How to Use and Manage Multiple Workspaces in Ubuntu

When handling complex workloads on Ubuntu—such as researching across twenty browser tabs while simultaneously drafting a document, running development servers, and keeping messaging apps open—stuffing all your windows onto a single desktop quickly leads to visual clutter. Virtual workspaces (also known as virtual desktops) provide separate, independent desktop environments that let you categorize your tasks. Ubuntu’s GNOME desktop uses dynamic workspaces that automatically create and remove desktops as you need them.

Why Use Virtual Workspaces?

Grouping windows into distinct virtual spaces delivers noticeable focus improvements:

• Task Isolation: Dedicate Workspace 1 to active work (Docs and IDEs), Workspace 2 to research and web browsing, and Workspace 3 to communication (Slack, Discord, and Email).
• Distraction-Free Focus: Keep noisy chat feeds completely out of sight on another workspace so you can write or design without constant popups.
• Seamless Multi-Monitor Support: Workspaces can span across all connected external monitors or switch independently on your primary screen.

How to Access the Workspace Overview in Ubuntu

Ubuntu organizes workspaces horizontally along the top of the Activities overview:

1. Click on Activities in the top-left corner of the screen (or press the Super key / Windows key).
2. Look at the top of your screen above the search bar. You will see a horizontal thumbnail strip showing your active workspaces.
3. Click on any workspace thumbnail to switch directly to it.
4. Ubuntu dynamically adds a new empty workspace thumbnail to the right as soon as you occupy the current one, and removes empty ones automatically when closed.

How to Move Application Windows Between Workspaces

You can organize open applications effortlessly:

• Via Activities Overview: Press the Super key, then click and drag any window preview tile and drop it onto the workspace thumbnail strip at the top.
• Using Keyboard Shortcuts (Fastest): While focused on any active window, press Super + Shift + Page Down to move that window to the workspace on the right, or Super + Shift + Page Up to move it to the left.

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for Rapid Workspace Navigation

Navigating between workspaces with keyboard shortcuts becomes second nature:

• Super + Page Down or Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow: Switch to the workspace on the right.
• Super + Page Up or Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow: Switch to the workspace on the left.
• Three-Finger Swipe Left / Right: On laptop trackpads, swipe horizontally with three fingers to glide smoothly between workspaces.

Pinning an App to All Workspaces

If you have a music player, reference notes, or a calculator that you want visible regardless of which workspace you are on, right-click its top title bar and select Always on Visible Workspace.