Frequently asked questions

Short, direct answers about what Spacepal does and does not do. Where the answer is "no", we say what you can do instead. For setup and the full shortcut list, see the docs.

The basics

What is Spacepal?

A menu bar app for macOS Spaces (desktops). It gives each Space a name, icon, color and note, shows the names in the menu bar and in Mission Control, and adds an overview of every Space (⌥Tab), instant switching with ⌃⌥1 to ⌃⌥0, window search across Spaces, moving windows between Spaces, per-Space automations and saved window layouts.

How much does it cost?

It is a one-time purchase, not a subscription: $9.99 at the launch price (regular price $12.99), for use on up to three Macs, with a year of updates. There is a 14-day free trial with no card needed. See pricing.

What happens when the trial ends?

Names, icons and the menu bar keep working. The overview and the names in Mission Control need a license.

Which macOS versions does it support?

macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Instant switching works on macOS 14 through 27. Some window features depend on the exact version; see "Can it move windows?" below.

Safety and privacy

Do I need to turn off System Integrity Protection?

No. Spacepal never asks you to disable SIP. That is also why it cannot do a few things that SIP-disabled tools such as yabai can, like reordering Spaces.

Why does it need Screen Recording permission? Is that safe?

Screen Recording is only used to take a preview image of each Space for the overview. Previews are saved as image files on your Mac and never uploaded. You can turn previews off ("Capture previews" in Settings, Overview) and clear them in Settings, Backup. Spacepal also needs Accessibility to switch Spaces and move windows. See Privacy.

Does it send any data?

No analytics and no ad trackers. The direct version sends your license key and an anonymous Mac identifier when you activate, and checks this site for updates. Names, previews, window lists and time statistics stay on your Mac.

Spaces

Can Spacepal rename the desktops in Mission Control?

macOS has no way to rename desktops, so Spacepal places its own name labels over Mission Control's desktop thumbnails. They follow the real Spaces, and you can turn them off with "Show names in Mission Control" in Settings, General. See names in Mission Control.

Can it create, delete or reorder Spaces?

Reorder: no. macOS does not allow it without disabling SIP. You can drag Spaces into your own order in the overview, but that only changes Spacepal's view, not the real order. Create and delete: the direct version can add a desktop or remove the current one from the menu, by driving Mission Control (it opens briefly). The Mac App Store version cannot; add them in Mission Control yourself.

Does it work with several displays?

Yes. The overview shows the Spaces of every display, desktop numbers run across displays, and names stay with each Space when you unplug and reconnect. See MacBook with an external monitor.

Does it work with full screen apps?

Full screen apps get their own Space, which Spacepal names after the app. macOS does not let any app move a full screen window to another Space, or move a window into a full screen Space; Spacepal tells you when that is the reason a move failed.

Windows

Can it move windows to another Space?

Yes, with one limit that depends on your macOS version:

See Move windows.

Can I drag a window from one Space to another in the overview?

No. Dragging a Space tile only rearranges the overview. To move a window, bring it to the front and use "Move Front Window Here" in the target Space's right-click menu, or the ⌃⌥⇧ shortcuts.

Will it put my windows back after a restart?

It saves where every window is every five minutes and offers to restore them after a restart, on the macOS versions listed above. On other versions it can restore window sizes and positions, but not which Space each window was on.

Can I stop my Mac jumping to another Space when I click an app?

Yes. Turn on Space Lock in Settings, Windows. See this guide for the macOS setting behind it too.

Versions and integrations

Is Spacepal on the Mac App Store?

Spacepal is sold directly on this site. There is also a Mac App Store version, which Apple's sandbox limits: no shell commands in automations, Shortcuts run through the Shortcuts app instead of in the background, no browser tabs when you save a Space, no adding or removing desktops, no four-finger tap, no AltTab setup button, and the setup checklist cannot read the Dock's settings. Everything else is the same.

Does it work with Raycast?

Yes. The Spacepal Raycast extension (coming to the Raycast Store) switches Spaces by name, note or app and moves the front window. Until it is listed, Raycast Quicklinks with spacepal:// links work. See Raycast.

Does it work with Shortcuts, Alfred, Stream Deck and SketchyBar?

Yes. Spacepal adds native Shortcuts actions, and every action also has a spacepal:// link and an AppleScript command. See integrations.

I use AltTab. Will the shortcuts clash?

Both use ⌥Tab by default, so change one of them. In Spacepal, pick another overview shortcut in Settings, Shortcuts. See AltTab.

Can I use it without keyboard shortcuts?

Yes. Click the menu bar item, scroll over it to switch, set a hot corner, or rest the pointer on the notch (Settings, Overview). The direct version also offers a four-finger tap on the trackpad.

Can I back up or move my setup to another Mac?

Yes. Settings, Backup exports names, notes, icons, colors, automations and every setting as one JSON file, and imports it again. Previews and custom icon images stay on the original Mac.

Still stuck?

See Troubleshooting, or open spacepal://diagnostics, which copies a report to the clipboard, and email it to support@getspacepal.com.

Written by Dan Bayer, developer of Spacepal. Last updated 2026-10-27.