Mission Control in Yosemite Creates Tons of Spaces/Desktops

Every now and then, I'll open mission control, and I'll see dozens of spaces/desktops open. I did not open them myself, so Yosemite must be creating them automatically somehow. Here's a screenshot I just took while closing them:
I am hovering over desktop number 25, so there are around 40-50 desktops shown (and I had already deleted many of them before taking this screenshot).
Has anybody run into this before and know how to prevent it? Seems like a bug. Here are some notes:
OS X Yosemite (clean install on a new partition... I sill have Mavericks on an old partition).
Seems to only happen on my main screen (I have a second, external monitor).
Here is some system/display information:

Yeah, it does seem pretty rare. None of my coworkers have mentioned it, and most of them recently upgraded to Yosemite. Though, at least one other person has seen this issue too. Spaces and expose on Yosemite:
Though, there are some differences that could explain why none of my coworkers have seen this before. They are using iMacs (I have a MacBook Pro), they have Thunderbolt displays (I have a retina display), and they all upgraded from Mavericks (I did a clean install).
By the way, the user in the screenshot above mentioned that spaces are created each time they boot up. I'll open Mission Control next time I restart to see if that's when it happens for me (I've been on my computer for a couple hours now and still no extra spaces).
Also, I have VMware installed and use it frequently. It does some funky things with windows/screens and I run it in full screen all the time, so maybe that could be related.

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Customize mission control to show only windows from current desktop Space

Finder in Mission Control is a mess, a mega super huge mess, when you are a multitask user, and have 2, 3... differents desktops doing different task, usually there are at least one common app, Finder, with multiple windows (thanx God, thanx! for bring Finder tabs in Mavericks, You rocks...), and when you brow just "app windows" Mission control shows you the hundred and so windows you has been opened arround all the desktops!!!
SO, whats the point here??? why in **** anyone would to want all the Finder windows opened in the "photography deticated desktop" messed with the windows at the "videogames desktop" and the "receipts/budget" desktop?
please, anyone, tell me that I'm a complete fool and this can be easly fixed with a few clics...

You can open Mission Control, which will show your main space at first, and 4-finger swipe right (on Macbook Pro, I don't know the keys without a trackpad) to switch to the next. You will only see the active windows in the other space then.

Mission control: display only windows from a space?

I have a lot of terminal and browser windows open at any one time, all spread across multiple space. When I use Control-F3 Mission control displays all the windows for that application regardless of which space they are from. Is there a way to do something similar but only display the windows of the application that are in the current space?
Thanks!

You can open Mission Control, which will show your main space at first, and 4-finger swipe right (on Macbook Pro, I don't know the keys without a trackpad) to switch to the next. You will only see the active windows in the other space then.

Mission Control: Application Does Not Switch To Assigned Desktop Once Open

I have Adobe Photoshop CS5 assigned to DESKTOP 2 in Mission Control. If Photoshop is closed, and I launch it from the dock or Launchpad, Lion switches to DESKTOP 2 to launch Photoshop. This is what I want.
However, if Photoshop is already open and I click on an image file in Adobe Bridge, or Finder, Lion does not switch to DESKTOP 2. Photoshop will launch on whatever desktop I am on, in front of Finder or Adobe Bridge.
I have experienced this when I have "Automatically rearrange spaces based on most recent use" and "When switching to an application, switch to a desktop with open windows for this application" on or off. Both settings seem to have the same problem.
Is anyone else experiencing this? Any suggestions? I used this feature extensively with Spaces, and Lion is killing my workflow unless I can get this figured out.
Thanks!!

Wait DONT reinstall yet!!! there is a switch for this:
I bet yours is toggled the wrong way.
Message was edited by: coocooforcocoapuffs: never mind, did not read your post properly.

How can one use Mission Control with two monitors? Please bring Spaces back

How can one use Mission Control with two monitors. With Spaces I could treat each space as a single desktop.
SyBB

I use two monitors at work and have no issue. I have my mail set to use Desktop 1 and iTunes set to the second monitor of Desktop 1. I have browsers set to Desktop 2 and Fusion and RDC set to Desktop 3.
Two things that may help you. In System Preferences > Mission Control, disable the setting "Automatically rearrange spaces...". This screwed with assigning applications to certain spaces. And the other thing is don't use full screen on apps that support it. This just makes your second monitor superfluous.

1 OSX Lion Mission Control vs Snow Leopard Expose can't we combine the two (by leaving older Expose options inside) and get Apple back to leaping forward again?

So I am a web/software developer and I am having major beef with OSX Lion's Mission Control. While I think Mission Control and Application Windows are interesting additions to the multi-tasking nature and scheme of the OS, removing the older Expose Spaces and All Windows is a huge mistake. Couldn't Apple have just left all of the old stuff in? Then the system would be complete. As pretty as Mission Control and Application Windows is, the older Snow Leopard Spaces and Expose moved much faster and tamed all of my apps in a very efficient way.
Here is why Mission Control is not as fast as Spaces and Expose:....
1. With Spaces all of the desktops and their connected monitors were consolidated to one monitor in which you can easily see everything going on from a birds eye view. You cloud easily drag open windows between them freely and even swap spaces. This was huge because you could see everything. You could even activate All Windows over Spaces and see everything..Mission Control will group everything but you can't move programs across desktops unless it's the main desktop to the little desktop. Nor can you move windows across monitors. This is frustrating. Also the desktop are split to their respective monitor so I no longer have a birds-eye key-map access.
2. All Windows is so necessary and slick. Mission Control or Application Windows can't quite keep up. If I have a cluttered desktop and hit all windows, I can get any window at any time no matter how buried it is. Application Windows is useful but only applies to the focused application…but what if it's buried? I have to activate mission control first, select one of the windows from the program group, then activate Application Windows to get to that window. Also if there are many windows open for an application, Mission Control cannot replace All Windows because they stack and you can't quite tell which of the windows you want is accessible in that stack.
The bottom line is, put both of them together! Keep the old functionality as an option, because truth be told, the old way of doing things is still considerably faster under heavy work loads. I would use the Snow Leopard expose features more often. There is still room for Application Windows and Mission Control, but even after re-training myself I feel I'm moving at 70% of the multitasking speed that I used to move at before using Snow Leopard Expose. I mean this legitimately, I develop using multiple OS's along with video chat and instead of being a leap forward, Lion is a step backward and that just isn't like apple, everything Apple has done has been leaps and bounds forward. Let's leap forward and not only have all the sweet new features that Lion offers, but combine with the productive features that really moved and maybe just integrate into Lion's style. Bottle that and you have something sweeter than Yoohoo.

I completely agree with airbnboy. I used to be able to quick organised different windows within the same app to different spaces (now "desktops" for no apparent reason). This worked very smoothly in expose/spaces. I'd use one gesture to get to spaces, then another for expose, and I'd have all my windows in all spaces visible.
Now, I can't even see all of my windows in specific to one desktop! The best I can do is double scroll to see *some parts* of the windows on a desktop. So now, selecting a window for a specifc app is huge pain.
Worse than this, on moving windows from a desktop to another in, Mission Control will change the ordering of the stacks (per app, not the windows in the stacks). Umm, what is the possible benefit there?
So, now there is no use of spatial memory - e.g. Window X for App Y was in the top left of all my windows in the top left space, and I want to move it now. It's no longer possible to see all app windows in a specific "desktop", and much more effort is required to move windows around.
Great, well done Apple. Can we please, please have Expose and Spaces back as an option? Or at the very least, some way to view all windows for a specifc app on a specific desktop - and by "view", I mean see the whole window, not just a tiny indicator of the window, or a slightly expanded stack that may not give enough context.
The only reason I "upgraded" to Lion was to get XCode 4.2.

How do I get rid of blank pdf windows that appear in mission control? My adobe acrobat program isn't even open.

Everytime I go into mission control I see blank pdf windows. I can't get rid of them except when I restart my computer. Otherwise I have to put them all into 1 desktop in mission control so they don't clutter my other desktops. The windows only appear in mission control and not in the actual active desktop. I've tried closing any open application that uses pdfs but that doesn't help. Any ideas on what could be causing this?

Hi Bill,
I came to the problem this morning with a fresh perspective and have solved the problem: I realized the text was in Cambria, so I changed it to the dependable Times New Roman. I created the PDF and NO pound signs appeared scattered around in the PDF.
Ay, fonts!
Thanks for replying, and have a great day!

Desktop background disappears, Mission Control doesn't work correctly

Sometimes it happens that my desktop background completely dissappears, and Mission Control stops working as well.
It seems to happen when I open a new window in a fullscreen app (like Safari), and while it's opening I switch to another space.
Whenever this happens, my desktop changes to the Dashboard background, and Mission Control doesn't show the other spaces anymore (but you can see active windows in your main space). I've added pictures below.
I can still swipe between spaces, my dock still works and all apps still work in all spaces.
Any way to fix this without rebooting? To avoid this happening (apart from me being more patient)?
This is my desktop at the moment:
And this is Mission Control:
I am using: Macbook Pro 5,4
OS X 10.7.1
2,53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

I am experiencing the same thing as most of us, exactly as explained by - Acid_Raccoon.
UK-Max - This is not just a specific problem involving external screens. The dissappearing wallpaper, and loss of function of mission control (do not show spaces, but you can click in empty area where it should be located and it actually works as normal) occurs also when there is no
external screen input involved - You have to restart computer for it to return to normal. As a matter of fact, I am experiencing it right now for the 10th time in 1 week period, and it´s quite annoying. I would guess more than just a few people are experiencing this, and as postmechanical mentioned about having a brand new computer - this shouldn´t occur, and if so should get a fix immediately.
Over time, I have experiencing other system problems produced from installing OS lion. Sure it deliver a few smart, and smooth features, but since more and more bugs are discovered (and not fixed by apple), I am considering returning to snow leopard. For instance, sometimes when my computer goes into screensaver, it can shift to a picture of pixels (black&white) in 4:3 screen ration. This has never occurred before installing Lion. Another thing which is extremely annoying is that since installing lion, my computer refuses to go to sleep when I close my lid. Nothing happens, and it just stays on. I have to manually select in apple-menu to sleep.
I really hope Apple take these notes people have mentioned in this forum (and others) seriously, and fix them. I really hope Apple show more custumer service-spirits, than Apple´s lack of hardware-quality. (I have owned 4 apple computers(1 powerbook G4, 1 macbook & 2 macbook pro), brand new, and 3 of them have experienced hardware-failure on more than one occasion in less than a year. The one that didnt required service was my powerbook G4 titanium, released in 2001, and kept going for 4 years straight without any problems.) (Actually, the last one experienced 3 times in-a-row mother-card failure). I only go for Apple´s products due to its smart and clean features (and seriously PC is not an alternative if you want to stay mentally healthy), but what I´ve been reading on multiple forums over the web, more than a few, experience occuring hardware problems with their Apple computer.
I guess this is the result of Apple trying to push for higher revenues. If Apple keep go in the same directions as it has been doing in the last 4-5 years it will be its doom, and loose the customers that once caught the Apple-wave due to it´s innovative and personal aspect, but most important - it´s superiour quality it once had! Apple´s products is quite expensive, and thus should be combined with its smart and innovative system, along with lasting quality. But if $ revenue is the only thing that keep Apple going nowdays, and produce smart product that is meant to last for only 2-3 years maximum, it is deeply disturbing and the company will loose track of what stevie was initially producing - clean, smooth system (just works, no migraine), with everlasting quality far seen in PC-world. Apple - please consider !

Creative Cloud has Hijacked Mission Control.

I'm running OSX 10.9.4 and have the latest Adobe Creative Cloud software installed. I recently noticed that Mission Control shows no open applications in the desktops displayed there. The current desktop (the largest one shown) says Creative Cloud on it. It's as though Creative Cloud has hijacked Mission Control. Perhaps a preference file has become corrupted. I removed "com.apple.spaces" to no effect.
Any ideas?

Unfortunately, it doesn't. The Creative Cloud label does disappear from the larger desktop in Mission Control. After posting this problem, I installed the 10.9.4 Combo updater but that didn't help.

Change mission control wallpaper ?

Hi, is there anyway to change the mission control wallpaper on mavericks ? I changed the wallpaper for the dashboard but can't find out how to do it for the mission control background .

Well there was no "Mission Control" in leopard. There was Spaces and there was Expose. Spaces let you have multiple desktops and clicking on it would let you see all of your desktops on one screen. Expose would show you all of the windows on your current desktop. There is no way to get either of those back unless you switch back to leopard or snow leopard. However, there is an option in system preferences that may help you. In the trackpad section (at least on laptops, there may be a similar option on desktops) under one of the gestures tabs, you can turn on app expose which will let you see all of the open windows for that specific application. So if you have 3 safari windows open it will show you those 3 safari windows, but it won't show you the other applications. Does this make sense?

Mission Control Background Blur?

After updating to Yosemite, I noticed that when going into mission control the background blurs for all my desktops that i can scroll through. Is there a way to disable the blur effect? I just prefer to see my backgrounds when in mission control like it was in Mountain Lion.

Thats how they designed the look on yosemite. I dont believe there is a way to alter that.
I also kind of liked to see my unaltered background..
But i guess its growing on me - getting used to it... Goes with the translucency theme...
Choice would be nice tho

Mission Control: How to change the order of the Apps?

OS X Lion
Is it possible, to change the order of the Apps in Mission Control?
When I swipe with my 3 fingers, I first get the Apps, witch I started last.
Any way to change that?
Thanks Mark.

Here is a simple way to use Mission Control just as Spaces:
Let's assume in this example we like to assign iPhoto to Desktop 3 (which in Spaces was called Space 3).
1. Turn off 'Automatically rearange spaces on most recent use
2. Scroll up with 3 fingers simultaneously or launch Mission Control from the Dock. Click on Desktop 3. While you are in Desktop 3 launch iPhoto. Doublecheck with a right click on the iPhoto symbol in the Dock. Choose options. Confirm 'This Desktop'
NOTICE: Apps are automatically assigned to the Desktop / Space where they are launched for the very first time. However you change this by ctrl-click the application's symbol and assign to None than switch to let's stay with Desktop 3 and launch the application from here. From then on it will be assigned to Desktop 3.
NOTICE: Apps in fullscreen mode will temporarily (for the duration they are in fullscreen mode) be assigned to right most Desktops in Mission Control. Once you restore to a window you will find yourself again in its (app's) asigned Desktop.

Rename desktop in mission control

I am hoping there is a way to rename desktop spaces in Mission Control. Is there anyway to highlight "Desktop 1, Desktop 2, etc" and change the names to "Editing, Browsing, etc?"

Does anyone know if this is something that might be made available in a later OS update? Or is there a process to follow to request such a feature formally with Apple?
This seems to be an incredibly basic requirement for desktop management, and as a brand new Mac user, I'm astonished that these types of features seem to be missing from so useful and friendly a management system!
I've written a couple of desktop managers myself (in Windows, hoick-ptui ) and one of the first things I was asked by users was to enable personalisation of all spaces.
Fingers crossed, this will be something to appear in the very near future...

Mission Control Only Showing App Icons, NOT Windows

I just purchased a new MacBook Pro Retina and am noticing a bug with Mission Control. When I go to Mission Control to see all of the different windows I have open, it's showing just the app icons, NOT the actual app windows. This occurs sporadically; sometimes it works properly, and sometimes it doesn't. I actually realzied the same issue on my MacBook Pro (2009) after upgrading to Mountain Lion a few weeks ago, therefore it seems to be an OS issue and not a HW issue.
Here is a screen shot of what I see when Mission Control is not working properly:
Instead of those icons, it should be showing the actually windows within those apps that I have open.
Any ideas?

I have this problem too and would love a solution...when it happens to me it only seems to be on one of my spaces, if I use gestures to get to another space Mission Control" works fine on a different space, but if I go back to the original space it stops working..I have found a fix, which is just move the active window slightly, yep, that actually works, and then Mission Control starts working again...it's weird...would still love to know what causes it, even though the fix is an easy one...
Just on the safari comments above, I have noticed this happens when one of the tab has "reader" activated...turning of 'reader' seems to fix the issue with safari...

Lion freezes after selecting dashboard in mission control.

After selecting Dashboard in Mission Control the Dashboard freezes. Have to do a hard shut down to exit.

Northview5 wrote:
I recently upgraded to Mountain Lion and can't get desktop spaces to work correctly. When I activate Mission Control I can see the current space's open applications, but the small desktops along the top aren't there. Neither will the little plus sign show up to make more desktops. However, if I make the dashboard a space, I can see the desktops in that space ONLY. Also, if I am in another space and activate Mission Control – if I click where I expect the "Space 4 desktop" to be (although I can't see the image) I will be moved to the 4th space. I can swipe left and right to navigate through spaces, but without those little images at the top Mission Control is VERY awkward to use.
I have restarted, checked and unchecked options in the Mission Control settings. I've tried using option to activate the plus sign. I've updated to the latest release of the software. None of these have worked. I hope someone can help me.
Have a read here first.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15687154#15687154
Pete

Mission Control in Yosemite Creates Tons of Spaces/Desktops

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