macOS – Open New Terminal Windows on Active Desktop

desktopmacossonomaterminal

Steps to reproduce:

  • Make sure Terminal is not running
  • Open a first Terminal window on Desktop1
  • Switch to Desktop 2
  • Open a new Terminal window using your favorite way

Observations:

  • The new terminal windows opens on Desktop1, ie where the previous windows were.

Desired Behavior:

  • I would like the new terminal window to open directly in the active Desktop, in that case: Desktop 2.

Question 1: is it possible?

Alternatives considered:

  • If only I could at least define a default behavior where each new Desktop would automatically start one terminal window, that might be a sufficient workaround.

Question 2: is this alternative possible?

Best Answer

This depends on one Mission Control Setting…
"When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for that application"

When this is on every time you try to open a new window, it will first switch to the Space the existing window is open on.
When off it doesn't do this initial switch & your new window will open on your current Space.

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You may find this is a bit of a 'swings & roundabouts' setting. You will lose some other functionality this way - such as clicking an app in the dock or Cmd/Tabbing - the app will switch but the Space will not.

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