The Expanding Desktop Confusion
Ubuntu Linux, utilizing the GNOME desktop environment, features a highly dynamic workspace (virtual desktop) management system. By default, it uses “Dynamic Workspaces.” This means you always have one empty workspace waiting for you at the bottom of your workspace stack. As soon as you drag an application window into that empty workspace, Ubuntu automatically creates a brand new, empty workspace below it. If you are someone who likes a rigid, predictable layout (e.g., Workspace 1 is always for coding, Workspace 2 is always for the browser, and you never want a third), this dynamic generation is highly annoying. You can accidentally create five empty workspaces simply by dragging a window too far down the screen.
How to Switch to Fixed Workspaces
You can disable the dynamic generation and force Ubuntu to adhere to a strict, static number of virtual desktops that you define.
1. Open the main Settings application in Ubuntu.
2. In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Multitasking.
3. Look for the section at the top labelled Workspaces.
4. By default, the radio button for “Dynamic workspaces” is selected.
5. Click the radio button next to Fixed number of workspaces.
6. As soon as you select this option, a new “Number of Workspaces” counter will appear directly below it.
7. Use the + and – buttons to set exactly how many virtual desktops you want to exist (for example, setting it to 2).
Your system will instantly adapt to this constraint. If you press the Super (Windows) key to view your Activities overview, you will see exactly the number of workspaces you defined. You can no longer accidentally create new ones by dragging windows around.
Managing Workspace Navigation
If you prefer a fixed number of workspaces, you might also want to adjust how they are laid out and how you navigate between them.
In the same Multitasking settings pane, scroll down to the “Multi-Monitor” section. You can choose whether workspaces are applied across all monitors simultaneously, or if only your primary display utilizes virtual desktops while your secondary monitors remain static.
By enforcing a fixed number of workspaces, you can build muscle memory for keyboard shortcuts (like `Super + Page Down`) without worrying about getting lost in an endlessly expanding stack of empty desktops.