Window gaps: why tiling layouts leave space between windows
Inner and outer gaps, what they are for, the sizes that work, and how to set them in macOS tiling and window manager apps.
Gaps are the empty space a tiling layout leaves between windows (inner gaps) and around the screen edge (outer gaps). They are mostly visual: they make each window's edge clear and show a little wallpaper.
Sizes that work
- 0: most room for content; edges can blur together.
- 4 to 8 points: clear edges, little space lost. A good default.
- 12 points and up: a showy look, popular in screenshots; costs real room on a laptop.
Setting them
- macOS Sequoia tiling: one switch, Tiled windows have margins, in Desktop & Dock.
- Tiling apps: usually separate inner and outer values in their config.
- ClutterFreeMac: the gap between columns is in Settings, Layout.
A focus ring or dimming also make the active window clear without big gaps. See highlighting the active window.
Questions
How do I remove gaps between tiled windows on a Mac?
Turn off Tiled windows have margins in System Settings, Desktop & Dock. In window manager apps, set the gap to zero in their settings.
Read next
- Guide
How to turn off window tiling on macOS Sequoia and later
Windows snapping to edges when you only meant to move them? The four tiling settings in macOS Sequoia, what each one does, and how to keep the ones you like.
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What is a scrolling window manager?
A scrolling window manager lays windows side by side on a strip wider than your screen. How it differs from overlapping and grid tiling, and who it suits.
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What is a tiling window manager?
A tiling window manager arranges every window so none overlap. How tiling works, the main styles, why people love it, and what it is like on a Mac.
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