Window management refers to software that controls the placement, layout, and appearance of various windows on OS X.
61
votes
22answers
16k views
What Window Management Options exist for OS X?
I'd like to do something with my windows on OS X, where something includes options like re-arranging, moving, re-sizing, remembering positions, cloning across Spaces, etc. What options exist?
Rules
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28
votes
3answers
1k views
What's the dot in the centre of the red window close button for?
When I'm working with certain applications / windows in Mac OS X (I'm using 10.8, although I'm not sure that's relevant), I sometimes see a black dot in the centre of the red window close button. What ...
18
votes
4answers
5k views
Best app to switch between all open windows (alternatives to Witch)
After 4 years of being a Mac user, there is only one thing that I still miss from the Windows world, and that is being able to switch with a single keystroke between all open windows in the computer.
...
17
votes
12answers
8k views
How do you maximize windows?
Unlike Windows, you cannot maximize a window in Mac with a click of the button. The little green (+) button next to the red and yellow buttons at the left of the windows does some strange stuff ...
12
votes
13answers
4k views
Do any window managers allow me to snap windows to the sides of the display?
Can you recommend a Window Manager for the Mac? I would like to have a keyboard shortcut that would snap a windows to the left or right half of my screen.
11
votes
4answers
2k views
How can I resize a Mac OS X app window after disconnecting from an external monitor?
I'm a MacBook user, and when I'm home I plug into a large external monitor to get additional screen space. When I'm on the go I disconnect and use my laptop's built-in display. For the most part this ...
11
votes
6answers
11k views
How to arrange two windows easily to left and right side?
In Windows 7, we can easily arrange two windows with these shortcuts: Option (Alt) ⌥ + ← maximizes the window to the left side of the screen, and Option (Alt) ⌥ + → maximizes the window to the right ...
10
votes
4answers
719 views
Switching from Ubuntu to OS X and I'm lost
Situation
I got tired of some bugs/annoyments in Ubuntu(=some programs coming along with it). For example after using compiz for a few days I found bugs that were
distracting my work flow pretty bad ...
10
votes
4answers
4k views
Is there a keyboard shortcut to move a window from one monitor to another?
Is there a free app that I can use to move a window from one monitor to the other monitor (assuming only two monitors) via the keyboard? I shouldn't have to use the mouse at all (e.g., for selecting ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
Move windows around a desktop — and to different desktops — using only the keyboard?
Here's what I'm trying to accomplish using only a keyboard:
Move a window to different areas/corners of a desktop
Move a window to different desktops
Set/unset a window as shown/sticky on all ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I prevent my Mac from opening so many windows every time I restart?
I have to restart my Mac all the time because I'm using Boot Camp and switching in between Windows 8 and OS X. Every time I restart and come back to OS X, my screen gets flooded with open windows, ...
7
votes
2answers
10k views
How do I move a window to my secondary monitor above the menu bar?
I just bought a second monitor which I've placed on a stand above my macbook. It seems to be working great but I can't move any application windows on to it because it's also above the menu bar. Is ...
7
votes
1answer
643 views
How do you disable the zoom effect / window animations in the new OS X Lion?
I'd like to disable the Zoom effect that the windows produce when they are being opened. Does anyone know a way to disable them?
6
votes
7answers
2k views
How would I make a keyboard shortcut to *maximize* the current window?
I love using the keyboard in Windows. It's an integrated part of the OS, and it feels like it; nearly every mouse action has a keyboard equivalent.
However, as I am starting to use Macs more and ...
6
votes
7answers
2k views
Snap feature for Mac?
Coming from Windows I have gotten extremely used to the Windows Snap feature, which resizes a window when it's dragged to the screen edges.
However, it's not built into OS X. Are there any 3rd party ...
6
votes
3answers
307 views
What is the button in the upper right of windows?
Some Mac applications have this button in the upper right. What is it called? Is there a keyboard shortcut for it?
In the case of MacVim, the button toggles the toolbar of colorful icons you see on ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Can I disable window resizing from the top edge of the window in Lion?
I often move windows around on the desktop by clicking and dragging them by the title bar. As of Lion, you can resize the window from the top, so if you put the cursor in the top portion of the title ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I set up an alternative X11 window manager in Mac OS X 10.6?
I've tried to install an X11 window manager in Mac OS X 10.6.5 such as ratpoison via fink, but I can't get it to start.
I am also thinking about getting xmonad to work in 10.6.5, does anyone know how ...
6
votes
3answers
246 views
Is there WindowTabs like app on Mac OS X?
On Windows, I love to use an app called WindowsTabs.
WindowTabs runs in the background and attaches a tab to each of your application windows. Drag one tab onto another and create a tabbed group. ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
Why isn't Alt-Tab working for switching windows of the same app?
In my MacBook Pro running Lion, I use Command + Tab to switch apps, and Alt1 + Tab for switching windows within an app.
In my work iMac, also running Lion, Alt + Tab isn't doing anything, and I can't ...
5
votes
4answers
571 views
Why doesn't the red dot shut down the program?
If I use the red dot in the upper left of the last window of a program, why doesn't it shut the program down?
Except for rare programs that run without windows, what's the point of keeping programs ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
How to make terminals open side-by-side?
I use terminals a lot, and I frequently open and close them. The problem is that whenever I open a new terminal using ⌘+n it overlaps the current one, and I have to move it out of the way first. ...
5
votes
2answers
593 views
Enable click-through, preferrably for all applications
I would like to enable click-through on all windows. Is this possible on Lion?
To be more specific, "click-through" as defined by Apple in the Mac OS X Human Interface Guidelines means "that the user ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
What setting causes OS X to let you resize windows behind the dock?
I've set up my fair share of Macs over the years, but I've never been able to pinpoint what setting tells OS X that you're ok with being able to drag-resize a window vertically so that it goes behind ...
5
votes
1answer
288 views
Is there a way to stick a window?
Is it possible to choose a window and force it to be sticky (stay in front) if I switch to another application?
5
votes
1answer
396 views
Is it possible to enable “Focus follows Scrolling”?
I tried out Focus follows mouse and found too many occasions when it really annoys me. Thinking about the cases when I would need focus follows mouse, I realized that it's only necessary when I'm ...
5
votes
2answers
193 views
Fake rectangle/window visible under some windows
tricky question here.
I don't know how long this has been going on, but I noticed it only recently. My semi-transparent windows have a “fake” square/window beneath them, which is visible (it also ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Is there a good replacement for the Dock?
What are the best dock replacements?
It's frustrating to keep track of
windows in the dock unless they're
minimized. For instance, I often have
10-15 separate PDF documents open.
It's ...
4
votes
3answers
531 views
Lion opens lots of windows automatically after a restart. How can I stop that?
Lion opens lots of windows automatically after a restart. How can I stop that?
It's very annoying.
Is there a way to stop this?
I found an option in System Preferences ("Restore windows when ...
4
votes
1answer
709 views
Mac OS X Application to Float a Window in Front of Others
It would be nice if it was a button you could press on the top right that 'tacked' the currently selected window in front of all other windows permanently (until the button is pressed again).
Does ...
4
votes
2answers
747 views
How to move window to different desktop via keyboard in Lion?
In Snow Leopard, to move a window to a different space, I had to use the mouse to select the window and use the keyboard to select the target space (e.g., ctrl + 1,2,3).
In Lion, what keyboard (maybe ...
4
votes
1answer
766 views
How can I disable rounded window corners in OS X
Is there any way that the rounded window corners can be disabled in OS X Lion (10.7.3) ?
Update: It's the bottom two corners that I have problem with as they show up even in full screen mode.
4
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I switch between application windows with keyboard shortcuts?
Say I have two windows of a browser running, how can I switch between those two windows? like Command + Tab?
4
votes
5answers
923 views
Window out of visible workspace range / unreachable
I'm running OS X Lion on a MacBook Air 11", and when I unplug my secondary display, some windows (e.g., Finder) are overflowing at the edge of the screen.
This usually happens on the right-hand side ...
4
votes
1answer
566 views
Resizing a window to a specific size, for screen recording?
I want to record an application window for a demo/tutorial, and I'd like the video to be a particular resolution.
Is there a trick/tool already installed in Lion that allows me to take a window and ...
4
votes
1answer
107 views
Window saver for Mac OS X
Does anybody know of any software for Mac OS X which will save your program windows, so when you boot up again you can return to the same windows? This would be a huge help since as a developer I ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Script to raise a single window to the front
In a script I'm trying to find the Terminal.app window containing a specific tty device and raise that window to the top. Here's what I have in Applescript so far:
tell application "System Events"
...
4
votes
3answers
307 views
Window management app on mac os x?
I currently use "Stay," and have tried other tools (haven't really loved any of them), but I am looking for a window management tool that does the following:
Store my window locations
Have a ...
4
votes
1answer
178 views
Can a keyboard shortcut force TextEdit windows to close and discard all changes?
Is there any way I could configure TextEdit to close the window (through keyboard shortcut) without asking me if I want to save an unsaved file?
Can be another script/program configure globally when ...
4
votes
2answers
266 views
OS X Mountain Lion: keyboard shortcut to move current window to another space
In OS X Mountain Lion, is there a way I can assign a keyboard shortcut to move the active window to a specified space (or even the adjacent space if an arbitrary space can't be specified).
Ideally, ...
3
votes
4answers
349 views
Edge resizing on Mac Finder windows?
One of the few ways I think Windows beats the Mac is in letting the user resize a window from any edge or corner, not just from the bottom-right corner.
I haven't found any software that enables ...
3
votes
1answer
830 views
Is there a keyboard shortcut for minimizing Mac OS X windows?
Is there a (hidden) keyboard shortcut for minimizing the frontmost window (that works in most apps)?
3
votes
1answer
694 views
Switching between applications in OS X
It is very easy to switch applications in OS X using ⌘-tab. But what if an application is hidden?
Let me describe some problems I am facing and what I want to accomplish.
⌘-tab switches between all ...
3
votes
5answers
495 views
Alternative way to move windows around screen
In X (Xfree86 on Linux or UNIX) I could move a window around the screen by holding down a modifier key (the CTRL key if memory serves me correctly) and move a window around the screen by dragging it ...
3
votes
3answers
234 views
Is there a window tiling app that snaps to other windows' edges rather than predefined screen areas?
All window tiling apps I've seen are designed to make windows snap to preset screen areas, such as "the left half of the screen" or even "this size of rectangle specified with a grid." Is there one ...
3
votes
2answers
99 views
Browsing left (up) in column view with no horizontal scroll bar?
Sometimes in an "Open" or "Save" dialog you want to go one directory up. It is in column view, but there simply is no column to the left and no horizontal scroll bar. Is there a way to go up one ...
3
votes
2answers
92 views
How can I navigate to individual windows?
I have many many apps running in the background some are infact two or three windows of same program, i.e. Firefox 3-4 windows and Xcode 3-4 windows etc...
I know that I can switch using ...
3
votes
1answer
92 views
Special Characters window no longer resizable in OS X Lion
I upgraded my Mac Pro to OS X Lion (now 10.7.1) a few weeks ago, and am mostly very happy with it. The edge-resizing of Windows is especially nice.
Still, the Special Characters app, which used to ...
3
votes
1answer
153 views
Tile scenes side by side in Windows 7 as virtual machine
I am using Windows 7 as virtual machine under Mac OS...
The keyboard shortcuts of Windows become difficult because of the Mac keyboard...
For instance, I am used to tiling scenes in Windows by ...
3
votes
1answer
100 views
Can Spaces be configured by project, rather than by application?
Spaces seems to give you a choice of having a given software application open in a single space or in all spaces. Is there a way to configure Spaces to so that each space is devoted to a particular ...
