The Disorienting Desktop Shuffle
Mission Control is macOS’s built-in window management system, allowing you to create multiple virtual “Spaces” (desktops) to keep your work organized. However, macOS defaults to a “smart” setting that can be incredibly disorienting. If you have Safari open on Desktop 1 and Microsoft Word open on Desktop 3, and you click a web link inside your Word document, macOS will instantly, rapidly slide your entire screen over to Desktop 1 to show you Safari opening the link. This sudden, automatic sliding animation disrupts your focus, especially if you wanted the link to open in the background while you continued reading the Word document.
How to Disable Automatic Space Switching
To stop your Mac from dragging you across virtual desktops against your will, you must adjust the Mission Control settings.
1. Click the Apple logo () in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions of macOS).
3. In the left-hand navigation sidebar, scroll down and click on Desktop & Dock.
4. Scroll down to the very bottom of the main pane until you find the section labelled Mission Control.
5. Look for the setting labelled When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application.
6. Uncheck the toggle switch next to this option.
Now, if you are working on Desktop 3 and you click the Safari icon in your Dock (or click a link that triggers Safari), your Mac will stay firmly on Desktop 3. If Safari wasn’t already open on Desktop 3, it will launch a new, empty Safari window exactly where you are, rather than dragging you across the screen to find an existing window.
How to Stop macOS from Reordering Your Spaces
While you are in the Mission Control settings, there is another annoyance you should fix. By default, macOS tries to guess which desktop you use the most and constantly shuffles the physical order of your Spaces based on your recent activity. This ruins your spatial memory if you like keeping email on the left and a browser on the right.
1. In the same Desktop & Dock > Mission Control menu, look for the very first option.
2. Uncheck the toggle for Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.
Your virtual desktops will now remain permanently locked in the exact order you originally created them.