allows you to view the status of all open applications across your virtual desktops. Here's how to move or switch between applications across different desktops using Mission Control: 1. First, ensure that Mission Control is enabled on your Mac. By default, it is turned on, but you can check by going to "System Preferences" > "Mission Control." 2. To launch Mission Control, you can press the `Control + Up arrow` keyboard shortcut, or move your mouse to the top-right corner of the screen and click the "Mission Control" icon (which looks like stacked squares). 3. Once Mission Control is open, you'll see all your open windows and desktops displayed on the screen. Each window represents an active application. 4. To move the currently active app to another virtual desktop, hover your mouse cursor over its window until a thin border appears around it. Hold down the left mouse button, then drag the window to the desktop where you want it to be. 5. For quickly switching between apps, use the `Command + Tab` shortcut to browse through all open applications. Hold down the `Command` key and repeatedly press `Tab` until the desired app is selected. Release the `Command` key to switch to that app. 6. Alternatively, if you want to switch apps quickly within your current desktop, use Mission Control's "App View." In the Mission Control interface, click the "All Windows" button (which looks like overlapping windows) at the bottom middle of the screen. This will show all open apps for the logged-in user. Click on the app you want to switch to, and you'll immediately jump to it. By following these steps, you can efficiently manage and switch between your applications in macOS using Mission Control.

Step 1: Open “System Preferences,” and click the “Mission Control” tab.

You can adjust these options as you see fit and even set a keyboard shortcut or use Mac Hot Corners to activate Mission Control, display your app windows and desktops, and show the Dashboard.

Step 2: Click on "Hot Corners" to customize what happens when you move your cursor to different corners of your screen. This is a quick way to access features you use often.

When you're done, click OK. You should configure at least one hot corner or hot key for Mission Control.

Step 3: Press the hot key or touch the corner to launch Mission Control.

You should see the virtual desktop at the top of the screen. You cannot have more than 18 virtual desktops.

Press the hot key or use the corner to launch Mission Control

Step 4: Tap and hold an app, then drag it to a different virtual window.

5. When the virtual desktop appears, move your mouse pointer over it and click the arrow to close it. The apps in the windows you removed will automatically go back to the current virtual desktop.

Step 6: Move your cursor to the top-right corner and wait for the plus sign to appear. Tap it to insert a new space.

Step 7: Drag the window to a new location.

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How to Open Mission Control on a Mac

Given how useful Mission Control can be for various workflows, Apple provides several ways to access it. The best way to open Mission Control on a Mac is through Hot Corners, which you set up as follows:

Step 1: Go to System Preferences > Mission Control.

Step 2: Select “Hot Corners” from the bottom.

Step 3: Four options will be given to you. Click the drop-down menu of the border you want.

Step 4: Click on "Task Control" and then click "OK."

Are applications or shortcuts unexpectedly launching when you move your cursor to a corner of your screen on macOS? If so, follow the steps in this article to disable or configure Hot Corners on your Mac.

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How to Disable Hot Corners on macOS Ventura [2023 Update]

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How to change keyboard shortcuts in Mission Control

Sometimes, users who are accustomed to using different keys might find it challenging to use "Control + Up arrow (↑)" to launch Mission Control. Here's the best way to change the keyboard shortcut for Mission Control: 1. Open "System Preferences" (System Preferences). 2. Click on the "Keyboard" (Keyboard) icon. 3. In the "Keyboard" window, select the "Shortcuts" tab. 4. In the left-hand list, click on "App Shortcuts." 5. Click the "+" button in the bottom right corner to add a new shortcut. 6. In the "Application" dropdown menu, choose "All Applications." 7. In the "Menu Title" field, type "Mission Control" (make sure to spell it correctly). 8. In the "Keyboard Shortcut" field, press the new key combination you want to use instead of "Control + Up arrow." For example, you could choose "Control + Space." 9. Click the "Add" (Add) button to save your new shortcut setting. Now, you have successfully changed the keyboard shortcut for launching Mission Control. The next time you want to open Mission Control, simply press the new key combination you just set.

Step 1: Click the Apple icon and select “System Preferences.”

Step 2: Click the “Mission Control” icon to launch it.

Step Three: In the Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts section, set the keyboard shortcuts for Mission Control and Application Windows to whatever combinations you prefer.

When you're done, close the Task Manager window.

How to Create a New Space in Mission Control

To manage your spaces or virtual desktops, you'll need to open Mission Control. When you launch Mission Control, a bar at the top of your MacBook screen called the "Space Bar" may appear. It contains thumbnails of every desktop space and all windows in Split View or Full Screen mode. Here's how:

First, launch Mission Control to create a new space.

Step 2: Click the "+" icon in the top-right corner of the screen.

You can switch to the space you want, because switching spaces is an easy process.

How to Move a Window to a Space in Mission Control on Mac

Each space you create is separate from the others, with its own open apps and unique desktop picture. Spaces let you create a desktop for each task or workflow, and then switch between them. You might have one space for email, contacts, calendars, and reminders.

By contrast, you might dedicate one space to your work projects, another to games, and yet another to running Parallels and alternative operating systems. To move a window to a space in Mission Control, follow these steps:

If Mission Control is not already open, open it.

Step 2: Drag a window or app to the desktop in the Spaces bar where you want it.

Step 3: When you have all your apps and windows where you want them, exit Mission Control.

Conclusions

Switching between screens and apps with Mission Control is a breeze, and it's a fantastic feature. You can find more details on how to make the most of Mission Control in this article, which also offers tips for boosting your user experience and productivity.

"What is Task Control Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)?"

Read the following questions and answers to learn about Mission Control on your Mac:

1. What is Mission Control on a Mac? Mission Control is a feature in the macOS operating system that provides an overview for managing all of your open windows and applications. It enables users to quickly switch and organize different desktop spaces, including applications, Dock icons, and full-screen apps. In Mission Control, you can create and arrange virtual desktops to maintain organization and efficiency across various work environments. Accessing Mission Control is easy, either by pressing a hotkey (by default, F3) or using a trackpad gesture.

Mission Control groups all your open windows, Spaces, full-screen apps, and Dashboard in one view. You can assign specific spaces to open windows and running apps.

Unlike Spaces, Mission Control doesn't show miniaturized windows or apps. Its purpose is to keep your desktop uncluttered while allowing important apps to keep running in the background.

Where's Mission Control on a Mac keyboard?

Press the F3 key on your laptop's keyboard to open Mission Control. Depending on your settings, you can also perform this action with a three- or four-finger swipe up on your Mac's trackpad. You can change this setting in System Preferences > Trackpad > More Gestures.

Alternatively, you can click the “Mission Control” icon in your Dock (if you haven't removed it) or use the keyboard shortcut Command + Up Arrow.