Coming from PaperWM
PaperWM, on your Mac
Coming from PaperWM on GNOME? TileMyMac works the same way on macOS: windows sit side by side in a row, new ones open right next to the one you're using, and you slide along with a shortcut or a swipe.
PaperWM is a GNOME Shell extension that lays out each workspace as a horizontal strip of windows you scroll through. TileMyMac brings that layout to macOS, set up in a settings window.
What carries over
| In PaperWM | In TileMyMac |
|---|---|
| One strip of windows per workspace | One row of windows per workspace |
| New windows open to the right of the focused one | The same: a new window lands right after the one you're using |
| Moving windows into and out of a column | ⌃⌥[ and ⌃⌥] stack a window into a neighbouring column; ⌃⌥⇧[ and ⌃⌥⇧] pop it out |
| The scratch layer for floating windows | ⌃⌥T lets a window float above the row, or puts it back |
| Three-finger swipes | Swipe with three or four fingers to slide the row |
| Settings in Extensions › PaperWM | A settings window, plus a guided setup on first launch |
See the full list on the shortcuts page.
What's different on a Mac
It works with macOS, not instead of it
TileMyMac isn't a compositor. macOS still draws every window, and TileMyMac moves and resizes them, using the Accessibility permission macOS asks you for once. Nothing about your Mac's security needs to be switched off.
One setting to check
Turn on Displays have separate Spaces in System Settings › Desktop & Dock. The guided setup on first launch walks you through it, along with the trackpad settings.
Mac-style shortcuts
Shortcuts start with Control + Option instead of Super, and H J K L work in place of the arrow keys. You can switch the starting keys to Option, or Command + Option, in Settings.
Set up by clicking
There's no config file. Widths, gaps, workspaces, gestures and shortcuts are all in a settings window, and changes apply straight away.
What about PaperWM.spoon?
PaperWM.spoon is a free, open-source take on PaperWM for macOS, built on Hammerspoon. You install Hammerspoon, then set it up in Lua in ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua, including the hotkeys. Trackpad swipes are there, but off until you turn them on.
TileMyMac is for people who want the same layout without Hammerspoon or Lua: download it, grant one permission, and set it up by clicking.
TileMyMac runs on Paneru, an open-source (MIT) window engine for macOS. Paneru's own README says its sliding strip is directly inspired by niri and PaperWM.spoon. TileMyMac adds a settings window, a guided setup, a menu bar app and email support on top. If you'd rather configure everything in a TOML or Lua file yourself, Paneru on its own is free.
Try the row on our home page: see how TileMyMac works.
Get TileMyMacSources, checked October 15, 2026: PaperWM on GitHub, PaperWM.spoon on GitHub, Paneru on GitHub. Something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.