How to make an app always open on the same desktop on a Mac
Pin an app to one desktop, every desktop, or a specific display with the Dock's Assign To option. Where it is, what each choice does, and its limits.
Right click the app's icon in the Dock, choose Options, and under Assign To pick a choice. The app must be open, and you need more than one desktop for the option to show.
The choices
| Choice | What it does |
|---|---|
| All Desktops | The app's windows appear on every desktop |
| This Desktop | The app always opens on the desktop you are on now |
| Desktop on Display 2 (with several displays) | The app always opens on that display's desktop |
| None | Back to normal: the app opens wherever you are |
Its limits
- It works per app, not per window: every window of the app follows the rule.
- It does not choose a size or position on that desktop.
- If Automatically rearrange Spaces is on, desktops can change order, which muddles which one is which. See stopping Spaces rearranging.
A place for each app, on one desktop
ClutterFreeMac has per app rules on its strip: in Settings, Apps, you can keep an app at the start or end of the strip, have it open full width, or always float. The app always lands in the same place, without a desktop of its own.
Questions
Why is Assign To missing in the Dock options on my Mac?
It only appears when you have more than one desktop. Add one in Mission Control with the + button, then right click the app in the Dock again.
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