The Shifting Workspaces
If you use Mission Control on macOS to create multiple virtual desktops (Spaces), you likely organize them logically—perhaps putting your web browser on Space 1, your code editor on Space 2, and your music player on Space 3. You rely on muscle memory to swipe between them using a trackpad gesture or keyboard shortcut. However, by default, macOS tries to be “helpful” by automatically rearranging the physical order of these Spaces based on which one you used most recently. This means if you jump from Space 1 to Space 3, macOS might silently move Space 3 so it sits next to Space 1, completely destroying your mental map and breaking your muscle memory.
How to Lock Your Spaces in Place
You can force macOS to respect your manual layout, ensuring that Space 2 always remains exactly between Space 1 and Space 3, regardless of how often you use them.
1. Click the Apple logo () in the top-left corner of your menu bar.
2. Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions).
3. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Desktop & Dock.
4. Scroll down until you find the section labelled Mission Control.
5. Look for the toggle switch labelled Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.
6. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.
The Benefit of Static Workspaces
With this setting disabled, your virtual desktops behave like physical monitors. You can swipe left and right with confidence, knowing exactly which application is located on which screen. If you ever need to change the order, you can still open Mission Control (by swiping up with three fingers) and manually drag the Space thumbnails at the top of the screen into a new arrangement, but the operating system will never again move them behind your back.