How-to

How to save and restore a window layout on Mac

Published 11 November 2026. We make SnapState, so it is one of the six; the others are linked to their own pages.

macOS cannot save a named window layout by itself, so you need an app or a script. The quickest fix is an app that saves the layout and restores it on demand or after sleep: SnapState ($9.99 once, restores windows, apps and tabs), Stay (free, windows only) or ShiftPlus ($24, project workspaces). This page lists six ways, what each restores and where each fails.

What are the six ways to restore a Mac window layout?

MethodCostRestoresFails at
1. macOS built-ins (reopen windows, Assign To desktop)FreeApps and desktops after a restartWindow positions on monitors; layouts after sleep or a monitor change
2. A script (AppleScript, Hammerspoon)FreePositions you code for apps you listMaintenance; needs Accessibility; breaks when displays differ
3. StayFreeWindow positions per display setup, as displays connect and disconnectNo app launching or tabs stated on its pages; no macOS 26/27 statement
4. SnapState$9.99 once, 3 MacsWindows on every Space, apps, display layout, all open tabs; automatic on wakeNo trial, no workspace editing yet, no Firefox tabs
5. ShiftPlus$24 (1 Mac), 14-day trialProject workspaces: apps, profiles, files, terminal commands, SpacesNo automatic restore on reconnect (its own guide)
6. Spencer$20 (1 Mac), $36 (3), 7-day trialSpaces, full-screen and Split View per display setupNo browser tabs (its own limits list)

Prices and limits from each vendor's own page, checked 11 November 2026. Compare more apps in 14 Mac workspace managers compared.

What can macOS do on its own?

  • Tick Reopen windows when logging back in in the restart and shut down dialog to bring apps and their windows back after a restart.
  • Right-click an app in the Dock, choose Options, then Assign To, to pin it to a desktop (Space).
  • In System Settings > Desktop & Dock, turn off Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use so desktops keep their order.

None of these saves where windows sit on each monitor, and none restores a layout after sleep or when you reconnect a display. For that, see why windows move after sleep.

How do you save and restore a layout with SnapState?

  1. Arrange your windows. Put every window where you want it, on each monitor and Space, with the apps and browser tabs you want back.
  2. Capture a workspace. Click the SnapState menu bar icon, press +, name the workspace (for example Desk) and press the camera icon to capture. Saving with an existing name updates that workspace.
  3. Restore it. Click the workspace card in the menu bar popup, or press its Control-Command-1 to 6 shortcut. Missing apps launch and windows go back to their saved positions.
  4. Make it automatic. In the workspace settings, turn on the wake from sleep, display connect or matching display layout trigger and choose Full, Layout Only or Launch Only.

SnapState needs Accessibility permission to move windows, and Automation permission to reopen browser tabs. It needs macOS 15.7 or later. Workspaces cannot be edited after saving; capture again to update one. These steps follow the app's own documentation for version 2.7.11 (README, checked 11 November 2026).

Get SnapState for $9.99One-time purchase · up to three Macs · 14-day refund

Which method should you use?

  • Only windows jump after unplugging a monitor, and you want free: Stay.
  • You want apps, every Space and all browser tabs back, automatically: SnapState.
  • You switch between projects and want to run commands and open files: ShiftPlus. See ShiftPlus vs SnapState.
  • You live in full-screen apps and Split View: Spencer.
  • You like writing code: a Hammerspoon script, knowing you maintain it.

Frequently asked questions

Can macOS save and restore window layouts by itself?

Not as a named layout. macOS can reopen apps and windows after a restart, and Mission Control can pin an app to a desktop, but it has no feature that saves where every window sits and puts it back after sleep or a monitor change.

What is the best free way to restore windows after unplugging a monitor?

Stay by Cordless Dog is free (freeware since version 1.5.1, 31 August 2025) and restores window positions per display setup. Its pages make no statement about macOS 26 or 27, so test it on your Mac.

Which method restores browser tabs too?

App-based options. SnapState reopens all open tabs in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc and Chromium once Automation permission is granted. ShiftPlus and Cove also list browser tab restore. Window-position tools generally do not.

Can I restore a layout across Spaces?

Partly. Spencer, ShiftPlus and SnapState save which Space an app was on. macOS has no public API for moving windows between Spaces, so every tool relies on workarounds and results vary by macOS version.

Sources (checked 11 November 2026)