Productivity Series: Multiple Screens and Desktops

[@darrenalbertson-digitaldus6227]

I decided to give Desktops/Spaces a try several years ago on my iMac and have never looked back. As a graphic designer/illustrator I have separate Desktops for Photoshop, Illustrator, a “command center” Desktop that has Calender, Reminders, a Finder Window, a Simple Text window, Dictionary, Messages and centrally located Mail, (and Outlook and Teams - I work remotely for my employer who requires it) all configured to see everything at a glance, a Desktop for Safari, another for another Finder Window that allows a visually broader file display/search, and a 6th desktop for any other application I may use sporadically and want to have readily available. I have a custom keyboard shortcut for each Desktop (CMND 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) that allows me to quickly switch between Desktops as needed.

[@ralphstadus3944]

Hi Gary, good idea with Mail & Messages in one space. I will use that … THANKS ! The other combo I use is Reminders and Notes, they work well in half a screen each and it allows me get stuff out of my head quickly and return to the main task.

[@tomabbott9653]

I’m really enjoying these productivity videos. Your other videos are great for seeing all the different functionality available to us, but it’s seeing these in action that really helps me see how I can use these in my daily workflow. Thank you!

[@meeluanistyn1644]

I use a second monitor in portrait mode when I’m working on documents where I want to see the whole page at once. It works but I have to turn my chair around to make this my main screen and my iMac becomes a secondary screen for Safari and Finder. It’s not ideal but I can live with it. I’ve started to use spaces more often than I ever have and that’s down to the excellent MacMost tutorials showing how easy it is. I’ll have Safari on one, email on the next and a task manager on the third space.

[@duncandavies1966]

I currently WFH and have been using multiple desktops for a couple of months now. It works really well, I have one with Outlook/Teams (work), another with Mail/Messages etc.

[@mikerisner]

I generally run my 32” 4K screen at 4K resolution. I place Mail and Safari stacked on the left side. The various other apps I will run are primarily on the right, but they might float over Safari and Mail, too. I rarely run apps at full screen. I aslo hesitate to use Spaces, because I suspect I would just forget about the other desktops altogether. But I think I will give this workflow a try and see where it leads me. Thanks for another inspiring productivity video!

[@jcinaz]

I use Spaces to organize my apps pretty much like Gary does. I have one display on my Mac Mini. It’s a 55” 4K TV, and always in high res mode even when I’m presenting in a Zoom Meeting because I only show the app window in a small size, or I show a selected portion of the display. Same thing on my 15” MacBook Pro with just that display. I discovered that when doing a drag and drop of something between apps, even when they are on separate Spaces, using the keyboard shortcut to switch between apps (Cmd-tab) works great.

[@WanderingAroundAZ]

Does your tv have a high PPI count? I use to have a 43” 4K tv as my monitor, but I had to downsize to a 27” 4K monitor. The PPI on the monitor is just so much better and I couldn’t sit far enough away from the 43” tv to see the edges of the display without distortion.

[@jcinaz]

@@WanderingAroundAZ It works like this for me. If I want to enjoy a high PPI while watching a movie on my 55” 4K UHD TV, I only need to downsize the window it is displayed in. Why would I give up the real estate for a movie? The only thing I miss with this TV is the black to white contrast available in a Retina display. And since I am not a perfectionist with photos or videos, I am fine with what I have.

[@Jeep4Wrk]

As a novelist, I keep the Dictionary/Thesaurus app open in a separate Desktop, and I have my MacBook Air Trackpad set to us four fingers to swipe back and forth. There are times when I need to do document compare, and then I will attach a second monitor.

[@pdlagasse]

I like your Spaces setup, Gary. I do something similar on my 27” iMac. I use three spaces: one for communications and web, one for writing (for work), and one for audiovisual production (for fun), with various apps assigned to each space as appropriate. I may try your full-screen Mail/Messages space idea, it’s similar to how I work on my my iPad Pro. Thanks for the productivity series, it’s always worth learning how others work as a way to look at your own setup with fresh eyes!

[@StanCook]

Gary, I love your setup but that is much more than I would ever use. Since mostly I design and host websites. In fact, I am not looking for any new customers at this time. Even then I am not sure the extra screens would be worth it. I do enjoy your productivities videos and maybe someday I will get to that level. Thanks for all you do for us. Mahalo. 😎

[@GreginND]

Yes. I understand distractions. I find notifications to be very distracting and inefficient for work. I turn off most notifications.

[@brainiac31K]

Great video. Thank you. I love Spaces on my iMac. I’d forgotten about them after a few OS revs. My first space is for Zoom, which I’m on every day, Stickies and Messages. I recorded an AppleScript to open a daily PDF reading and a spreadsheet for the daily meeting. From a previous video of yours I’d picked up the handy Option key while hovering the Green button tip for Preview and Numbers for evenly spaced app windows. My next Spaces are for Illustrator and Photoshop each. The next Space is for Safari, which I mainly use to study online graphics courses. The final Space is for Music which I sometimes have on when I’m on an Adobe project. I use the spreadsheet for taking attendance, which I don’t need to Save so I have the ancient Use As Template checkbox checked in the Get Info window for the spreadsheet file. I can simply discard the new file Copy after each use and have a fresh blank for the next day from the template, if that’s a clear explanation.

[@omarashraf27]

thanks for making this video. it was really inspiring. I knew about multiple desktops for a long time but I didn't undestand how am I supposed to use them. thanks to you I have a couple of ideas about how to set them up.

[@macmost]

Go, Go to Folder (Shift+Command+G).

[@duaneshort186]

Yeah! I like to use almost every app maximised in its own space, other than Messages and Finder. It is a pain to use Finder (always on Desktop space) in a lot of cases. Would be nice to put on a second monitor, which I have on my desk, but I prefer to only fire that up for video editing or, more rarely, photo editing. It's easy enough with gestures to swipe back and forth between spaces, or four finger swipe up and then choose my space (I use the Magic Trackpad with my 27 inch iMac, and of course trackpad on my MBP). Edit: And just keep Mail closed. If you're not important enough to have a way to direct message/text me, I don't want to see your email except for a couple of times of my choosing throughout the day! :)

[@whatsupwithdjpodcast]

Thank you for this tutorial and the others you post. They have been very useful. Although, I wish you would have spoken to the different behaviors that occur when you use multiple monitors with multiple desktops because applications behave differently when you have it set up this way i.e. switching between applications. I found that as I switch between applications on different monitors/desktops they will change their order and I don't quite understand the Mac developer's "methodology" when it comes to why applications behave this way.

[@mhoneyaus1569]

I have an external monitor on either side of my MacBook pro. I cannot get the cursor to travel across all 3 screens. It only sees the middle (MBP) and the monitor on the right (Dell) The Dell monitor on the left is open and active but the cursor cannot get to it. How do I fix this?

[@ge0graphaly]

i just sort the windows into 2 desktops, sort of like having 2 MacBook pros with different windows open, and i can easily switch in between them with the trackpad

[@gordonmartin9551]

Thanks Gary, quick question is it possible to have desktop 1 on the Mac laptop and desktop 2 on second monitor? Thanks

[@macmost]

Desktops are spaces on A screen. So I'm not sure what you mean here. Maybe describe what you are trying to DO.

[@carlosprovyrivera8522]

Love it! Just moved things around - much cleaner. One question, is there a way to rename the spaces so they are not called Desktop 1, 2,...?

[@neelpatel8472]

Wondering the same

[@macmost]

No, you can't name them.

[@pdlagasse]

I keep hoping Apple will add that feature someday!

[@nigelbrownless]

@@macmost Hi Gary, In the video, your spaces were named Safari, Mail & Messages. How did you achieve that?

[@macmost]

@@nigelbrownless Safari is a Safari window in Full Screen mode. The other is a Split View with Mail and Messages.

[@kjuhler]

I'd love a video on how to use my second 1 Terabyte drive to stop receiving frequent "running out of space" notifications. Is there no way to move apps over to the second drive and still be able to have automatic updates work seamlessly. I've already uninstalled apps I'd like. Sometimes it seems like the strategy is to keep pushing me into another Mac or a genius bar visit to spend dollars on a larger main drive. I need to spread my install between the native drive and the second drive.

[@hannestahvel1896]

Hi, thanks for the video. If you move your cursor from one screen to another, do you have make a click there first - to "activate" that screen?

[@macmost]

You don't activate "screens." You activate windows. You'd need to click on a window to activate it whether it was on the same screen as the current active window, or on another screen.

[@hannestahvel1896]

Thank you! So in Mac there's in no way possible to immediately interact with the other app, you have to click on it first? Even if you have a single montor (widescreen) setup? I'm a 25+ years Windows user considering moving to Mac :)

[@macmost]

@@hannestahvel1896 Clicking on the window is one way to activate the window. You can also use the app switcher or any app switching method (the Dock, LaunchPad, Spotlight, Stage Manager, Mission Control, etc) to switch to the app and if that window is the active window in that app (or only window) then that will do it too.

[@mikewatts9905]

Thanks for this great information! I have one external display a large screen that I connect to my macbook. I have tried without success to hook up a 2nd External monitor. After much research it was my understanding that a macbook pro would only hook up to one monitor and not 2 separate monitors? Can you let me know where to start to find out how to connect a 2nd monitor? Thank you!

[@johnshipps441]

Thanks for the video and ideas! I'm going to try using multiple spaces more and see how I like it. Question - is there a way for my MacBook Pro to remember the previous setup? I have 3 different physical workspaces that I visit. Each has the same layout - my Mac and a single external monitor connected via dongle. But each time I change places and plug in, I have to rearrange my windows between my Mac and the monitor. It would sure be nice for the Mac to remember how I had things arranged!

[@macmost]

It should do that automatically, but if too much is different, like there are different apps with different windows, then it can't work very well.

[@Georgy_47]

I love this series ♥️

[@Abdullah-zl9ub]

I always use multiple desktops its very helpful. However currently i use them with an ipad next to my macbook to view my reminder tasks and sometimes have two safari pages next to each other. I used to program but now at office i need only a cloud system and my mail and reminders, but im thinking of getting an HD monitor 27inch to multi task. Im still bit confused if desktops are enough solution with my ipad (especially that i will need pay for a mouse and keyboard that. Must be better from my macs). Whats your thought on this ?

[@webstereo]

What's the main monitor and if, as you'd say you'd spend the money on the main monitor if you did it again, what would you get?

[@Abdullah-zl9ub]

Which is better apple mouse or apple trackpad ?

[@macmost]

kzbin.infoDpZ7tH3G7W0

[@briantdaniel9280]

Hey Gary, maybe you can clarify this. Is it possible to have just a MacBook Pro run 2 displays and use it with the MBP closed and use a wireless keyboard and track pad? Now I have a iMac and MBP I would like to simplify it to just one computer and them simply unplug it when I need to be portable. I’m thinking having one power house machine like the new M1 Pro would do it. Thank you

[@j.g5689]

Hello Gary! Thank you for your really useful videos! Is there a way to save the desktops settings instead to have to reorganize them every time you turn on your mac? Many thanks

[@macmost]

You shouldn't have to do anything. Some tips: First, sleep your Mac, don't shut down. Second, try to use Display Port connections not HDMI to connect displays.

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very informative video tutorial today. Thanks for showing us how. Thank you, Gary! 👏🏻👍❤️

[@juliesmith7993]

Aaaannnddd another great video. I’m not a multi screen person yet. but maybe one day:)

[@LuckyOne3749]

Gary, what do you recommend for a second monitor for my 27" iMac 2020? I have been using multiple desktops(3) for a while.

[@botch3936]

Hi Gary. I bought a new 12.9" Ipad Pro to use in conjunction with my 27" iMac, a few months ago, to use both for photo editing; the 27" to really see details, then the iPad with a low-angle desk stand (a nice 20˚ Satechii) and an Apple Pencil to do the editing to those details. (I also tried 3 different keyboard cases with my iPad as my "easy-chair" setup while watching TV, to replace my 11-year-old MB Air, but they were a disaster). I've seen your tutorial on using Sidecar to mirror a desktop screen onto an iPad, and being able to use a pencil, which was very helpful. But, if you're looking for new video ideas, I'd love to see a tutorial on using a desktop/low-angle or flat Ipad combo, together, for photo editing; setup, workflow, tricks, etc. I just use Apple's Photos right now, but do have Affinity Photo on my desktop and will be adding it to my iPad soon. Thanks, and Love the channel!

[@JamesSmith-mg1ns]

do you have a video on how to split screen mail and messenger?

[@mikebedford4362]

Great video Gary. How do you ‘drag and drop’ from one space to the other?

[@macmost]

Start the drag, then switch to the other desktop with the keyboard shortcut, gesture, or sometimes you can drag to the edge and wait.

[@scottman_plays_youtube]

Great video. Do you know of a keyboard shortcut for selecting the primary monitor (dragging the white bar between screens) in the displays setting window? I have two 4k screens, but my right one also gets used for my work computer and xbox. When I'm using both screens on my Mac mini I like to switch the primary screen to the right side.

[@macmost]

I don't know of any way to set that with a keyboard shortcut.

[@scottman_plays_youtube]

@@macmost All good. Thanks for replying :)

[@ericgoldstein2275]

I'm running a Macbook Air M1 with a 2nd monitor... and I'm not mirroring the screens. The 2nd monitor is automatically given Desktop 2... is there anyway to not have them mirrored and have the 2nd monitor not be it's own desktop... but be included in each desktop that I switch to?

[@macmost]

Go to System Preferences, Mission Control and try changing "Displays Have Separate Spaces" to see if you like the other option better.

[@goldsteineric]

@@macmost ahhhh, THANK YOU so much!

[@ArtRoom-vb4sd]

I notice your Desktop spaces have names, how did you do that?

[@macmost]

They don't? All Desktop Spaces are "Desktop X" with X being the number. But Full Screen window spaces and Split View spaces will show the name of the app(s).

[@meeluanistyn1644]

Is there what I’d call an e-typo where “Productivity Series: Calendar” is shown at the start of the video?

[@bharatkiseema]

Very informative…. Sir. I use 50gb iCloud. When it gets full, I always delete some videos from photos app which I don’t need. Simultaneously, I am using 1.5 TB external hard drive for time machine back up for my 125gb MB Air. Will I be able to restore those videos later on when I need them? And if the disk is full and time machine deletes oldest back up, will it permanently delete those videos in that back up?

[@macmost]

Never use a backup as a place to "store" anything. That's going to end in tears. You'll eventually lose those items and in the meantime you have only one copy off them. Get those items back now. You'll need to just go with a larger iCloud storage plan, or archive those file properly to another drive that you maintain (and back up too).

[@M22FL]

How do I maximize one video on my monitor? But keep the other monitor free?

[@macmost]

Not sure what you are trying to do exactly.

[@desertpatient]

Thanks bunches

[@denniscraig850]

What about using an iPad with Sidecar…couldn’t you do a lot of the same things (i.e., Finder) with that configuration?

[@eyeojo]

I have done exactly that, works! Haven’t tried Spaces for a decade, will try again after this video, thanks G$

[@JavisoGaming]

What make and model 4K monitors are you using?

[@macmost]

Those happen to be LG. The newest one is an LG 32UN650. The other is a similar 27-inch model from a few years back.

[@mikebedford4362]

If you have a spreadsheet arrive in an email and you just want to drag it it to another space and work on it later - can you do that?

[@macmost]

Sure. Just save it to a folder in the finder.

[@ehza]

Niceee

[@adityashah5597]

Alfred vs Raycast.

[@sergeya]

Using multiple displays on macOS is a nightmare. F.e. to make a window that is on other screen active, you have to click it with mouse. I didn’t find a hot key for that. It I activate a Safari window on one screen the windows of safari on other screen pops up as well. There’s no shortcut to switch to virtual desktop that is on other screen. I have 3 desktops on mbp ant 4th on external screen. Set Ctrl-4 as shortcut for 4th desktop and it didn’t work. Awful UX

[@macmost]

I just use Control+left and Control+right to switch between Desktops. When I arrive at a new Desktop, the window that was active before is then active. I can use App Switcher or Windows Switcher if that isn't the one I want.

[@sergeya]

@@macmost nice, but this doesn't really solve any of inconveniences stated above.

[@macmost]

@@sergeya Oh, I see. You are doing something on screen 1 and you want screen 2 to switch from desktop 1 to desktop 2. Yeah, I don't know of a way to do that without going over to the screen you want to control first.

[@PaulIsaac-NL]

... and I must be the messiest one here. I have one desktop for Email, Calendar and Contacts; another for Notes, Reminders, Spotify, Messages and WhatsApp, another for full screen Safari. Then I find myself doing other work on its own desktop and leave it there when a customer calls me with an emergency which I then handle on its own desktop until it's cleaned up and I can go back to the prior one.

[@mrpmj00]

.I love technology too but it ain't free and stocks are one way to make money. . I bought these on the dips in the last few days. Amazon Facebook Apple Microsoft