Can macOS save a window layout by itself?
macOS does not include a feature to save and recall named window layouts. You can arrange windows by hand, but there is no built-in way to capture several named arrangements and call each one back later.
Window layout how-to
How to save a window layout on Mac.
macOS does not include a way to save and recall a named window layout. SnapState does that from the menu bar: it stores window positions and sizes on every Space, relaunches the apps, remembers the displays, and reopens all open tabs in supported browsers. You restore the workspace with a click, a shortcut, or an optional display or wake trigger. If an app comes back smaller, shifted, or not where you left it, see Mac apps reopen in the wrong position. If Chrome or Safari opens a blank window after a restart, see restore a Chrome or Safari tab after restart.
Other apps cover nearby needs, for example Stay for per-display window positions and Moom for tiling with saved layouts; see the Stay comparison and the Moom comparison for where each one fits.
Short version: capture the layout you already made as a named SnapState workspace, then restore it from the menu bar, a Control-Command shortcut, or an automatic display or wake trigger.
How do you save a window layout on Mac?
- Arrange the windows for one context. Put the editor, browser, terminal, notes, or call windows for a single task where you want them, on one desktop or several.
- Capture the layout from the menu bar and name it. Open the SnapState menu bar app, capture the current setup, and give the workspace a name such as Coding, Writing, Calls, or Research.
- Restore it from the menu bar. Choose the named workspace from the menu bar whenever you want that arrangement back, on the same or a different display setup.
- Restore it with a keyboard shortcut. Press the workspace global shortcut, Control-Command-1 to 6, to recall the layout without reaching for the mouse.
- Let it restore automatically when you want. Optionally arm the workspace to restore when a monitor connects or disconnects, when a matching display layout appears, or on wake from sleep.
What does SnapState save, and what does it skip?
Each workspace is a snapshot of your windows across Spaces, with clear boundaries on what is included.
| Item | Saved | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Window position and size | Yes | Windows on every Space, each restored when you switch to it |
| Apps needed to relaunch the workspace | Yes | Missing apps are relaunched on restore |
| Monitor and display layout | Yes | Frames remap when the setup differs |
| All open browser tabs per window | Yes | Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, Chromium; needs Automation permission |
| Full tab sets per window | No | Yes, all open tabs |
| macOS Spaces | Yes | Each Space restored when you switch to it |
| Firefox windows | No | Firefox is not supported |
| Tiling or snapping behavior | No | SnapState recalls snapshots; it is not a tiling manager |
Should you save one workspace per context?
Named workspaces work best when each one matches a single context. Keep separate coding, writing, calls, and research workspaces so restoring one always means the same thing. Name them for the task, arm the display and wake triggers only where they help, and keep the rest on menu bar or Control-Command-1 to 6 recall so layouts never change under you unexpectedly.
What are the practical details?
SnapState is a native macOS menu bar app, version 2.7.1, requiring macOS 15.7 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. It costs $9.99 as a one-time purchase through Lemon Squeezy, with a lifetime license for up to three Macs and a 14-day refund, and ships as a signed, notarized DMG rather than through the Mac App Store. It needs Accessibility permission to read and move windows, and workspace data stays local on your Mac as JSON in ~/Library/Application Support/SnapState/.
What else should you know?
What does SnapState save in a workspace?
Each named workspace saves windows on every Space with position and size, the apps needed to relaunch them, the monitor and display layout, and all open tabs of each window in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and Chromium after Automation permission is granted.
What does SnapState not save?
SnapState restores layouts across multiple Spaces (each Space is restored when you switch to it). It restores tabs only from supported browsers, and Firefox is not supported. It is not a tiling or snapping window manager.
How do I restore a saved layout?
Restore from the SnapState menu bar, with global Control-Command-1 to 6 shortcuts, or automatically when a monitor connects or disconnects, when a matching display layout appears, or on wake from sleep. Saved window frames are remapped onto the current displays when the setup differs.
How many workspaces should I keep?
One workspace per context tends to work best: coding, writing, calls, and research, for example. Name each one for the task so the right layout is one click or one shortcut away.
What if you wanted a snap tool instead?
Rectangle, Magnet, and Raycast place the front window. They do not replace a saved layout after sleep, after you unplug a monitor, or after a restart. Stay and Moom are the other common comparisons.
Get SnapState for $9.99One-time purchase · up to three Macs · 14-day refund