A GNOME Shell extension that automatically moves maximized and fullscreen windows to empty workspaces, keeping your workflow organized without manual intervention. Includes per-application filtering and multi-monitor support.
- Automatic workspace isolation — Maximized and fullscreen windows move to empty workspaces, one window per space
- Configurable trigger behavior — Choose whether maximize, fullscreen, or both trigger workspace isolation via dropdown selector
- Override modifier key — Hold Alt/Super/Ctrl/Shift while maximizing/fullscreening to bypass ScreenToSpace and use GNOME's default behavior
- External monitor override — Optionally disable workspace moves while more than one monitor is connected
- Adjacent workspace placement — Optionally place isolated windows on an existing empty workspace next to the current one, with automatic fallback
- Smart workspace reordering — Minimized disruption to existing window layout when creating or destroying isolated workspaces
- Focus preservation — Moved/restored windows automatically gain focus and raise to prevent being hidden behind other windows
- Multi-monitor aware — Respects GNOME's "workspaces on primary display only" setting; handles per-monitor workspace assignment correctly
- Blacklist mode (default) — Exclude specific apps from automatic workspace management (e.g., Telegram, WhatsApp, Brave)
- Whitelist mode — Only manage explicitly listed apps; all others remain in their current workspace
- Multi-select app chooser — Select multiple applications at once with search and checkbox UI
- Per-app granularity — Filter by desktop app ID with automatic normalization (strips
.desktopsuffix for matching)
Configure window behavior and filter mode:
View and manage blacklisted/whitelisted applications:
Select multiple apps at once with search:
Extension information and version details:
- GNOME Shell 49 or 50
- Standard GNOME Shell extension runtime (no additional dependencies)
git clone https://github.com/DilZhaan/ScreenToSpace.git
cd ScreenToSpaceCompile schemas and install:
glib-compile-schemas src/schemas
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/screentospace@dilzhan.dev
rsync -av --delete src/ ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/screentospace@dilzhan.dev/Enable the extension:
gnome-extensions enable screentospace@dilzhan.devRestart GNOME Shell:
- X11:
Alt+F2, typer, press Enter - Wayland: Log out and back in
./scripts/makezip.sh
gnome-extensions install build/screentospace@dilzhan.dev.zip --force
gnome-extensions enable screentospace@dilzhan.devOpen preferences via GNOME Extensions app or:
gnome-extensions prefs screentospace@dilzhan.devWindow Behavior
- Behavior — Dropdown to choose trigger mode:
- Maximized — Only maximized windows trigger workspace isolation
- Full Screen — Only fullscreen windows trigger workspace isolation
- Both (default) — Both maximized and fullscreen windows trigger workspace isolation
- Override modifier — Choose a modifier key (None/Alt/Super/Ctrl/Shift) that, when held during maximize/fullscreen, bypasses ScreenToSpace and uses GNOME's default behavior
- Place next to current workspace — When enabled, ScreenToSpace tries to use an existing empty workspace directly after the current workspace. If that is not available, it falls back to standard placement
- External monitor override — When enabled, ScreenToSpace uses GNOME's default maximize/fullscreen behavior while more than one monitor is connected
App Filtering
- Filter mode — Choose Blacklist (ignore listed apps) or Whitelist (manage only listed apps)
- Configured apps — Shows current app count; click through to App List tab to manage
Add Application (top section)
- Opens multi-select dialog with search bar
- Filter by app name or desktop ID
- Select multiple apps with checkboxes; click "Add Selected (N)" to confirm
Blacklisted/Whitelisted Apps (bottom section)
- Shows app icon, name, and desktop ID for each entry
- Remove button (circular trash icon) per app
- Empty state prompts to add apps using button above
Extension metadata: name, author, version, repository link
Placement (window enters maximized/fullscreen state):
- Extension detects size-change signal from window manager
- Check if override modifier is pressed; if so, bypass ScreenToSpace (GNOME default behavior)
WindowFilterchecks if window qualifies: normal window type, matches app filter rules, matches configured trigger behavior (maximize/fullscreen/both)WorkspaceManagerscans for empty workspace on the same monitorWindowPlacementHandlerplaces the window:- Adjacent mode: Reuses an existing empty workspace after the current workspace when available, then moves the isolated window there
- Standard mode/fallback: Swaps an empty workspace with the current workspace, keeping other windows in place and storing the home workspace index
- Window is explicitly focused and raised to ensure visibility
Return (window exits maximized/fullscreen state):
- Extension detects size-change signal indicating unmaximize/unfullscreen
- Retrieve stored workspace reference (original/home workspace)
WindowPlacementHandlerrestores window using identity-based lookup:- If the stored workspace still exists (verified by object identity), move window back to it
- If the workspace was removed (dynamic workspaces), fall back to existing restore heuristic (last occupied / nearest workspace)
- Window is explicitly focused and raised to prevent being hidden behind other windows
- Workspace is activated so user follows the restored window
- App IDs are normalized: lowercased,
.desktopsuffix stripped - Window IDs resolved via
get_gtk_application_id(),get_wm_class_instance(), orget_wm_class()(first non-null match) - Blacklist mode: If app ID is in blacklist, skip workspace isolation (window stays in current workspace regardless of maximize/fullscreen)
- If a blacklist is configured and GNOME has not exposed an app ID for a newly mapped window yet, ScreenToSpace waits briefly and then skips unidentified windows rather than moving a possibly blacklisted app
- Whitelist mode: If whitelist is non-empty, only manage windows whose app ID is in the whitelist; all others are ignored
- Empty whitelist in whitelist mode = manage nothing (explicit opt-in required)
Respects GNOME's "Workspaces on primary display only" setting:
- Primary-only mode: Only the primary monitor's workspace changes trigger isolation; other monitors' windows are left alone
- All-monitors mode: Each monitor has independent workspace stacks; extension manages workspaces per-monitor (checks
window.get_monitor()and only scans workspaces for windows on that monitor)
Modular design following Single Responsibility Principle:
src/
├── extension.js # Entry point, signal wiring, lifecycle
├── constants.js # Centralized string literals and settings keys
├── eventHandler.js # Window manager signal dispatcher
├── windowFilter.js # Eligibility predicate (window type, app filter, state checks)
├── windowPlacement.js # Workspace reorder logic, window movement
├── workspaceManager.js # Workspace queries (find empty, find occupied)
├── prefs.js # Preferences UI (Adw, three-tab layout)
└── schemas/
└── org.gnome.shell.extensions.screentospace.gschema.xml
Key modules:
WindowFilter—isManagedWindow(window)combines type check + app filter logic;shouldPlaceOnSizeChange(window, change)checks maximize/fullscreen triggers independently; app ID normalization and blacklist/whitelist evaluation happen hereWindowPlacementHandler—placeWindowOnWorkspace(window),returnWindowToOldWorkspace(window)encapsulate workspace operations; stores workspace indices for restore; handles focus/raise after moves; adjacent placement is guarded by per-window cooldown and fallback logicWorkspaceManager—getFirstFreeWorkspace(manager, monitor),getFirstCompletelyEmptyWorkspaceAfter(manager, currentIndex),getLastOccupiedWorkspace(manager, currentIndex, monitor)abstract workspace discoveryWindowEventHandler— Bridges window manager signals (map,size-change,minimize, etc.) to placement/filter logic; checks override modifier state; tracks pending actions betweensize-changeandsize-changedsignals
# Check status
gnome-extensions info screentospace@dilzhan.dev
# View logs
journalctl -f -o cat /usr/bin/gnome-shell | grep -i screentospace
# Reset settings
dconf reset -f /org/gnome/shell/extensions/screentospace/# Recompile schemas in installed extension
glib-compile-schemas ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/screentospace@dilzhan.dev/schemas/
# Restart GNOME Shell (X11: Alt+F2, r; Wayland: relog)- Verify extension is enabled:
gnome-extensions list | grep screentospace - Check "Behavior" dropdown is set correctly (not disabled for the window state you're testing)
- Ensure you're not holding the override modifier key while maximizing/fullscreening
- If using whitelist mode, ensure target app is in the whitelist
- Confirm GNOME dynamic workspaces are enabled (Settings → Multitasking → Workspaces)
- The extension matches against desktop app IDs (e.g.,
org.telegram.desktop,brave-browser) - IDs are normalized (lowercased,
.desktopstripped) - If an app doesn't have a desktop ID, it may not be filterable
- Check app's actual ID:
Gio.DesktopAppInfo.new('app-name.desktop').get_id()in Looking Glass (Alt+F2,lg)
git clone https://github.com/DilZhaan/ScreenToSpace.git
cd ScreenToSpace
# Compile schemas
glib-compile-schemas src/schemas
# Build zip
./scripts/makezip.sh
# Output: build/screentospace@dilzhan.dev.zip# Deploy to local extensions directory
rsync -av --delete src/ ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/screentospace@dilzhan.dev/
glib-compile-schemas ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/screentospace@dilzhan.dev/schemas/
# Restart GNOME Shell (X11)
# Alt+F2, r
# Watch logs
journalctl -f -o cat /usr/bin/gnome-shell- ES modules (
import/export) - 4-space indentation
- JSDoc for public methods
- Descriptive variable names (
currentWorkspace, notws) - No abbreviations in identifiers except standard ones (
appId,wm)
- All window manager signals wired in
extension.js:_connectSignals() - Settings keys defined in
constants.jsto avoid typos - App filtering entirely contained in
windowFilter.js:_isAppAllowed() - Preferences UI uses Adw (libadwaita widgets); three-page layout with
Adw.PreferencesPageinstances
GPL-2.0-or-later
Copyright (C) 2025 DilZhaan
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
Full license text: LICENSE
DilZhaan
GitHub: @DilZhaan
Repository: github.com/DilZhaan/ScreenToSpace
Support: buymeacoffee.com/dilzhan
v9 (2025-12-28)
- Behavior dropdown: Configure maximize/fullscreen triggers independently (Maximized, Full Screen, or Both)
- Override modifier: Hold Alt/Super/Ctrl/Shift while maximizing/fullscreening to bypass ScreenToSpace
- Adjacent workspace placement: Optional mode to place isolated windows next to the current workspace when an empty workspace is already available
- Unified restore behavior: Always returns to original workspace if it exists, with fallback to last occupied/nearest
- Focus preservation: Moved/restored windows are explicitly focused and raised to prevent being hidden
- Identity-based workspace tracking: Robust handling of dynamic workspace removal
- One-time settings migration: Automatic upgrade from legacy single toggle to new separate triggers
v8 (2025-12-24)
- Added per-application blacklist/whitelist filtering
- Multi-select app chooser with search functionality
- Redesigned preferences UI (three-tab layout)
- App ID normalization for reliable matching
- Configurable filter mode (blacklist/whitelist toggle)
v7 (Previous)
- Initial public release
- Core workspace isolation functionality
- Multi-monitor support
- Maximize/fullscreen window handling
Note: This extension is developed and tested on Fedora/RHEL-based systems running GNOME Shell 49 and 50. Community contributions and bug reports welcome.