Stop your Mac's desktops (Spaces) from rearranging themselves

Why it happens

By default, your Mac moves the Spaces you used most recently closer to the front. That's meant to help, but it means your desktops and full-screen apps shift places as you work. Turning the setting off keeps them where you put them.

How to fix it

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings and click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar.

2. Scroll down to the Mission Control section and turn off Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use.

   Desktop & Dock›Mission Control›Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use

3. Put your desktops back in the order you want. Open Mission Control with Control-Up Arrow or by swiping up with three fingers, then drag the thumbnails along the bar at the top. They'll stay put from now on.

Still not fixed?

1. If your Mac jumps to another desktop when you click an app in the Dock, that's a different setting. In the same Mission Control section, turn off When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application.

   Desktop & Dock›Mission Control›When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application

2. Full-screen apps get a Space of their own in the row at the top of Mission Control. With the rearrange setting off it keeps its place, and you can drag it wherever you want it.

3. With more than one display, each screen has its own row of Spaces while Displays have separate Spaces is on. Arrange each display's Spaces separately in Mission Control.

   Desktop & Dock›Mission Control›Displays have separate Spaces

4. If the order still changes after a restart with the setting off, check the switch is still off, then restart once more. If it keeps turning itself back on, contact Apple Support.