SpaceJump is a native macOS app that lets you name your desktop Spaces, see the current Space name in your menu bar, and quickly switch between Spaces with keyboard shortcuts. It also tracks time spent in each Space automatically.

How much does SpaceJump cost?

SpaceJump costs $9.99 as a one-time purchase. This includes lifetime updates and a license to use on 2 Macs. There's a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Does SpaceJump work on Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes! SpaceJump is built natively with Swift and works perfectly on M1, M2, and M3 Macs, as well as Intel Macs. It requires macOS 13 (Ventura) or later.

Does SpaceJump require disabling System Integrity Protection?

No. Unlike other Space renaming tools like Spaces Renamer, SpaceJump does NOT require disabling SIP. It works securely within macOS security boundaries using official APIs.

SpaceJump

Spaces Renamer vs SpaceJump

Two tools for naming macOS desktop Spaces. They take different approaches and have different limitations. This page covers what each one does, where they overlap, and where they don't.

Last updated: April 2026

Background

macOS does not let you rename desktop Spaces. They're labeled "Desktop 1, Desktop 2, Desktop 3" and Apple has not added a way to change that. Several third-party tools have been built to fill this gap, and the two most commonly compared are Spaces Renamer and SpaceJump.

Spaces Renamer is an open source GitHub project (1,200+ stars) that modifies the Dock process to inject custom labels into Mission Control itself. It was the first tool to change the actual labels you see inside Mission Control. It's free.

The trade-offs are that it requires disabling System Integrity Protection (Apple's system file protection), and it doesn't work on Apple Silicon Macs (M1 through M4). On macOS 14.4 and later, it's also broken on Intel Macs in many setups.

SpaceJump is a commercial menu bar app ($9.99 one-time after a 14-day trial). It shows Space names in the menu bar and inside Mission Control, works on all modern Macs including Apple Silicon, and doesn't require any security changes. It also includes some features Spaces Renamer doesn't have: a Quick Switcher, time tracking per Space, and custom colors.

Side-by-side comparison

Feature	SpaceJump	Spaces Renamer
Name Mac Spaces
Works with SIP enabled
Works on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)
Maintains macOS security
Works on macOS Ventura & Sonoma		Partial
Automatic time tracking
Quick Switcher
Menu bar indicator
Custom icons & colors
Jump to previous Space
No subscription required	$9.99 once	Free

What SpaceJump adds

Beyond renaming, SpaceJump also includes things Spaces Renamer doesn't do:

Quick Switcher to jump to any Space by name
Jump back to your previous Space with one shortcut
Per-Space colors and icons
Time tracking per Space, with CSV export for invoicing
Idle detection so breaks don't inflate your hours

When Spaces Renamer is still better

If you have an older Intel Mac and value free, open-source software, Spaces Renamer is worth a look. It's community-maintained and you can inspect or fork the code. If those things matter more than compatibility with newer Macs, it's worth a try.

Common questions

Yes, Spaces Renamer absolutely requires disabling System Integrity Protection to function. This is a major security risk. SpaceJump offers the same Space naming functionality without requiring you to disable SIP or compromise your Mac's security.

No. Disabling SIP removes a critical macOS security layer that protects against malware, rootkits, and unauthorized system modifications. Apple strongly recommends keeping SIP enabled. For naming Spaces, use SpaceJump instead—it works with SIP enabled and maintains your Mac's security.

No. Spaces Renamer was built for Intel Macs and doesn't work on Apple Silicon processors (M1, M2, M3, or any future Apple chips). SpaceJump is a universal binary that works perfectly on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Spaces Renamer has compatibility issues with recent macOS versions and requires complex workarounds. SpaceJump is actively maintained and fully compatible with macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and future releases.

Disabling SIP exposes your Mac to malware, allows unauthorized modifications to system files, may void Apple support, prevents some security updates, and remains disabled until you manually re-enable it. It's a permanent security compromise for temporary convenience.

SpaceJump provides all of Spaces Renamer's functionality (naming Spaces) plus additional features like automatic time tracking, Quick Switcher, and menu bar indicators—all without requiring you to disable SIP or compromise security. It also works on Apple Silicon Macs.

Yes. SpaceJump is a native macOS app that works within Apple's security model. It doesn't require disabling SIP, uses only standard macOS APIs, is notarized by Apple, and keeps all your data local on your Mac. No security compromises required.

Absolutely. Simply uninstall Spaces Renamer, re-enable SIP (important for security), and install SpaceJump. Your Space names won't transfer, but you can quickly rename them in SpaceJump. You'll gain security, Apple Silicon support, and additional features.

Try SpaceJump

Works on all Macs including Apple Silicon. No SIP changes needed. 14-day free trial, then $9.99 once.

Download free