Does Magnet save window layouts?
Magnet snaps individual windows into halves, thirds and quarters. It does not save a multi-app arrangement across Spaces and displays, relaunch apps or reopen browser tabs.
Alternative
A Magnet alternative that brings back your whole layout, not one window.
Short answer: Magnet places one window at a time and does not remember the arrangement. SnapState saves the full setup, apps, windows on every Space, displays and browser tabs, and restores it in one click or automatically on wake and monitor connect. $9.99 one-time for up to three Macs.
Where Magnet falls short
Magnet moves the frontmost window into a snap area when you drag it to an edge or press a shortcut. That is all it remembers. It does not keep a record of where all your windows were, so after sleep, a restart, a macOS update or plugging into a dock you start from a messy screen and rebuild the layout window by window. It does not relaunch apps, put apps back on their Spaces, handle full screen windows or reopen browser tabs.
What SnapState does instead
SnapState is a native macOS menu bar app that saves named workspaces. Each one keeps the windows on every Space with position and size, the apps needed to relaunch them, the display layout, full screen windows, and all open tabs in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc and Chromium once Automation permission is granted. Restore from the menu bar, with Control-Command-1 to 6, or automatically on wake from sleep, when a monitor connects or disconnects, or when a matching display layout appears.
Magnet vs SnapState at a glance
- Save a multi-app layout: SnapState yes, Magnet no.
- Restore after sleep, restart or docking: SnapState restores automatically; with Magnet you snap each window again.
- Windows on every Space and full screen apps: SnapState puts them back; Magnet only acts on the current window.
- Browser tabs: SnapState reopens tabs in Safari and Chromium browsers; Magnet does not.
- Price: SnapState is $9.99 once for up to three Macs, with a 14-day refund.
Keep Magnet if you like snapping
The two run fine side by side: snap with Magnet while you work, save the result as a SnapState workspace, and let SnapState put it back. See also Rectangle, Magnet and Raycast vs SnapState and Moom vs Magnet.
Questions people ask
Why do my Magnet windows move after sleep or reconnecting a monitor?
macOS re-detects displays on wake and reconnect and often piles windows onto one screen. Magnet has nothing saved to put back, so you snap each window again. SnapState can restore the saved workspace automatically on wake or when a monitor connects.
Can I use SnapState with Magnet?
Yes. Magnet snaps while you work, SnapState saves the result and restores it.
How much is SnapState?
$9.99 once for up to three Macs, no subscription.
Get SnapState for $9.99One-time purchase · up to three Macs · 14-day refund