# Previous Workspace Logic

**URL:** <http://forum.hypr.land/t/previous-workspace-logic/1036>\
**Category:** Bugs / FRs / Support\
**Tags:** hyprland, bug, window-management\
**Created:** [October 27, 2025, 2:17am UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/previous-workspace-logic/1036 "2025-10-27T02:17:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emptiness\_machine](http://forum.hypr.land/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/87869e/32.png) [@emptiness\_machine](http://forum.hypr.land/u/emptiness_machine)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 2:17am UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/previous-workspace-logic/1036/1 "2025-10-27T02:17:27Z")

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> **Hyprland version**
>
> ```auto
> Hyprland 0.51.1 built from branch at commit 71a1216abcc7031776630a6d88f105605c4dc1c9 ([gha] Nix: update inputs).
> Date: Mon Sep 22 20:54:03 2025
> Tag: v0.51.1, commits: 6436
> built against:
> aquamarine 0.9.5
> hyprlang 0.6.3
> hyprutils 0.10.0
> hyprcursor 0.1.13
> hyprgraphics 0.2.0
> 
> no flags were set
> 
> ```

Focusing back and forth with the dispatch `workspace previous` works well, but when one uses the dispatch `movetoworkspace previous` to move windows to the previous workspace it will only work once and then it outputs `Invalid workspace in moveActiveToWorkspace`. This only seems to happen when `movetoworkspace previous` is called a second time from empty workspace.

Perhaps this is intented behaviour?

One more thing, using the `movetoworkspace previous` should only focus back and forth between the workspaces(given that these are not empty), right? Because one can make a cycle of `n` workspaces with the dispatch `movetoworkspace previous`:

- have a window open in workspaces “W” through “Wn” (at least one window open otherwise dispatch fails)
- focus once workspace “W” through “Wn”
- focus again workspace “W”
- open a terminal and enter the command `hyprctl dispatch movetoworkspace previous`
- enter the command again effectively looping through the workspaces infinitely.

I just wish to send a window to the previous workspace back and forth even if it is empty.

> **config(options)**
>
> ```auto
> general {
> layout = dwindle
> gaps_in = 4
> gaps_out = 8
> gaps_workspaces = 10
> border_size = 1
> no_border_on_floating = false
> col.active_border = $green $yellow 45deg
> col.inactive_border = $inactive
> no_focus_fallback = true
> resize_on_border = true
> hover_icon_on_border = true
> # snap {
> # enabled = true
> # window_gap = 100
> # monitor_gap = 100
> # respect_gaps = true
> # }
> }
> 
> input {
> kb_layout = latam
> kb_model = pc105
> repeat_delay = 300
> repeat_rate = 50
> follow_mouse = 1
> mouse_refocus = true
> accel_profile = flat
> sensitivity = 0.1
> special_fallthrough = true
> 
> touchpad {
> tap_button_map = lrm
> natural_scroll = true
> tap-to-click = true
> scroll_factor = 0.20
> drag_lock = false
> tap-and-drag = true
> }
> }
> 
> device {
> name = elan06fa:00-04f3:31be-touchpad
> accel_profile = flat
> sensitivity = 1
> scroll_method = 2fg
> }
> 
> device {
> name = logitech-usb-receiver-mouse
> accel_profile = flat
> sensitivity = 0
> }
> 
> dwindle {
> pseudotile = false
> preserve_split = true
> force_split = 2
> smart_split = false
> smart_resizing = true
> }
> 
> master {
> mfact = 0.5
> new_status = master
> new_on_top = true
> orientation = left
> inherit_fullscreen = true
> # always_keep_position = true
> # slave_count_for_center_master = 2
> }
> 
> group {
> insert_after_current = true
> focus_removed_window = true
> col.border_active = $green $yellow 45deg
> 
> groupbar {
> enabled = true
> stacked = false
> scrolling = true
> gradients = true
> keep_upper_gap = false
> priority = 1
> gradient_rounding = 10
> round_only_edges = false
> indicator_height = 0
> height = 16
> rounding = 1
> gaps_in = 10
> gaps_out = 10
> col.active = rgba(63b76cff)
> col.inactive = rgba(63b76c33)
> text_color = rgba(111111ff)
> font_family = Jet Brains Mono Nerd Font
> font_size = 15
> }
> }
> 
> decoration {
> # rounding = 0
> rounding = 4
> active_opacity = 1.0
> inactive_opacity = 1.0
> fullscreen_opacity = 1.0
> dim_special = 0.4
> 
> shadow {
> enabled = false
> }
> 
> blur {
> enabled = false
> }
> }
> 
> animations {
> enabled = true
> bezier = curve, 0.0, 0.0, 0.58, 1
> animation = windows, 1, 1.0, curve, slide
> animation = border, 0, 1, curve
> # animation = fade, 1, 2, curve
> animation = fade, 0
> animation = layers, 1, 2, curve
> animation = workspaces, 1, 0.5, curve, slide
> animation = specialWorkspace, 1, 0.5, curve, slidevert
> }
> 
> binds {
> # workspace_back_and_forth = false
> workspace_center_on = 0
> focus_preferred_method = 0
> movefocus_cycles_fullscreen = true
> }
> 
> misc {
> force_default_wallpaper = 0
> disable_hyprland_logo = true
> disable_splash_rendering = true
> new_window_takes_over_fullscreen = 1
> exit_window_retains_fullscreen = true
> disable_autoreload = true
> animate_manual_resizes = false
> initial_workspace_tracking = 1
> focus_on_activate = true
> enable_swallow = false
> swallow_regex = (foot|footclient)
> swallow_exception_regex = (wev)
> font_family = Jet Brains Mono Nerd Font
> lockdead_screen_delay = 3000
> }
> 
> cursor {
> hide_on_key_press = false
> inactive_timeout = 15
> enable_hyprcursor = true
> }
> 
> gestures {
> workspace_swipe_distance = 300
> workspace_swipe_cancel_ratio = 0.3
> workspace_swipe_min_speed_to_force = 25
> workspace_swipe_create_new = true
> workspace_swipe_forever = false
> }
> 
> xwayland {
> enabled = false
> use_nearest_neighbor = true
> force_zero_scaling = false
> }
> 
> render {
> new_render_scheduling = true
> send_content_type = false
> }
> 
> debug {
> disable_logs = false
> }
> 
> ecosystem {
> no_donation_nag = true
> no_update_news = true
> }
> 
> ```

Anyway, hope this helps in any way.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vaxry](http://forum.hypr.land/user_avatar/forum.hypr.land/vaxry/32/3_2.png) [@vaxry](http://forum.hypr.land/u/vaxry)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/previous-workspace-logic/1036/2 "2025-10-29T17:25:04Z")

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Open a discussion on github with these repro steps :)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emptiness\_machine](http://forum.hypr.land/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/87869e/32.png) [@emptiness\_machine](http://forum.hypr.land/u/emptiness_machine)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](http://forum.hypr.land/t/previous-workspace-logic/1036/3 "2025-10-31T15:50:58Z")

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Done :)

[github discussion](https://github.com/hyprwm/Hyprland/discussions/12179)