Apple has fixed an issue with Mission Control’s All Windows mode in Mac OS X 10.7.2 that will make a lot of people happy. You can now rearrange the desktop spaces and full-screen applications by dragging. The Dashboard and the first desktop space remain fixed in place at the first and second places in the desktop spaces and full-screen applications list.
Although dragging these objects around is new, the trick to getting it to work is similar to a previous tip.
By default Mac OS X will automatically rearrange spaces based on the most recent use. If you want to manually manipulate your desktop spaces and full-screen apps follow these steps:
- Open System Preferences
- Click on Mission Control
- Un-check the Automatically rearrange spaces based on most recent use
You will now be able to manipulate your desktop spaces and full-screen apps to your heart’s content. The only exception as mentioned above is that the Dashboard and first desktop space cannot be rearranged.
David W. Martin has more than 20 years of experience in the industry as a programmer, systems and business analyst, author, and consultant. David has written for CNET’s iPhoneatlas.com, MacLife.com, CultofMac.com, BYTE.com and recently for aNewDoman.net. He comes to Cult of Mac’s website with deep knowledge and passion for the all things Apple. Follow David on Twitter @david_w_martin or see what he’s up to now at davidwmartin.com.
23 responses to “Mac OS X 10.7.2 Gives You Better Spaces Arrangement Options [OS X Tips]”
This existed pre .2
Yeah, I’m with Matt. This isn’t new…?
obviously the author never used Spaces … mission control is a mess
Regardless of whether this was in prior to .2, I didn’t know about this, so cheers very much!
It’s a subtle change toggled by the state of that check box in preferences. In versions of Lion prior to 10.7.2 you could uncheck the box and the order of the items wasn’t maintained. However I don’t recall being able to drag them around afterwards. As far as Mission Control goes I like it a whole lot. I haven’t seen a better implementation using virtual spaces anywhere – it’s the first time I’ve actually liked the concept of using this kind of work environment and it is great on my MacBook Air which isn’t connected to a large external display.
I agree. Spaces had more useful features and were quicker to use.
I don’t know. Personally I used Spaces a lot and I like Mission Control far better. Maybe if you used Spaces but never used Expose you might think Spaces was better than Mission control but otherwise I don’t see it.
The only thing I don’t like is how when you make an app full screen it makes a separate new Desktop. I understand the reasoning behind it but I still don’t like it. If one makes an app “full-screen” one is used to that meaning full-screen on the current desktop, not making a new hybrid desktop between the two you were using recently.
So how did you name your spaces to reflect the use? Mine all say Desktop 1, Desktop 2, etc.
Not sure why they didn’t include this from the beginning but I’m glad it’s here.
What I’m having a hard time with is the removal of the double-tap to select text or grab the chrome of a window to move it around. I really miss that and I’m kind of ticked that they took it away.
It’s a minor PITA but now I have to click the button under my trackpad of my Early 2008 MBP to select text or move a window.
But here’s where it gets weird, I was in an Apple Store with an iMac running 10.7.2 with a trackpad and noticed you could move windows with a three-finger gesture. Okay, fine. But why doesn’t my Early 2008 MBP support that gesture? I have all the other three- and four-finger gestures but not but this one. It’d be one thing if I didn’t have any other three-finger gestures but to not have this one and have EVERY OTHER GESTURE in 10.7.2 when compared to a brand new Mac has me pulling my hair out.
I might sound bitter but I’ll take OS X over Windows XP/Vista/7 any day. Mac lover through and through.
if you just click an icon in the dock (for an open application) does it automatically go to that application and its respective space, as with Snow Leopard? If so, I don’t see the point of any of this space arrangement stuff.
Those are most likely full screen apps which automatically carry the name of the program.
I’m a new mac user and really like being able to swipe between full screen apps, dashboard, etc. However, sometimes when I click on a calculator button in dashboard the computer switches back to desktop 1 as if I had swiped. Any ideas what I might be doing accidentally or how to get it to stop changing desktops when I click rather than swipe? This usually only happens when I try to use the calculator in dashboard. It also happened when I was playing sudoku in desktop 2 – I’d click on a square to add a number and it would switch to desktop 1.