Video Shows Differences Between Mavericks and Mountain Lion Multiple Monitor Support

During the WWDC Keynote presentation last week, Apple executive Craig Federighi showed off Mac OS X Mavericks. One of the new features is more substantial support for multiple monitors.

In Mountain Lion, there are issues with using full-screen apps on setups with multiple monitors. Putting an app into full-screen mode disables the rest of the monitors. In Mavericks, apps can be set to full screen on individual monitors and moved around as necessary.

However, as this video shows (via 9to5Mac), there are some changes in Mavericks that multiple monitor users may not like. For instance, application windows cannot be used across multiple monitors anymore -- windows can only be used on one monitor at a time. Also, spaces are only switched individually, which could affect the workflow of some users.


It appears that, in OS X Mavericks, users can switch between both the Mountain Lion multiple monitor setup and the new multiple monitor support in Mavericks as needed. As always, it's worth noting that this is a beta and things could change before the final version of OS X Mavericks is released in the Fall.

Related Forum: OS X Mavericks

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...

Top Rated Comments

Porshuh944turbo Avatar
155 months ago
SO he doesn't like it in Mavericks because he can't see his pretty wallpaper on all 6 screens when he switches one of them? :rolleyes:

What a "nightmare"...




edit: Proposed fix that I think would solve this: Hold option key switches all screens
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neuropsychguy Avatar
155 months ago
The only real issue is not being able to have an application spread across multiple monitors. That's the only issue for Apple to "fix".
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
155 months ago
One of the biggest complains people have had about the old version is this guys biggest complaint about the new version. People were complaining that they had to switch spaces on every screen when they just wanted to do it on one. The idea that you want all of your spaces to switch so that the giant background works correctly is ridiculous. It is working exactly how it should work.
Why is this so hard to get? The wallpaper is just a proxy for what he's talking about. You can't lay out a bunch of apps spanning his 6-monitor setup in one space, then a completely different set of apps spanning the array on another space, and then switch between those two spaces. That context is lost entirely with this arrangement.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
155 months ago
SO he doesn't like it in Mavericks because he can't see his pretty wallpaper on all 6 screens when he switches one of them? :rolleyes:

What a "nightmare"...
It's not the wallpaper. It is not being able to switch all monitors at the same time. You can't cover an array of monitors with a single space, and switch between spaces like you can now.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FirePhantom Avatar
155 months ago
SO he doesn't like it in Mavericks because he can't see his pretty wallpaper on all 6 screens when he switches one of them? :rolleyes:

What a "nightmare"...
^

Also, I don't think he's in any position to complain considering he doesn't even have his six monitors calibrated together.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Asclepio Avatar
155 months ago
still broken, snow leopard is better and faster.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)