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Dear folks,
Under System Preferences/Mission Control, I have "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application" checked. But when I use CMD+Tab to switch applications, I am not getting moved into a new space; in fact, nothing happens (the text in the apple menu bar doesn't even change). Any idea what could be causing the problem?
Thanks,
Jonathan
iMac, Mac OS X (10.1.x)
Thank you, Peter, but you are only 1/2 correct. CMD+tab *should* switch between Spaces if the option "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application" is checked. I do know that I can switch Spaces using CMD+arrow, but I want to use multiple Spaces and leap directly to them via CMD+tab. It used to work on my machine, and now it doesn't.
Thank you, Peter, but you are only 1/2 correct. CMD+tab *should* switch between Spaces if the option "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application" is checked. I do know that I can switch Spaces using CMD+arrow, but I want to use multiple Spaces and leap directly to them via CMD+tab. It used to work on my machine, and now it doesn't.
Hmm, on further re-reading your post I'm not so sure we do have the same options selected. Mine are as in the screen shot below. I use command tab and /or control right arrow (or control left arrow) to move back and forth between desktop 1 and desktop 2. If your settings are not the same as mine maybe try what I have in the screen shot to see if that helps. If not... Has Mission Control spaces ever worked properly for you? Did this problem start after a recent update?
EDIT: Forgot to include the screen shot.
There is no problem with my hardware. As described in my original post, the only issue is that I cannot use CMD+tab to hop across Spaces, even with the appropriate box checked in System Preferences. How is the linked article relevant to that issue?
I use an extra space or two daily as when at home I share the i-Mac with my wife who will not / can not leave my browser tabs as I left them and frequently closes the app after she does a search. I solve this by using Safari on the main space (for her to use) and I use Firefox in the 2nd space. I also have the same option in prefs checked as you and command tab works fine for me. Do you have an app window open in each space? The command tab will not open an app, it simply switches between apps, regardless of what space they are in. It is possible to have 2 windows open in an app and have them open in different spaces. In that case the command tab keystrokes will only go to the first window that was opened. Does that help, or am I not understanding your question?
Thank you, pokey b.
You are understanding my question, and your observations about multiple instances of an app within a Space causing confusion is something that I've noted, too. But unfortunately, my problem isn't so simple. If I, for instance, open a new Space and open the notepad on that space, then return to an application on Desktop 1, and then CMD+Tab to Notepad, nothing happens. It's almost as if the Mac thinks that there is a second physical monitor that I can see, because the apple toolbar doesn't even change.
There must be some setting other than the one that I described that is interfering with this form of Desktop hopping. I wish that I could figure out what it is!
JRL
Thanks, pokey b. I won't be back at that computer until Monday, but I'll double check then. I'm 90% sure that I have all those same boxes checked (with the possible exception of "Displays have separate spaces").
The problem is recent, I think. Updated to High Sierra just a few weeks before the holidays.
Personally I detest Mission Control and Spaces.
does anything at > macOS Sierra: Work in multiplespaces or the links in-bedded there-in help?
command tab is to switch between Apps not Spaces.
control arrow switches between Spaces.
Peter
CMD+Tab and multiple spaces - not working properly
