diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 9086b2d..8668a22 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -366,16 +366,29 @@ export default class WorkspacesPlus extends Plugin {
     if (!this.isNativePluginEnabled) return;
     this.setWorkspaceName();
     this.registerWorkspaceHotkeys();
+    
     if (!customSettings) {
       customSettings = this.utils.getWorkspaceSettings(workspaceName);
     } else {
       customSettings = this.utils.setWorkspaceSettings(workspaceName, customSettings);
     }
+    
+    // Capture currently open files if tracking is enabled
+    if (this.settings.trackOpenFiles) {
+      const currentWorkspace = this.workspacePlugin.workspaces[workspaceName];
+      if (currentWorkspace) {
+        const openFiles = this.utils.captureOpenFiles(currentWorkspace);
+        customSettings.trackedFiles = openFiles;
+      }
+    }
+    
     if (this.settings.workspaceSettings && this.utils.isMode(workspaceName)) {
       customSettings.app = this.app.vault.config;
     }
+    
     let explorerFoldState = await this.app.loadLocalStorage("file-explorer-unfold");
     if (explorerFoldState) customSettings.explorerFoldState = explorerFoldState;
+    
     this.workspacePlugin.saveData();
   };
 
@@ -525,24 +538,33 @@ export default class WorkspacesPlus extends Plugin {
             if (!workspaceName || !plugin.isNativePluginEnabled) return;
             plugin.setLoadingStatus();
             let result;
+            
             if (plugin.settings.workspaceSettings && plugin.utils.isMode(workspaceName)) {
               // if the workspace being loaded is a mode, invoke the mode loader
               let modeName = workspaceName;
               workspaceName = plugin.utils.activeWorkspace;
               result = plugin.utils.loadMode(workspaceName, modeName);
             } else {
-              // result = old.call(this, workspaceName, ...etc);
               const workspace = this.workspaces[workspaceName];
               if (workspace) {
-                // TODO: Ensure this stays in sync with the native Obsidian function
                 this.activeWorkspace = workspaceName;
                 try {
-                  plugin.utils.applyFileOverrides(workspaceName, workspace).then(() => {
-                    this.app.workspace.changeLayout(workspace);
-                    this.saveData();
-                  });
-                } catch {
-                  console.log("failed to apply overrides");
+                  // Restore tracked files along with overrides
+                  if (plugin.settings.trackOpenFiles) {
+                    plugin.utils.restoreOpenFiles(workspaceName, workspace).then(() => {
+                      plugin.utils.applyFileOverrides(workspaceName, workspace).then(() => {
+                        this.app.workspace.changeLayout(workspace);
+                        this.saveData();
+                      });
+                    });
+                  } else {
+                    plugin.utils.applyFileOverrides(workspaceName, workspace).then(() => {
+                      this.app.workspace.changeLayout(workspace);
+                      this.saveData();
+                    });
+                  }
+                } catch (e) {
+                  console.log("failed to restore files:", e);
                   this.app.workspace.changeLayout(workspace);
                   this.saveData();
                 }
@@ -555,4 +577,4 @@ export default class WorkspacesPlus extends Plugin {
       })
     );
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/settings.ts b/src/settings.ts
index 8bbe5de..f0b4567 100644
--- a/src/settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export class WorkspacesPlusSettings {
   workspaceSwitcherRibbon: boolean;
   modeSwitcherRibbon: boolean;
   replaceNativeRibbon: boolean;
+  trackOpenFiles: boolean;
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: WorkspacesPlusSettings = {
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_SETTINGS: WorkspacesPlusSettings = {
   workspaceSwitcherRibbon: false,
   modeSwitcherRibbon: false,
   replaceNativeRibbon: false,
+  trackOpenFiles: true,
 };
 
 function getChildIds (split: any, leafs: any[] = []): any[] {
@@ -169,6 +171,19 @@ export class WorkspacesPlusSettingsTab extends PluginSettingTab {
         })
       );
 
+    new Setting(containerEl)
+      .setName("Automatically track and restore open files")
+      .setDesc(
+        `When enabled, workspaces will remember which files were open and restore them when you switch back. ` +
+        `This preserves your exact layout and open notes across workspace switches.`
+      )
+      .addToggle(toggle =>
+        toggle.setValue(this.plugin.settings.trackOpenFiles).onChange(value => {
+          this.plugin.settings.trackOpenFiles = value;
+          this.plugin.saveData(this.plugin.settings);
+        })
+      );
+
     new Setting(containerEl)
       .setName("Respect system dark mode setting")
       .setClass("requires-workspace-modes")
@@ -333,4 +348,4 @@ export class WorkspacesPlusSettingsTab extends PluginSettingTab {
 //     "is-collapsed",
 //     !setting.settingEl.hasClass("is-collapsed")
 //   );
-// });
+// });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index aa95f18..edbd484 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -205,6 +205,47 @@ export default class Utils {
     }
   }
 
+  captureOpenFiles(workspace: any): { [key: string]: string } {
+    const openFiles: { [key: string]: string } = {};
+    
+    function extractFiles(split: any): void {
+      if (split.type === "leaf") {
+        const file = split.state?.state?.file;
+        if (file && split.id) {
+          openFiles[split.id] = file;
+        }
+      } else if (split.type === "split" || split.type === "tabs") {
+        split.children?.forEach((child: any) => {
+          extractFiles(child);
+        });
+      }
+    }
+    
+    if (workspace?.main) {
+      extractFiles(workspace.main);
+    }
+    
+    return openFiles;
+  }
+
+  async restoreOpenFiles(workspaceName: string, workspace: any): Promise<void> {
+    const workspaceSettings = this.getWorkspaceSettings(workspaceName);
+    const trackedFiles = workspaceSettings?.trackedFiles;
+    
+    if (!trackedFiles) return;
+    
+    for (const [leafId, filePath] of Object.entries(trackedFiles)) {
+      const file = this.app.vault.getAbstractFileByPath(normalizePath(filePath as string)) as TFile;
+      if (file) {
+        // FIle is found, set it
+        this.setChildId(workspace.main, leafId, file.path);
+      } else {
+        // File not found, is not found, create a new one to keep layout intact
+        this.setChildId(workspace.main, leafId, null);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   getModeSettings (name: string) {
     if (this.isMode(name)) return this.getWorkspaceSettings(name);
   }
@@ -257,4 +298,4 @@ export default class Utils {
       .replace(/{{\s*yesterday\s*}}/gi, date.clone().subtract(1, "day").format(dateFormat))
       .replace(/{{\s*tomorrow\s*}}/gi, date.clone().add(1, "d").format(dateFormat)));
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file