If an app is running, it's focused. You can create a new window by dragging to the windows overview or onto a workspace thumbnail. (Also mention dragging to overview in list item below, not just workspace thumbnail.) Right-click icon to choose a window to focus or get new window. Mention middle-click?
Move your mouse pointer to the
You can start applications from the
There are several ways of opening an application once you’re in the
Start typing the name of an application — searching begins instantly. (If this doesn’t happen, click the search bar at the top of the screen and start typing.) If you don’t know the exact name of an application, try to type an related term. Click the application’s icon to start it.
Some applications have icons in the dash, the horizontal strip
of icons at the bottom of the
If you have applications that you use very frequently, you can add them to the dash yourself.
Click the grid button (which has nine dots) in the dash. You will see the first page of all installed applications. To see more applications, press the dots at the bottom, above the dash, to view other applications. Press on the application to start it.
You can launch an application in a separate workspace by dragging its icon from the dash, and dropping it onto one of the workspaces. The application will open in the chosen workspace.
You can launch an application in a new workspace by dragging its icon to an empty workspace, or to the small gap between two workspaces.
TODO: Recheck last item in list above after https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/-/issues/3776 and https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/mutter/-/issues/1661 have been fixed in 40
Another way of launching an application is to press
For example, to launch
Use the arrow keys to quickly access previously run commands.