Blog · Mission Control · 1 November 2026

How to open Mission Control on a Mac

The quick answer: press ⌃↑ (Control-Up Arrow) or the F3 key, or swipe up with three fingers on the trackpad. Here are all six ways, and where to turn each one on.

At a glance

Way	How	Where to change it
Keyboard shortcut	`⌃↑` (Control-Up Arrow)	System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control
Mission Control key	`F3` on Apple keyboards, the key with three small windows	System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Function Keys
Trackpad	Swipe up with three or four fingers	System Settings → Trackpad → More Gestures
Magic Mouse	Double-tap with two fingers	System Settings → Mouse → More Gestures
Hot corner	Move the pointer into a corner of the screen	System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners
The app	Open Mission Control from Spotlight or the Applications folder	Drag it to the Dock to keep it there

1. The keyboard shortcut

⌃↑ opens Mission Control from anywhere. Press it again, or press esc, to close it. If you would rather use another key, open System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts…, choose Mission Control in the sidebar, then double-click the shortcut and press the new keys.

The full list of built-in shortcuts, including App Exposé and switching desktops, is in Mission Control keyboard shortcuts.

2. The F3 key

On Apple keyboards, F3 shows a picture of three windows and opens Mission Control. If you turned on Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys, press fnF3 instead. Many third-party keyboards don't send the Mission Control key at all; use ⌃↑ on those.

3. Trackpad gesture

Swipe up with three fingers. If nothing happens, open System Settings → Trackpad → More Gestures and check Mission Control. You can pick three or four fingers there. Four is useful if you use three-finger drag.

4. Magic Mouse gesture

Double-tap the mouse lightly with two fingers. It is a tap, not a click. Turn it on under System Settings → Mouse → More Gestures → Mission Control.

5. Hot corner

A hot corner opens Mission Control when you push the pointer into a corner of the screen. Open System Settings → Desktop & Dock, scroll to the bottom, click Hot Corners… and pick Mission Control for one corner.

If you keep opening it by accident, hold ⌘ or ⌥ while you choose Mission Control in that menu. The corner then only works while you hold that key.

6. The Mission Control app

Mission Control is also an app in the Applications folder. Press ⌘space, type Mission Control and press return. To keep it one click away, drag it from Applications to the Dock.

Once it's open

Mission Control shows every window on the current desktop, with your desktops (Spaces) in a bar along the top. Click a window to switch to it, or drag it onto another desktop. What it can't do on its own is close, minimize or full-screen a window. Mission Boost adds buttons and ⌘W-style shortcuts for that, right inside Mission Control.

Not opening at all? See Mission Control not working.

Try Mission Boost free About Mission Boost

More about Mission Control

Questions

What is the shortcut for Mission Control on a Mac?

Control-Up Arrow (⌃↑). On Apple keyboards the F3 key also opens it. You can change the shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Mission Control.

How do I open Mission Control without a keyboard?

Swipe up with three or four fingers on the trackpad, double-tap with two fingers on a Magic Mouse, or set a hot corner in System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners.

How do I close Mission Control?

Press Escape, press Control-Up Arrow again, swipe down on the trackpad, or click any window to switch to it.

Ondřej RomancovEngineer in Prague · X · LinkedIn · GitHub