Dual monitor workspaces in Ubuntu 18.04

Question

Dual monitor setup on Ubuntu 18.04; when I hit activities only the left monitor switches workspaces while the right monitor just keeps whatever is on its screen. Is there a way to make the workspace span both monitors so that when I switch from one workspace to another both monitors switch?

Does this answer your question? How can I make gnome-shell treat both monitors in the same way? — dcorking, Oct 06 '20 at 05:25

score 229 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

229

Had the same problem. Turned out it was super easy to fix.

Install the GNOME Tweaks app. Go to Workspaces and set Display handling to Workspaces span displays. Done!

edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

Zanna

70,465

answered Aug 06 '18 at 07:24

ehannes

2,494

5

see also https://askubuntu.com/a/1125322/16985 for additional fixes, e.g. Activities still showing windows from all workspaces on secondary display – törzsmókus Mar 13 '19 at 14:04
3

I had a different problem that this solution fixed. When switching from a single laptop display to a single external display, all the windows were merged into the top workspace, emptying the other workspace. Makes the worksspaces concept useless. Thanks. – AlikElzin-kilaka Jun 26 '19 at 12:22
This fixes workspaces but the "window key" dash on additional monitors shows all apps across all workspaces for Ubuntu 18. In Fedora 31, this works. – wilsotc Dec 29 '19 at 15:01
Did this but it had no effect. Changing workspace has effect on primary monitor only – frepie Apr 24 '20 at 16:48
1

I searched for the reverse to keep a zoom session on 2nd monitor while switching workspaces in sharing my screen. Indeed gnome-tweaks: switch "workspaces span displays" to "workspaces on primary display only". Thanks! – Rob Rutten Mar 01 '21 at 10:56
1

PSA: "Workspaces" is not available anymore in the Tweaks app in Ubuntu 22.04, but the solution below using gsettings still works. – jpb Aug 23 '22 at 12:22
Does the workspace overview/thumbnail show what's on the secondary display? On my end it does not. Any suggestiongs? – Johan Dec 01 '23 at 10:12

score 133 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

133

You can change this behaviour by executing:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter workspaces-only-on-primary false

edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

Zanna

70,465

answered Sep 18 '18 at 14:56

dkurzaj

1,539

9

This works on Ubuntu 18.04 – Elvis Dukaj Nov 20 '18 at 14:13
1

This worked on my Budgie desktop as well. – Scotty C. Mar 26 '19 at 18:29
1

This is the only thing that worked for me on 19.10 – ben.bourdin Mar 08 '20 at 11:40
Just upgraded to 18.04, and use Unity. Solved the problem for me, thanks. – Andrew Fielden Apr 10 '20 at 12:02
9

This work on ubuntu 20.04 – NekoOs May 19 '20 at 22:39
God bless you!!! – Oscar Ortiz García Aug 16 '20 at 12:59
Worked on Ubuntu 20 – Codigo Morsa Nov 06 '20 at 08:00
honorary accepted answer. worked on Ubuntu 20.10 – aghArdeshir Dec 10 '20 at 08:38
@dkurzaj it did something on ubuntu 20.04 but doesn't allow for independent workspaces on each monitor. They all change at the same time. Slightly disappointing – ionescho Dec 11 '20 at 10:36
@ionescho the question is about "mak[ing] the workspace span both monitors", not having different workspaces on the different monitors. I'm sorry, but I do not know how to do what you want :/ Maybe have a look at this other topic : https://askubuntu.com/questions/21711/multiple-monitors-multiple-workspaces – dkurzaj Dec 12 '20 at 12:55
Amazing. It works also on 20.04. Curiosity: where are such settings stored? – petrux Dec 27 '20 at 16:33
4

This works on Ubuntu 22.04. – Tahlor Jun 09 '22 at 16:31

score 20 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

20

You can install gnome-tweak-tool via sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool.

Then go to Workspaces > Display Handling > And choose Workspaces span displays

edited Aug 16 '20 at 06:39

Zanna

70,465

answered Feb 03 '19 at 17:45

Ini

430

score 18 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 22 '22 at 10:26

18

In Ubuntu 22.04:

Settings > Multitasking > Multi-Monitor > Workspaces on all displays

answered Jun 22 '22 at 10:26

batbrain9392

281

score 13 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 13 '20 at 19:01

13

Install dconf-editor:

sudo apt install dconf-editor

Disable the following settings:

dconf write /org/gnome/mutter/workspaces-only-on-primary false
dconf write /org/gnome/shell/overrides/workspaces-only-on-primary false

edited Nov 13 '20 at 19:01

BeastOfCaerbannog

14,585

answered Sep 04 '18 at 06:47

Shantanu Saha

131

@leoschet I suggest you reset dconf settings first. (dconf reset -f /) – Shantanu Saha Dec 18 '18 at 07:43
2

I don't think you need to install dconf-editor (it's for the GUI application) first in order to run the dconf write ... commands. Also it's preferable to use gsettings instead of the dconf commands (see here). – pomsky Nov 12 '19 at 10:55

score 10 · Answer 6 · edited Nov 13 '20 at 19:03

10

I recommend to you to use the Multi Monitos Add-on extension, available in GNOME Extensions. It is pretty easy to use, and it also gives you the ability to add a panel in the second monitor.

To get up and running all the GNOME extensions config directly in your browser, you only need the following:

Install the gnome-shell-extensions package:
```
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions
```
Install the host connector:
```
sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell
```
Install the GNOME Shell integration extension (Chrome) or add-on (Firefox).
Find and install the Multi Monitos Add-on extension.

edited Nov 13 '20 at 19:03

BeastOfCaerbannog

14,585

answered Feb 27 '19 at 05:57

Rodrigo García

221

1

I'm slightly disappointed to find that this still doesnt allow for independent desktop state on each monitor. – Steven Lu Oct 30 '20 at 18:51
@StevenLu I changed to MacOS only for that feature ¯_(ツ)_/¯ – Rodrigo García Oct 30 '20 at 20:23
1

at least multi desktop is usable in ubuntu but it's clearly lacking a few touches – Steven Lu Oct 30 '20 at 20:39

Dual monitor workspaces in Ubuntu 18.04

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