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Created March 16, 2026 17:05
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The following shows how you can tell macOS to assign an application to always show on all desktops, one specific desktop, or to unbind it.
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macos-assign-to-desktop-from-terminal.md

macOS - Setting 'Assign to Desktop' via Terminal

The following shows how you can tell macOS to assign an application to show on one specific desktop, all desktops, or just a single desktop.

Show Current Config

⇒ defaults read com.apple.spaces app-bindings
{
    "com.apple.activitymonitor" = AllSpaces;
    "com.googlecode.iterm2" = AllSpaces;
    "com.riotgames.riotgames.riotclientux" = AllSpaces;
    "com.toggl.toggldesktop.toggldesktop" = AllSpaces;
    "org.audacityteam.audacity" = "7B8802D8-756C-445B-AE72-23FCABFC74C4";
    "org.whispersystems.signal-desktop" = AllSpaces;
    "ru.keepcoder.telegram" = AllSpaces;
}
⇒ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :app-bindings" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist
Dict {
    ru.keepcoder.telegram = AllSpaces
    com.googlecode.iterm2 = AllSpaces
    com.riotgames.riotgames.riotclientux = AllSpaces
    com.toggl.toggldesktop.toggldesktop = AllSpaces
    org.whispersystems.signal-desktop = AllSpaces
    com.apple.activitymonitor = AllSpaces
    org.audacityteam.audacity = 7B8802D8-756C-445B-AE72-23FCABFC74C4
}

Assign to 'None'

⇒ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Delete :app-bindings:im.beeper" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist
# successfully deleted

⇒ killall Dock
# to ensure it is updated properly based on the plist changes
⇒ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Delete :app-bindings:im.beeper" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist
Delete: Entry, ":app-bindings:im.beeper", Does Not Exist

Assign to 'This Desktop' (or a specific desktop)

Note: I haven't tested this

⇒ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Add :app-bindings:im.beeper string TODO-THE-UUID-OF-THE-DESKTOP" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist

⇒ killall Dock
# to ensure it is updated properly based on the plist changes

Assign to 'All Desktops'

⇒ /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Add :app-bindings:im.beeper string AllSpaces" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.spaces.plist

⇒ killall Dock
# to ensure it is updated properly based on the plist changes
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