Guide
Types of window managers for Mac
A window manager decides where your windows go. On a Mac they come in four main kinds. Here's what each one does, who it suits, and where TileMyMac fits.
Notes
Messages
SafariSnapping
You drag a window to the edge of the screen, or press a shortcut, and it snaps into a half or a quarter of the screen. Nothing else moves: every other window stays exactly where it was.
It's the simplest kind, and macOS has it built in. Drag a window to an edge, or use the green button in its corner, and it fills that part of the screen.
Examples: Rectangle, Magnet, macOS's own window tiling
Good for tidying now and then, when you want two windows side by side and nothing more.
VS CodeClassic tiling
Every window shares the screen. Open one more and the others get smaller to make room, so you can always see everything at once, but each window gets a smaller slice.
These apps are usually driven from the keyboard, and many are set up by editing a config file.
Examples: AeroSpace, yabai, Amethyst
Good if you want every window visible at once and don't mind them shrinking.
TerminalScrollingTileMyMac
Windows sit side by side in a row that's wider than your screen. A new window joins the row, nobody shrinks, and you slide along the row to reach the rest, with a shortcut or a trackpad swipe.
This is how TileMyMac works today. On Linux, niri and PaperWM work the same way.
Examples: TileMyMac, PaperWM.spoon, Paneru, niri (Linux), PaperWM (Linux)
Good if you keep lots of windows open and want each one at a useful size.
CanvasTileMyMac
One long desk, where every window keeps its own size and spot. Instead of moving windows around, you slide the whole desk to the part you want.
This is TileMyMac's Canvas layout, new in 0.2.0. Turn it on in Settings › Layout.
Examples: TileMyMac's Canvas layout
Good if you like placing windows freely, but hate digging for them later.
Where TileMyMac stands
TileMyMac is a scrolling window manager, and it has a Canvas layout too. Here's how the four kinds compare.
| Kind | Arranges windows for you | Windows keep their size | Keyboard driven | Trackpad swipe | Setup needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapping | No | Some | Some | No | No |
| Classic tiling | Yes | No | Yes | No | Some |
| ScrollingTileMyMac | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some |
| CanvasTileMyMac | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some |
"Setup needed" varies by app. Many tiling and scrolling tools are set up in a config file. TileMyMac takes about a minute, with a guided setup and a settings window.
Which kind suits you?
- Snapping: Good for tidying now and then, when you want two windows side by side and nothing more.
- Classic tiling: Good if you want every window visible at once and don't mind them shrinking.
- Scrolling: Good if you keep lots of windows open and want each one at a useful size.
- Canvas: Good if you like placing windows freely, but hate digging for them later.
Compare TileMyMac with a specific app
- TileMyMac vs RectangleSnapping, free and open source.
- TileMyMac vs MagnetSnapping, on the Mac App Store.
- TileMyMac vs AeroSpaceClassic tiling, set up in a TOML file.
- TileMyMac vs PaperWM.spoonScrolling, set up in Lua with Hammerspoon.
- Coming from niriWhat carries over from niri on Linux.
- Coming from PaperWMWhat carries over from PaperWM on GNOME.
Questions
What is a scrolling window manager?
It keeps your windows side by side in a row that's wider than your screen. Opening a window adds it to the row without shrinking the others, and you slide along the row to reach the rest. TileMyMac, PaperWM.spoon and Paneru work this way on a Mac, and niri and PaperWM on Linux.
What's the difference between snapping and tiling?
Snapping moves one window when you ask, into a half or a quarter of the screen, and leaves the others alone. Tiling arranges every window for you so they all share the screen, which means the others get smaller each time you open one.
Does macOS have a window manager built in?
Yes. macOS can snap a window to a half or a quarter of the screen when you drag it to an edge or use the green button. Stage Manager and Spaces also help you group windows, but none of them keep every window arranged for you.
What is a canvas layout?
One long desk where every window keeps its own size and spot, and you slide the whole desk to see the part you want. TileMyMac has it as its Canvas layout: turn it on in Settings › Layout.
Try a scrolling row right now in the playground on our home page, or see pricing.
Get TileMyMacSources, checked October 15, 2026: Tile windows on Mac (Apple), Stage Manager (Apple), Spaces (Apple), Rectangle, Magnet, AeroSpace, yabai, Amethyst, PaperWM.spoon, Paneru, niri, PaperWM. Something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.