Powerspaces SupportGitHub

Powerspaces makes macOS Spaces work like real virtual desktops.

A dock per desktop. Apps that open where you are instead of yanking you elsewhere. Per-desktop ⌘-Tab. It augments Spaces rather than replacing them, so your gestures and Mission Control keep working.

Read the docs Support this project

Copied to clipboard

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Paste the command
  3. Press Enter

the per-desktop dock and smart launch in action

On every desktop

  • A dock showing only what is open here
  • Smart launch that never jumps you away
  • Per-desktop ⌘-Tab, set up in one click
  • App Launcher, plus a Raycast extension

Across your screens

  • An independent dock on every monitor
  • Choose which screens get one
  • Hides the macOS Dock for you

Make it yours

  • Dock position, size, colour, auto-hide
  • Per-app new-window rules
  • Launch at login
  • A powerspaces command line tool

Without Powerspaces

  • Click a Dock icon → yanked to another desktop, mid-screen-share.
  • Search in Spotlight → activates the copy living somewhere else.
  • ⌘-Tab → cycles every window on every desktop.

With Powerspaces

  • Focus the app if it's already here, otherwise open a new window here.
  • App Launcher + Raycast extension open apps on this desktop.
  • AltTab configured in one click: this desktop’s windows only.
  • Augments Spacesgestures & Mission Control keep working
  • Accessibility onlyno SIP, no kexts, no screen recording
  • Native Swifttiny, free, GPL-3.0
  • Notarizedsigned by Apple, opens instantly

FAQ

Questions about Powerspaces

What is Powerspaces?

Powerspaces is a free, open-source macOS app that makes Spaces work like real virtual desktops. Each desktop gets its own dock, apps open on the desktop you are on, and ⌘-Tab only shows the windows on that desktop.

How do I stop macOS from yanking me to another desktop when I open an app?

Install Powerspaces. When you open an app, it focuses that app's window if one is already on your current desktop, and otherwise opens a new window right where you are, so macOS never switches you to another Space.

Can macOS work like Windows virtual desktops?

Yes, with Powerspaces. It makes macOS Spaces behave like the virtual desktops in Windows 10 and 11: each desktop keeps its own apps, its own dock and its own ⌘-Tab list, instead of everything leaking across desktops.

Can I have a separate Dock on each desktop in macOS?

Yes. Powerspaces adds a dock per desktop that shows only the apps with a window on the desktop you are on, and it follows you as you switch. With more than one monitor you get an independent dock on every screen, so you can run several docks at once.

Does Powerspaces replace macOS Spaces?

No. Powerspaces augments Spaces rather than replacing them, so your swipe gestures and Mission Control keep working. Tools such as AeroSpace and FlashSpace replace Spaces with their own system instead.

Do I need to disable SIP to use Powerspaces?

No. Powerspaces only needs the macOS Accessibility permission. It makes no SIP changes, installs no kernel extensions and does not ask for Screen Recording.

Which Macs and macOS versions does Powerspaces support?

Powerspaces requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later and supports macOS 27. The prebuilt app runs on Apple Silicon Macs.

How do I install Powerspaces?

Install it with Homebrew by running brew install --cask powerspaces in Terminal, then open the app and grant Accessibility when asked. It is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens without a Gatekeeper warning.

How does per-desktop ⌘-Tab work?

Powerspaces sets up AltTab, a free open-source window switcher, in one click so that ⌘-Tab only cycles through the windows on your current desktop.

Is Powerspaces free?

Yes. Powerspaces is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 licence, and the source code is on GitHub. Tips through Ko-fi are welcome but never required.