How to save and restore window layouts on a Mac
macOS reopens windows after a restart but cannot save a layout you choose. How to keep named layouts for different kinds of work and bring them back.
Your coding layout and your meetings layout are different. Rebuilding each by hand, several times a day, adds up.
What macOS remembers
Apps reopen their windows after a restart if Reopen windows when logging back in is ticked. That restores where you were, not a layout you designed.
Named layouts
In ClutterFreeMac, set up the windows the way you like, then save the strip as a layout in Settings. A layout remembers the order of apps and their widths, including stacks and tabbed columns.
- Bring a layout back from the menu bar, Layouts.
- Or from a link, Terminal or Raycast (see automating layouts).
- Apps in the layout that are not running are opened for you.
Separately, each display's strip is remembered across restarts, so an ordinary day picks up where it left off without saving anything.
Questions
Can I save a window arrangement on a Mac?
Not natively. A window manager with saved layouts, such as ClutterFreeMac, can save and restore named arrangements.
Read next
- Guide
How to automate window layouts on a Mac
Open your morning apps in the right places with one command. Shortcuts, Terminal and links that set up a whole window layout on a Mac automatically.
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A Mac window setup for developers
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