How Do I Add More Workspaces in GNOME?

Adding more workspaces in GNOME is straightforward thanks to its dynamic workspace management system, which automatically creates and removes workspaces as needed. You don't typically need to manually "add" them in the same way you might in other desktop environments; instead, GNOME makes them available when you require more space.

Understanding GNOME's Dynamic Workspaces

Unlike systems with a fixed number of virtual desktops, GNOME operates with dynamic workspaces. This means:

Automatic Creation: New workspaces appear automatically when you move a window to an empty workspace or when you try to move a window beyond the last existing workspace.
Automatic Deletion: Empty workspaces disappear automatically when all windows are closed or moved from them, keeping your workspace list tidy.
Always One Empty Workspace: GNOME generally maintains at least one empty workspace at the bottom of your workspace list, ready for new windows.

Methods to Create New Workspaces

Here are the primary ways to expand your workspace count in GNOME:

1. Using the Activities Overview

The Activities Overview is your central hub for managing windows and workspaces.

Step 1: Access Activities Overview
Press the Super key (also known as the Windows key or Command key on your keyboard) or click "Activities" in the top-left corner of your screen. This will display all your open windows and workspaces.
Step 2: Drag a Window
In the Activities Overview, look at the right side of the screen. You'll see a vertical strip showing your current workspaces.
- Drag an open window from the main screen area onto an empty workspace in the right-hand strip. If there isn't an empty one readily visible, dragging a window to the very bottom of the strip will automatically create a new, empty workspace below the last occupied one.
- Alternatively, you can drag a window to the empty space at the bottom of the workspace strip, and a new workspace will appear below the existing ones.

2. Utilizing Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts offer a quick and efficient way to navigate and create workspaces.

Navigate Workspaces:
- Press Super + Page Up to move to the workspace above.
- Press Super + Page Down to move to the workspace below.
  If you navigate past your current highest or lowest occupied workspace, a new empty workspace will often appear.
Move Windows and Create Workspaces:
- Move Window Up/Create New Above: Press Shift + Super + Page Up. This moves the active window to the workspace above. If you're on the topmost workspace and move a window up, a new workspace will be created above it.
- Move Window Down/Create New Below: Press Shift + Super + Page Down. This moves the active window to the workspace below. If you're on the bottommost workspace and move a window down, a new workspace will be created below it.
Specific Tip for Creating a Leftmost Workspace:
A unique method to specifically generate a new workspace to the left of your current leftmost one involves a clever shortcut. First, ensure you have a window open and move this window to your current leftmost workspace. Then, press Shift + Super + PageUp. This action moves the window one workspace further left. If you perform this while the window is already on your initial (first) workspace, GNOME will automatically generate a brand-new workspace on the very left to accommodate the window.

3. Dragging Windows to an Empty Area

Another intuitive way to create a new workspace is by directly interacting with windows:

Step 1: Access Activities Overview
Press the Super key to enter the Activities Overview.
Step 2: Drag to the Workspace Selector
Drag any open window to the vertical strip on the right side of the screen where workspaces are displayed. If you drag it into an empty space at the very bottom, a new workspace will materialize, and your window will be placed there.

Managing Your Workspaces

GNOME's dynamic nature simplifies management:

Reordering: In the Activities Overview, you can click and drag workspaces in the vertical strip to reorder them.
Deleting: Workspaces automatically disappear when they become empty. Simply move all windows off a workspace, and it will be removed from your list.

Using GNOME Tweaks for Static Workspaces (Optional)

While GNOME's dynamic workspaces are generally preferred, some users might desire a fixed number of workspaces. This can be configured using the GNOME Tweaks application.

Install GNOME Tweaks: If you don't have it, install it via your software center or terminal:
```
sudo apt install gnome-tweaks
```
(For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems)
Open GNOME Tweaks: Launch "Tweaks" from your applications menu.
Navigate to Workspaces: In the Tweaks application, select "Workspaces" from the left sidebar.
Configure:
- Under "Workspaces," change the "Workspaces creation" setting from "Dynamic" to "Static."
- You can then adjust the "Number of Workspaces" slider to your desired fixed count.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Workspace Management

For quick navigation and window manipulation, mastering these shortcuts is highly beneficial:

Shortcut	Action
`Super`	Open Activities Overview (show all windows and workspaces)
`Super` + `Page Up`	Move to the workspace above the current one
`Super` + `Page Down`	Move to the workspace below the current one
`Shift` + `Super` + `Page Up`	Move the active window to the workspace above (creates a new workspace if moving from the topmost, including creating a new leftmost workspace as detailed above)
`Shift` + `Super` + `Page Down`	Move the active window to the workspace below (creates a new workspace if moving from the bottommost)
`Super` + `Alt` + `Up`	Show workspace selector (alternative way to view and switch between workspaces)

By utilizing these methods, you can effectively manage and expand your digital workspace in GNOME, enhancing your productivity and organization.