Workspace switching in elementary OS: shortcuts and animations

Workspaces give elementary OS users a way to separate tasks without closing every application. A browser full of research tabs can live apart from a code editor, a terminal and a support chat, while each program stays available in the background. The result is less visual clutter and an easier return to the right project, especially on a laptop with a modest screen.

Switching is quick when the keys behave as expected. elementary OS uses the Super key, also called Meta, to open its Activities overview, and dedicated combinations move between virtual desktops. Those shortcuts work alongside the workspace strip in the top bar, so you can alternate between visual navigation and direct keyboard control rather than relying on a mouse for every change.

The exact bindings have changed between releases, and older guides sometimes describe a different keyboard layout. Current installations generally use Page Up and Page Down for workspace navigation; earlier systems may not. Knowing which elementary version you have, and distinguishing a workspace change from an application switch, prevents a frustrating half-minute of pressing keys that appear to do nothing.

How workspaces fit into the elementary desktop

A workspace is a separate desktop rather than another folder inside the one you are using. The familiar windows remain on their assigned workspace when you move away, but you can still reach them through the Activities overview. elementary's window manager, Gala, handles this desktop arrangement and presents the available workspaces in the top panel. Unlike a tiled window layout, this keeps complete sets of windows out of sight until needed.

That separation suits the rhythm of a busy Australian workday. A professional in Sydney might leave email, a calendar and a video call together, then move a spreadsheet or design program to a quieter workspace for concentrated work. Someone commuting from a Melbourne tram can do the same without turning every notification into a competing window. The important point is not the number of desktops, but giving each kind of work a predictable place.

Workspaces are a visual and organisational aid, not separate operating systems or security sandboxes. Programs continue running in the background, and a private conversation in one workspace does not prevent another application from receiving a notification. The workspace switcher also shows which desktops currently exist, making it easier to confirm that a window went where you intended. If a file contains sensitive material, close the application or protect the document itself; hiding a window is not the same as removing its data from the session.

Keyboard shortcuts for everyday workspace changes

On current elementary OS releases, press Super + Page Down to move to the next workspace and Super + Page Up to move to the previous one. Super + Home jumps to the first workspace, while Super + End reaches the last. These shortcuts are much quicker than repeatedly clicking the small workspace indicators, particularly when your keyboard has dedicated Page Up and Page Down keys.

Older installations need a quick version check before you rely on those combinations. If you are running an older build, what elementary 3 is provides useful context, but the shortcut panel in your current System Settings is the better authority. Elementary 5 and 6 users will usually find the Page Up and Page Down bindings, yet checking avoids relying on memory.

To move a window instead of your viewpoint, add Shift. Super + Shift + Page Down sends the focused window to the next workspace, and Super + Shift + Page Up sends it to the previous one. This distinction makes it easy to tidy a cluttered desktop without accidentally following the window. A browser can remain on one desktop for research while a document moves to another for editing.

Time-zone differences add a useful reason to verify where a window actually is. Brisbane remains on AEST throughout the year, Sydney and Melbourne move to AEDT during daylight saving, Adelaide follows the southern states' change, and Perth uses AWST without daylight saving. During a shared demonstration, switching to the wrong workspace can expose notes or messages intended for a different audience, so check the title bar before you begin presenting.

Compare the main switching methods

Choosing between the Activities overview, the workspace strip and direct keys depends on whether you know the destination and how much you need to see. Direct combinations suit predictable movement, while the overview helps when you recognise an application but not its location.

Super alone is sometimes mistaken for a workspace switch, but it opens the broader Activities view. Alt + Tab changes applications rather than deliberately changing desktops. Laptop keyboards can also place Page Up, Page Down, Home and End behind an Fn key, so the printed symbol may require a second keypress. Test with a harmless window before using a binding to move work you cannot easily recover.

Animations, multiple screens, and accessibility

Animations are the short slides, fades and scaling cues that make a change of desktop feel continuous. They provide useful orientation cues, but they are not essential to navigation. Open System Settings and search for “animations” or “window effects”; depending on the release, the control may sit under appearance, desktop or accessibility options. If you are sensitive to motion or prefer immediate changes, switching these effects off gives a more utilitarian screen. Reducing animation does not remove keyboard control or change the number of workspaces. You can still move a window with the Shift combinations, then switch to it later. It is worth changing the preference while a window is open so you can compare the movement rather than guessing from the settings screen.

A second monitor adds room, but it should not be mistaken for a guaranteed extra set of workspaces. Depending on your elementary OS release and display configuration, windows may be arranged across both screens within a workspace or managed as separate areas. Connect the display, open the workspace switcher and test the movement shortcut before assuming the extra screen has changed the keyboard behaviour. Keep the mouse pointer and keyboard focus in view when switching, since a window can be active on one display while the pointer sits on another.

Privacy and connectivity make these habits particularly relevant in Australia. For organisations covered by the Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles govern how personal information is handled, so a screen shared during a university consultation, workplace meeting or community-centre appointment deserves a deliberate check. Australia's NBN network uses different technologies by location, and some regional users rely on mobile broadband, so a shared session can behave differently from a metropolitan connection. Sharing one application instead of the entire desktop, checking for notifications and keeping a predictable workspace layout all help.

The local PC market also shapes who encounters these shortcuts. Australian computer retailers commonly stock laptops with Windows or macOS already installed, and many people meet elementary OS through a spare machine, a virtual machine or a Linux distribution alongside another operating system. In a dual-boot setup, changing operating systems is a much heavier operation than changing elementary workspaces, so the keyboard controls can feel especially valuable. Touchpad gestures may be inconsistent across that mixed hardware base; Page Up and Page Down provide a dependable baseline.

Build a reliable workspace routine

A dependable arrangement is simple enough to remember under pressure. Give one workspace to communication, one to focused production and one to reference material, then move windows deliberately instead of accumulating them wherever they happen to open. Notifications may still appear, but the applications behind them no longer compete for the same visible area. Keeping the arrangement stable across sessions also reduces the time spent hunting for a missing document.

Give the setup a short test after any major update. Verify that Super + Page Down moves the view, Super + Shift + Page Down moves a selected window, and Super still opens the overview. Check the animation preference if you changed it, and confirm that Fn is not intercepting Page Up or Page Down. A brief test with one nonessential browser window is enough to expose a changed key map or a hardware-specific conflict.

For the next session, focus a nonessential browser window, press Super + Shift + Page Down, then press Super + Page Down and confirm that the browser is waiting in the next workspace.