Create a new space using a keyboard shortcut

Question

I am aware you can do it from Mission Control by clicking and there is no shortcut available in 'Keyboard'.

Are there any ways to do this by using a 3rd party program or Applescript?

Answer 1

Update: This method works in OS X 10.11 and earlier at least to OS X 10.8 (didn't test it on anything older then OS X 10.8) but no longer works as coded in macOS 10.12 due to significant changes to Mission Control made by Apple.

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To programmatically add a Desktop in Mission Control the code below can be used as an AppleScript or a BASH Script in conjunction with an Automator Service using Run AppleScript or Run Shell Script, respectively, and a key sequence assigned to the Service in System Preferences in Keyboard Shortcuts.

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AppleScript Code:

do shell script "open -a 'Mission Control'"
delay 0.5
tell application "System Events" to click (every button whose value of attribute "AXDescription" is "add desktop") of group 1 of process "Dock"
delay 0.5
tell application "System Events" to key code 53

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BASH Script Code:

#!/bin/bash

open -a 'Mission Control'
osascript -e 'delay 0.5' \
          -e 'tell application "System Events" to click (every button whose value of attribute "AXDescription" is "add desktop") of group 1 of process "Dock"' \
          -e 'delay 0.5' \
          -e 'tell application "System Events" to key code 53'

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• Open Automator and select Service.

• Set: Service receives no input in any application

• Add either a Run AppleScript or Run Shell Script Action.

• Add the appropriate code for the target Action.

• Save the Service as, e.g.: Add New Desktop

• Assign a keyboard shortcut for the Service in System Preferences.

Note: You'll have to assign a key sequence that is not used elsewhere on the System or in Finder if you choose is over any application in the Service.

I tested it with: ⌃⌥⌘D (Control-Option-Command-D)

Answer 2

OK, using the Automator recording, I made it work with a revised version of the AppleScript in the other answer.

Replace "of group 1" with "of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of":

on run {input, parameters}

    do shell script "open -a 'Mission Control'"
    delay 0.5
    tell application "System Events" to click (every button whose value of attribute "AXDescription" is "add desktop") of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of process "Dock"
    delay 0.5
    tell application "System Events" to key code 53

    return input
end run

Answer 3

Yep, that works, sort of. Problem is that user3439894's solution ends up throwing an error if the active application (Finder, textedit, etc.) hasn't been added to the Security & Privacy Accessibility pane.

To get around this, we need two workflows, user3439894's service with the updated group list as an Automator application, and a second Automator service to launch it.

The Automator Application (Saved into /Applications as "New Desktop".)

on run {input, parameters}

do shell script "open -a 'Mission Control'"

delay 0.5

tell application "System Events" to click (every button whose value of attribute "AXDescription" is "add desktop") of group 2 of group 1 of group 1 of process "Dock"

delay 0.5

tell application "System Events" to key code 53

return input

end run

Then we just need to create the second workflow as a service, using the "Launch Application" action and save it as "New_Desktop"

Last steps are to add “New Desktop.App” to  System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Accessibility

Then add your keyboard shortcut in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Services > General for the New_Desktop.workflow.

Answer 4

In 2024 (currently in Sonoma 14.6.1), it's possible to create/destroy spaces using Hammerspoon utility. Below is a simple example (this ensures each monitor has ten spaces, removing or adding spaces as needed).

local spaces = require("hs.spaces")
local hotkey = require("hs.hotkey")
local screen = require("hs.screen")
local menubar = require("hs.menubar")

-- Target number of spaces per screen
local TARGET_SPACES = 10

-- Function to get indexed spaces for a screen
local function getIndexedSpaces(scr)
    local allSpaces = spaces.allSpaces()
    local screenSpaces = allSpaces[scr:getUUID()] or {}
    local indexedSpaces = {}
    for i, spaceID in ipairs(screenSpaces) do
        indexedSpaces[i] = spaceID
    end
    return indexedSpaces
end

-- Function to ensure each screen has exactly TARGET_SPACES spaces
local function ensureSpacesPerScreen()
    for _, scr in ipairs(screen.allScreens()) do
        local indexedSpaces = getIndexedSpaces(scr)
        local spaceCount = #indexedSpaces
        
        if spaceCount < TARGET_SPACES then
            for i = 1, TARGET_SPACES - spaceCount do
                spaces.addSpaceToScreen(scr)
            end
            print("Added " .. (TARGET_SPACES - spaceCount) .. " spaces to screen " .. scr:name())
        elseif spaceCount > TARGET_SPACES then
            for i = spaceCount, TARGET_SPACES + 1, -1 do
                spaces.removeSpace(indexedSpaces[i])
            end
            print("Removed " .. (spaceCount - TARGET_SPACES) .. " spaces from screen " .. scr:name())
        else
            print("Screen " .. scr:name() .. " already has " .. TARGET_SPACES .. " spaces")
        end
    end
    
    hs.timer.doAfter(1, function()
        updateMenuBar()
    end)
end

-- Hotkey to trigger space adjustment
hotkey.bind({"cmd", "alt"}, "S", ensureSpacesPerScreen)

-- Menu bar item to show current space count for each screen
local spaceMenu = menubar.new()

function updateMenuBar()
    local menuText = {}
    for i, scr in ipairs(screen.allScreens()) do
        local indexedSpaces = getIndexedSpaces(scr)
        table.insert(menuText, "Screen " .. i .. ": " .. #indexedSpaces)
    end
    spaceMenu:setTitle(table.concat(menuText, " "))
end

-- Initialize menu bar
updateMenuBar()

-- Watch for space or screen changes
spaces.watcher.new(updateMenuBar):start()
screen.watcher.new(updateMenuBar):start()

print("Space Manager loaded!")