About Titling Windows
Pop!_OS introduced a “tiling window” like feature with version 20.04. With tiling window mode on, windows don’t overlap. When a window opens, it splits the space with the existing windows. Tiling windows allow you to maximize screen space and increase productivity using keyboard shortcuts.
Pop!_OS also supports Workspaces, which are virtual desktops. The combination of Tiling Windows, Workspaces and dual monitors makes for a powerful combination.
I like to setup Workspace 1 for communication with e-mail and chat clients (Slack, Telegram, Mattermost…). Workspace 2 for developments with terminals, IDE, and browsers. Workspace 3 for documentation with text editors, note taking apps and browsers.
Keyboard Bindings
Pop!_OS has a set of keyboard shortcuts to navigate between windows and workspaces. I find them inadequate when it comes to switching between Windows and Workspaces. With the additional keyboard bindings below you can switch between Workspaces using SuperKey + Number.
SuperKey + 1 switches to workspace 1 and SuperKey + 2 to workspace 2, etc… up to 9. Add the Shift key, and the current focus window moves it to the workspace.
This minor change to Pop!_OSs titling window keyboard shortcuts make it far more usable.
Copy and paste the code below at the terminal.
gsettings set org.gnome.mutter dynamic-workspaces false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences num-workspaces 8
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-1 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-2 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-3 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-4 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-5 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-6 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-7 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-8 []
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings switch-to-application-9 []
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-1 "['<Super>1']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-2 "['<Super>2']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-3 "['<Super>3']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-4 "['<Super>4']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-5 "['<Super>5']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-6 "['<Super>6']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-7 "['<Super>7']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-8 "['<Super>8']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-9 "['<Super>9']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings switch-to-workspace-10 "['<Super>0']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-1 "['<Super><Shift>1']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-2 "['<Super><Shift>2']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-3 "['<Super><Shift>3']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-4 "['<Super><Shift>4']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-5 "['<Super><Shift>5']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-6 "['<Super><Shift>6']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-7 "['<Super><Shift>7']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-8 "['<Super><Shift>8']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-9 "['<Super><Shift>9']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.keybindings move-to-workspace-10 "['<Super><Shift>0']Resources
Thank you to Jibar Ali Ouassao for this solution in the Pop Shell repo issue queue.
Thank you so much for this! Typo on “About Tiling Windows”
Thanks very much for the guide. Do you mind adding an addendum on how to reverse the process for beginners.
Hi. Thanks for this guide.
If you only need up to 4 workspaces, you can go to Pop!_OS Settings -> Keyboard -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> View and Customize Shortcuts -> Navigation, and set shortcuts for “Switch to workspace 1”. “Switch to workspace 2”, … until workspace 4.