Group windows by application in Mission Control: on or off?

One setting decides whether Mission Control piles an app's windows together or spreads every window out. What each looks like, and which is easier to use.

Guide · Updated 22 October 2026

What does Group windows by application do?

With it on, Mission Control gathers all windows of one app into a cluster, with the app's icon underneath. With it off, every window is laid out on its own, sized to be as large as fits, and none overlap.

How do I change it?

  1. Open System Settings, Desktop & Dock.
  2. Scroll to Mission Control.
  3. Turn Group windows by application on or off.

Open Mission Control again and the new layout is used at once.

Which is better?

SettingGood when
On, groupedYou think in apps and have one or two windows of each
Off, separateYou have several windows of one app, such as browsers or documents

How do I see only one app's windows?

Use App Exposé instead: press ⌃ ↓. Only the front app's windows are shown, spread out. See App Exposé.

The full tour: Mission Control guide. Too many windows to read even spread out? Too many windows open.

Checked on 22 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1) running macOS 27.0.1: Group windows by application was read from System Settings, Desktop & Dock.

Questions

How do I stop Mission Control grouping windows?

Turn off Group windows by application in System Settings, Desktop & Dock.

Why are my windows stacked in Mission Control?

Group windows by application is on, so each app's windows are clustered together.

How do I see one app's windows only?

Press Control Down Arrow for App Exposé.

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