Switching workspaces on primary display only

Question

I'd like to be able to switch workspaces only on the primary monitor and make the secondary monitor static.

If I remember correctly this can easily be done in Gnome but I can't find this option in Unity.

I'm aware of similar questions already asked but none of them have an answer.

Answer 1

For anyone encountering this issue, or the inverse, in 18.04+, you can change this behavior using the Gnome Tweak Tool:

Install

sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool

Run

gnome-tweaks

...or hit super and search "Tweaks"

Config

• select "Workspaces" from the left-hand list (at the bottom)
• under "Display Handling", select
  • "Workspaces on primary display only" (for all other displays as "static")
  • "Workspaces span displays" (for all displays as a single, shared workspace)

Ref: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/+bug/1767564/comments/6

Answer 2

The gnome-tweak-took on Gnome version 42.2 doesn't support workspaces anymore! but you can use its alternatives like dconf-editor.

Workspaces tab supported two main functionalities, making workspaces static or dynamic, and use it on the primary display only.
All these customization have been added to gnome's built-in setting in Settings > Multitasking. There are also other ways, for the first one follow this post and for the second one follow this one.

Answer 3

To make a secondary monitor seem static, I simply set "Always on Visible Workspace" for the windows on it. (See eg. here and here).