How to Disable the macOS ‘Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use’ Option

The Shifting Workspaces Problem

macOS features a highly effective virtual desktop system called “Spaces,” allowing you to spread your open applications across multiple, distinct desktop environments. By default, macOS attempts to be “smart” about how these Spaces are organized by enabling a feature called “Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.” When this is active, the operating system will constantly shuffle the physical order of your virtual desktops in the background, moving the Space containing the app you just clicked on to the front of the line.

While Apple designed this to make your most-used apps quicker to access, for power users who rely on muscle memory, it is an absolute nightmare. If you dedicate Space 1 to your web browser, Space 2 to your code editor, and Space 3 to your email, you expect those workspaces to remain in that exact order so you can blindly swipe between them using a trackpad gesture or keyboard shortcut. When macOS constantly shuffles them, you will inevitably swipe right expecting to see your code, only to find your email because the OS silently swapped their positions. If you rely on spatial memory and fixed workflows, you must disable this automatic sorting.

How to Lock Your Spaces in Place

You can force macOS to respect the exact order of your virtual desktops via the Desktop & Dock settings.

1. Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings… (or System Preferences).
2. In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down and click on Desktop & Dock. (On older macOS versions, this is located under Mission Control).
3. In the right-hand pane, scroll down to the “Mission Control” section.
4. Look for the toggle switch (or checkbox) labelled Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.
5. Click the toggle switch to turn it Off (or uncheck the box).

Your virtual Spaces will now remain permanently locked in the exact order you arranged them at the top of the Mission Control screen, completely restoring your ability to use muscle memory for navigation.