ARCHIVED: In Mac OS X, while running multiple applications, how can I clean up my cluttered screen?

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If you work with several applications at a time in Mac OS X, you may find that your screen becomes overrun with windows. You have several options for cutting down on this clutter.

Hiding applications

You can hide applications and the windows associated with them; this removes them from the desktop without actually quitting them. To hide an active application, hold down the Option key and click its icon in the Dock.

You can also hide the active application by using the Application menu, located directly to the right of the Apple menu. To hide the active window, from the Application menu, select Hide [Application] (where [Application] is the name of the active program). Alternatively, in most applications, press Command-h.

You can also hide the windows of all applications except the active one. From the Application menu, select Hide Others. To show the hidden applications, from the Application menu, select Show All.

Collapsing windows

You can also unclutter your screen by collapsing windows into the Dock. Click the minimize button, which is the middle button (usually yellow) on the left side of the window. To bring the window back, click its representation in the Dock.

Multiple desktops

Spaces

In Mac OS X 10.5 and later, you can use Spaces to create virtual desktops that you can switch between to save space. You can place windows on several different desktop screens, keeping each screen uncluttered but allowing you to run multiple applications with many open windows. You can also move windows between the virtual screens, and manage which screen is active through keystrokes and/or a menu.

Mission Control

In Mac OS X 10.7, Apple introduced Mission Control, which combined Spaces with the Dashboard and Exposé. It provides many of the same features as these utilities, though with a different interface. To configure Spaces, from System Preferences open Mission Control (Mac OS X 10.7) or Exposé & Spaces (Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6).