Limitations of macOS window management: efficient multi-window management tool

If you open many applications at the same time, you may already understand the limitations of macOS window management. Hover your mouse over the green button at the top of almost any application or window and you will see a series of layout options:

• Full screen display window
• Tilt the window to the left
• Tilt the window to the right

If you want to compare two things on your Mac or transfer files from one place to another, this is great. However, if you want to do more things, such as getting information from three or more applications at the same time, you need a third-party window manager. As an alternative to the standard macOS window management capabilities, these tools provide you with more ways to lay out windows on your Apple device.

So, which is the best window manager for Mac? Continue reading to learn more.

What is a screen management tool?

Mac Window Manager is different from macOS Task Manager, which allows you to neatly organize any windows that open on your computer. This includes applications, Finder folders, settings panels, and more.

Here are some ways to use screen management tools on your Mac:

• Compare one document with another using the 50/50 split screen. This is perfect if you are researching articles and want to always view reference materials on the screen.
• Car video calls while processing shared documents. You can place the call in the upper right corner, the web browser takes up the lower right corner, and then place your document in the remaining 50% of the screen.
• Transfer files from one location to another . If you use a 50/50 split screen for this purpose, the window manager will make it easier for you to track what is being performed.
• Keep the to-do list on one side of the screen. After completing each task, you can easily check them from the list.
Make your desktop less cluttered. This is very useful when you make a work call and are asked to share the screen.
• How to organize multiple windows on your Mac?

In any window that can be resized, hover the mouse cursor over the green button in the upper left corner. This will display a set of options.

Tap
1. to enter full screen
to allow the application to occupy all the space of the screen it is currently on.
2. Or, select to flatten the window to the left side of the screen or to the right side of the screen. It will now occupy 50% of your screen level.
3. Tap on another app to make it occupy another 50% of the screen.

Mac's top six window managers

There are many different Mac window managers. We highlight six best tools so you can choose the right one according to your needs.

Magnet

If you want a good Mac window manager, Magnet is one of the best choices. It is easy to use and provides you with three different ways to organize windows on your Mac desktop. You can drag and drop the window where you want, you can select a preset from the menu, or you can use keyboard shortcuts.

With Magnet, you can make the window occupy a quarter, a third, or a half of the screen—vertical or horizontal. Whether you are comparing windows or dragging files from one window to another, this software makes life easier.

Other features of this desktop organizer include:

• Layout of Vertical Monitor
• Supports up to six external monitors.

Rectangle proves that you can get the window resize tool without spending a lot of money. This free Mac window manager allows you to manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or drag and drop. Like Magnet, you can split the screen into quarters, thirds, or half.

Functions include:

• A variety of presets and custom shortcuts
• Make the application ignore the functionality of Rectangle.

There is also a professional version for $9.99. If you are interested in custom window size, faster window snapping, and application pinning, our experts recommend choosing it.

Another open source OS X window manager, Amethyst, provides features in many advanced applications. You can download and install it using macOS Terminal or get it from the official website.

After installing Amethyst, use keyboard shortcuts to cycle through the preset window layout. The window on the desktop will automatically snap to the appropriate location. Move the window and click a location and it will snap back to its preset position.

This way of working makes Amethylst an interesting alternative to other window managers, but the learning curve is also steeper.

Other functions:

• Custom shortcut keys
• Automatic mouse cursor capture for the focus window.

Many window managers require you to drag the window to the edge of the screen, while Mosaic is different. When you start dragging the window, Mosaic automatically displays a series of layouts at the top of the screen. Just select one and the window size will change accordingly.

In addition to various preset layouts, Mosaic allows you to create your own custom layouts and sizes. This means that you can arrange windows accurately according to the needs of a specific task.

In addition to excellent window management, Mosaic also offers:

• TouchBar support
• Window capture
• Window Grouping
• Automatic layout of each application.

Similar to Mosaic, Moom provides a slightly different way of arrangement of windows. After installing the application, hover over the green button in the upper left corner of the window. This will open a Layout Options menu.

While this is the default way to control Moom, you can operate this Mac window manager in other ways. Enter Moom's settings, you can set keyboard shortcuts and drag and drop.

Moom allows you to split the screen into quarters or half, but you can also create custom window sizes.

This is a simple application, but it also provides:

• Snapshot save so that you can quickly restart the layout
• Custom actions for drag and drop areas.

HazeOver is different from other applications here. It's not a Mac screen manager, but it offers a different way to increase efficiency and productivity. It calls itself a "interference dimmer", which fades all background windows and allows you to focus on the window you are currently using.

You can adjust the amount of dimming in the HazeOver settings, from slight tones to full black. While black is the default hue, you can set it to any color you like.

Other functions:

• Dark Mode
• Multi-monitor support (view focus app on each screen).

Whether HazeOver can improve your productivity remains to be debated, but we think it is very useful if you use multiple monitors. You can see at a glance which app you are currently using and which screen you are on.

Bring order to chaos on Mac desktop

These third-party tools are the best way to improve organization and productivity before Apple brings better window management to Macs. Most of them allow you to snap the window into place by dragging it to the edge of the display—similar to window capture in Microsoft Windows. But some other tools, such as Amethylst, Mosaic, and Moom, offer some interesting alternatives. Meanwhile, HazeOver helps you focus on one window at a time, hiding the interference of multiple windows.

Of course, if you want your Mac to run optimally, you should not open more than the number of windows and applications required. However, the more programs you run, the harder it will be for your Mac. This will make it run hotter and if it's a MacBook, it will drain battery life.

Remember our advice - if you want to reduce some stress on your Mac, use MacKeeper's memory cleaner to clear RAM. Improve your Mac's performance with just one click.

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