Can you save window positions on a Mac without an app?

macOS has no built-in way to save a window layout and restore it later. What it does have is a few settings that make apps reopen their own windows where they were, and a way to tie an app to a display. Those help after a restart, but they do not put windows back after sleep or a monitor reconnect, and they cannot switch between saved layouts.

What can macOS do on its own?

Reopen windows after a restart: when you restart or log out, leave Reopen windows when logging back in ticked, and apps that support state restoration bring their windows back roughly where they were.

Keep windows when quitting an app: in System Settings > Desktop & Dock, turning off Close windows when quitting an application lets supporting apps reopen their documents and windows next time.

Pin an app to a display: with Displays have separate Spaces on, right-click an app in the Dock, choose Options, and assign it to a desktop on a specific display. New windows from that app open there.

Fix the arrangement: System Settings > Displays controls the arrangement and the main display, which affects where windows land.

Where do the built-in options stop?

None of these save a snapshot you can recall. They depend on each app supporting state restoration, they do not react to wake from sleep or a monitor reconnect, and they cannot hold several layouts such as Desk and Laptop. Browser tabs come back only if each browser is set to continue where you left off.

If windows pile onto one screen after sleep, see why Mac windows move after sleep.

When is an app worth it?

If you want a layout back with one click or automatically, use a layout app. SnapState saves named workspaces with window positions and sizes, the apps to relaunch, the display layout, and all open tabs in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc and Chromium. It restores from the menu bar, a Control-Command-1 to 6 shortcut, or automatically on wake, monitor connect or disconnect, or a matching display layout. See how to save a window layout on Mac for a step by step walkthrough, or watch the demo video.

What are the limits?

SnapState restores layouts across multiple Spaces (apps go back to the Space they were saved on, full-screen windows return to full screen, and windows on other Spaces are placed when you switch to them). Firefox is not supported, tabs are restored only from supported browsers, it is not a tiling window manager, and it needs macOS 15.7 or later.

Built-in macOS vs SnapState

Questions and answers

Can macOS save window positions natively?

Not as a saved layout. macOS can reopen windows after a restart for apps that support state restoration, and you can assign an app to a display from its Dock menu, but there is no built-in save and restore for a whole layout.

Why do windows not stay where I put them after sleep?

When an external display wakes slower than the Mac, macOS briefly sees fewer screens and moves windows to the one still present. No built-in setting moves them back afterwards.

What is the best way to restore window positions automatically?

SnapState. Save a named workspace and it restores windows, relaunches apps and reopens all browser tabs on wake, on monitor connect or disconnect, or with a Control-Command shortcut, for $9.99 one-time.

Does SnapState need any permissions?

Accessibility permission to read and move windows, and Automation permission to read browser tab URLs. Workspace data stays on your Mac.

What macOS does SnapState need?

macOS 15.7 or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel.