For macOS 13 and later
Name your desktops. Actually in Mission Control.
macOS has labelled your desktops “Desktop 1, 2, 3” since 2011 — and people have asked to rename them for just as long. DeskStag puts your own names directly on the Mission Control thumbnails. Not in a menu bar. In Mission Control.
Notarised by Apple · SIP stays on · No subscription, no account
The receipts
The most-requested feature Apple never shipped
Apple Community threads asking to rename desktops go back to 2011, with thousands of votes. Fifteen years of workarounds followed — Stickies, colour-coded wallpapers, menu-bar labels you glance away from Mission Control to read. The one tool that drew names into Mission Control needed SIP disabled and Dock injection, and was abandoned years ago. DeskStag does it on a stock Mac, with SIP exactly where Apple left it.
Here it is, actually working.
Nothing hidden, nothing phoned home
Nothing hidden
- Accessibility — the one permission DeskStag needs. It’s how the app finds each Mission Control thumbnail and reads where it is on screen, so it can put your label there.
- No SIP disabling, no system files modified, no kernel or system extensions.
- The only network calls are licensing ones — activating this Mac with your key, and releasing its seat if you deactivate — plus checking for updates. Your desktop names never go anywhere.
- No account, no login, no subscription. Uninstall by dragging it to the Bin.
Features
Names in the Mission Control overview
A colour label over each desktop’s thumbnail, where your eyes already are.
Rename in seconds
Click a label in Mission Control and type — full inline editing.
Names persist
Across reboots, and when desktops are added, removed, or reordered.
Multi-display aware
Works with “Displays have separate Spaces” on or off.
Emoji and symbols
Want Desktop 3 to be 🐎? It can be.
Lightweight
A tiny menu-bar presence, no background churn.
Keyboard friendly
A global hotkey to flash the current name; switch to a desktop by name.
“Impossible” was a workaround talking
| Product | On the Mission Control thumbnail | SIP stays on | Maintained |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeskStag | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Desktop Space Renamer (App Store) | menu bar only | ✓ | ✓ |
| SpaceJump / Spaceman | menu bar only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spaces Renamer (open source) | ✓ | SIP off + injection | ✗ |
Menu-bar tools tell you where you are. DeskStag labels where you’re going.
Who it’s for
One price. No subscription.
£19.99 / $23.99
14-day free trial · all 1.x updates free · major versions are optional paid upgrades
FAQ
Is this safe to install?
DeskStag is notarised by Apple, runs on a completely stock Mac, and modifies no system files. The one permission it asks for is explained above.
How many Macs does one licence cover?
Up to 5 Macs that you personally own or control.
What if it’s not for me?
The 14-day trial is the full app, so you’ll know before you pay. And if you buy and change your mind within 14 days of purchase, reply to your Paddle receipt for a full refund.
Why isn’t it on the Mac App Store?
App Store apps must run in Apple’s sandbox, which forbids the cross-process work needed to draw inside Mission Control — which is why every App Store alternative is menu-bar-only. DeskStag is sold directly and notarised by Apple, the same route as Bartender, BetterTouchTool, and Alfred.
Will a macOS update break it?
Mission Control’s internals are undocumented, so a release can move things. Your saved names are kept, and depending on what changed you’ll either see a note in the menu bar that Spaces support is unavailable, or the labels will simply pause until the fix lands. Fixes ship as free updates — we test against developer betas.
How do I uninstall it?
Quit DeskStag and drag it to the Bin. Your names and licence stay in macOS’s settings store and Keychain, so a reinstall picks up where you left off. If you want the Accessibility permission gone too, remove it in System Settings.