How to centre a window on a Mac
macOS Sequoia added a Centre command with a shortcut. How to use it, what to do on older versions, and how to keep the window you work in centred all the time.
On macOS Sequoia and later, choose Window, Move & Resize, Center, or press Fn ⌃ C. The front window moves to the middle of the screen without changing size.
On older versions of macOS
- Drag the window by its title bar. There is no snap to the middle, so line it up by eye.
- Some apps centre new windows on their own; closing and reopening the window can put it back in the middle.
- Snapping apps such as Rectangle have a Center command with a shortcut.
Keep the window you work in centred
Centring once is fine. Wanting it every time you switch is where a window manager helps.
ClutterFreeMac's default layout, Focus, does exactly that: the window you are working in sits in the middle of the screen, and its neighbours peek in at the sides. Move to the next window and the strip slides so that one is centred instead. In the other layouts, ⌃ ⌥ C centres the current window on demand.
Questions
What is the shortcut to centre a window on Mac?
On macOS Sequoia and later, Fn ⌃ C, or Window, Move & Resize, Center.
Read next
- Guide
How to split screen on a Mac, three ways
Split View, the tiling built into macOS 15, and a layout that never needs splitting. Step by step, with the shortcuts, and where each one runs out.
Read › - Guide
How to move a window to another monitor on a Mac
Dragging across screens works but is clumsy. The Window menu option, the keyboard way, and how to send a window to the next display with one shortcut.
Read › - Guide
Why your Mac windows jump around after unplugging a monitor
Unplug an external display and every window crowds onto the laptop. Plug it back in and they stay there. Why it happens and how to get your layout back fast.
Read ›