Instant Workspace Switching on macOS
No macOS window management problem is as infuriating as the inability to instantly switch workspaces. Using native functionality, you have the option of a seizure-inducing sliding animation or an equally time-wasting fade (using the oft-recommended Reduce motion setting).
Here is the solution:
- Install AeroSpace. (brew install --cask nikitabobko/tap/aerospace)
- Disable all tiling window management features, leaving only the "virtual workspaces".
- (Optional) Remap Caps Lock to Option
Here is my .config/aerospace/aerospace.toml, note that "alt" is the Option key on macOS:
[mode.main.binding]
# See: https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/commands#workspace
alt-1 = 'workspace 1'
alt-2 = 'workspace 2'
alt-3 = 'workspace 3'
alt-4 = 'workspace 4'
alt-5 = 'workspace 5'
alt-6 = 'workspace 6'
alt-7 = 'workspace 7'
alt-8 = 'workspace 8'
alt-9 = 'workspace 9'
alt-a = 'workspace A'
alt-b = 'workspace B'
alt-c = 'workspace C'
alt-d = 'workspace D'
alt-e = 'workspace E'
alt-f = 'workspace F'
alt-g = 'workspace G'
alt-i = 'workspace I'
alt-m = 'workspace M'
alt-n = 'workspace N'
alt-o = 'workspace O'
alt-p = 'workspace P'
alt-q = 'workspace Q'
alt-r = 'workspace R'
alt-s = 'workspace S'
alt-t = 'workspace T'
alt-u = 'workspace U'
alt-v = 'workspace V'
alt-w = 'workspace W'
alt-x = 'workspace X'
alt-y = 'workspace Y'
alt-z = 'workspace Z'
# See: https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/commands#move-node-to-workspace
alt-shift-1 = 'move-node-to-workspace 1'
alt-shift-2 = 'move-node-to-workspace 2'
alt-shift-3 = 'move-node-to-workspace 3'
alt-shift-4 = 'move-node-to-workspace 4'
alt-shift-5 = 'move-node-to-workspace 5'
alt-shift-6 = 'move-node-to-workspace 6'
alt-shift-7 = 'move-node-to-workspace 7'
alt-shift-8 = 'move-node-to-workspace 8'
alt-shift-9 = 'move-node-to-workspace 9'
alt-shift-a = 'move-node-to-workspace A'
alt-shift-b = 'move-node-to-workspace B'
alt-shift-c = 'move-node-to-workspace C'
alt-shift-d = 'move-node-to-workspace D'
alt-shift-e = 'move-node-to-workspace E'
alt-shift-f = 'move-node-to-workspace F'
alt-shift-g = 'move-node-to-workspace G'
alt-shift-i = 'move-node-to-workspace I'
alt-shift-m = 'move-node-to-workspace M'
alt-shift-n = 'move-node-to-workspace N'
alt-shift-o = 'move-node-to-workspace O'
alt-shift-p = 'move-node-to-workspace P'
alt-shift-q = 'move-node-to-workspace Q'
alt-shift-r = 'move-node-to-workspace R'
alt-shift-s = 'move-node-to-workspace S'
alt-shift-t = 'move-node-to-workspace T'
alt-shift-u = 'move-node-to-workspace U'
alt-shift-v = 'move-node-to-workspace V'
alt-shift-w = 'move-node-to-workspace W'
alt-shift-x = 'move-node-to-workspace X'
alt-shift-y = 'move-node-to-workspace Y'
alt-shift-z = 'move-node-to-workspace Z'
# See: https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/commands#workspace-back-and-forth
alt-tab = 'workspace-back-and-forth'
# See: https://nikitabobko.github.io/AeroSpace/commands#move-workspace-to-monitor
alt-shift-tab = 'move-workspace-to-monitor --wrap-around next'
# FORCE DISABLE TILING: https://github.com/nikitabobko/AeroSpace/issues/49
[[on-window-detected]]
check-further-callbacks = true
run = 'layout floating'
Here are the shortcuts, in order of importance:
- Option-X to switch to workspace X
- Option-Shift-X to move the current window to workspace X
- Option-Tab to switch to the previous workspace
Noteable mention: there is now a contender called FlashSpaces that, unlike AeroSpace, is not a tiling window manager but a focused solution to this very problem. Unfortunately, it does not seem to allow placing different windows of the same application on different workspaces, which is a deal-breaker for me.