A Stage Manager alternative that keeps every window in view
Stage Manager parks windows as thumbnails and shows one group at a time. If that feels cramped, here is a layout that keeps every window full size and in order.
Stage Manager, built into macOS since Ventura, keeps the windows you are using in the middle of the screen and shrinks everything else into thumbnails down the left side.
Turning it off
Open Control Centre in the menu bar and click Stage Manager, or go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and turn it off there.
Why people look for something else
- The thumbnails take a strip of the screen even when you do not need them.
- Windows in the centre group can still overlap.
- Grouping windows takes dragging, and groups are easy to break by accident.
The alternative
ClutterFreeMac keeps every window full size, side by side on a strip. The windows for one task naturally sit together, and moving to the next task is one swipe. Nothing is shrunk to a thumbnail and nothing overlaps.
Questions
How do I turn off Stage Manager on a Mac?
Click Stage Manager in Control Centre, or turn it off in System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
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