Mission Control Key Stops Working

I determined the solution.

$ rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist

Then log out and back in again

That fixed it for me. The system will create a new plist file and Mission Control works fully once again.

The binary plist could have been corrupted somehow in the migration. However, an xml converted version is only different from the replacement plist in one line in key "NSWindow Frame Main Window Frame SystemPreferencesApp 8.0."

$ diff com.apple.systempreferences.plist com.apple.systempreferences.plist-old 
73c73
< 	<string>938 661 668 476 0 0 2056 1285 </string>
---
> 	<string>1282 561 668 627 0 0 2056 1285 </string>

Then try the Safe Boot method. Safe mode may help you resolve or isolate problems that you’re having with your Mac.

When you start up in safe mode, your Mac prevents some software, such as startup items, from loading, and it performs a check of your startup disk. Your Mac may take longer to start up because of the check.

Run in this mode for long enough to Test if the issue is presented.

To exit Safe Boot - just restart normally and report back - if one would.

MLMadden, you are not alone. I have isolated this issue. Mission Control works fine, by swiping or by the F3 key EXCEPT when the Finder is the active app in the active desktop. When Finder is the active app on the active desktop, Mission Control does not work with swiping or the F3 key. This is super annoying as my workflow very often flips between Finder windows and work windows. The workaround is to either make another app active in the current desktop or to select from the dock an app that has open windows in another desktop to switch to that desktop. I'm running 12.0.1 on an M1 Pro.

That said, MichaelB2019 and dialabrain are correct. This issue is limited to my user account. The problem does not manifest in a fresh user account. So now the question becomes how to fix the issue with a scalpel and not a sledgehammer. I'd like to fix it without blowing out all my preferences.

It's not meant to solve the problem but a diagnostic test to narrow down what may be causing the problem. If the problem doesn't go away in Safe Mode or in a new user, then you may have to reinstall Monterey.

In any case, there are reasons suggestions are made.

Hi MLMadden,

Thanks for coming to Apple Support Communities for help with the Mission Control key that stops working on your new MacBook Pro.

Does it work as expected if swiping: Use Mission Control on your Mac.

What happens in a new user account? Here's how to make one: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac.

Let us know.

Have a fantastic day!

MLMadden wrote:

I'm sorry I don't understand how the new user account information you provided relates to this issue.

FWIW, the idea of creating a new user is to see if there is a corrupt file in your current user.