What did Simple WindowSets do?
Simple WindowSets by HAMSoft Engineering was a menu bar app for saving and restoring sets of Finder windows, including arranged Finder windows with their view options, with global keyboard shortcuts for window sets.
WindowSets alternative guide
Simple WindowSets alternative for modern macOS.
Simple WindowSets by HAMSoft Engineering solved a focused problem: saving and restoring sets of Finder windows from the menu bar, with arranged Finder windows, their view options, and global keyboard shortcuts for each set. If your work lived in the Finder, that was a tidy workflow, and the idea still makes sense today.
Short version: Simple WindowSets covered Finder windows; its last listed release is 3.8 from 2014. SnapState carries the same snapshot idea to all apps on macOS 15.7 and later.
Why people look for a replacement
The last listed release of Simple WindowSets is 3.8, whose release notes say it was updated for Mac OS 10.10. That version dates from 2014, and no newer release is listed, so it appears to no longer be actively developed. That does not make it a bad app, but it does mean there is no maintained option listed for current macOS releases, current display hardware, or current browsers.
Most Mac work has also moved beyond the Finder. Editors, browsers, terminals, notes, and calls now share the desktop, so a snapshot that only remembers Finder windows leaves most of the layout behind.
What SnapState carries forward
SnapState is a native macOS menu bar app with the same menu-bar-first habit: arrange your work, capture it under a name, and call it back later. The scope is wider. Each named workspace keeps the visible windows on the current desktop with position and size, the apps needed to relaunch them, the monitor and display layout, and the active tab URL of each window in Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and Chromium once Automation permission is granted.
Restore happens from the 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. When the display setup differs, saved window frames are remapped onto the current displays instead of landing off-screen.
SnapState vs Simple WindowSets comparison
Both apps live in the menu bar and use keyboard shortcuts. The main difference is scope and maintenance for current systems.
| Capability | SnapState | Simple WindowSets |
|---|---|---|
| Finder-specific window sets with view options | No | Yes |
| Saves windows across all apps, not only Finder | Yes | No |
| Saves display and monitor layout | Yes | Not listed |
| Relaunches apps needed for a workspace | Yes | Not listed |
| Restores active browser tab URLs | Yes | No |
| Global keyboard shortcuts | Yes | Yes |
| Maintained for macOS 15.7 and later | Yes | Not listed |
The last listed Simple WindowSets release is 3.8 from 2014, updated for OS X 10.10. SnapState version 2.5.2 requires macOS 15.7 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs and ships as a signed, notarized DMG.
Practical details
SnapState 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. It needs Accessibility permission to read and move windows. Workspace data stays local on your Mac as JSON in ~/Library/Application Support/SnapState/.
Limitations to know before you buy
SnapState captures the visible windows on the current desktop, so it does not save or restore macOS Spaces. It restores only the active tab URL per supported browser window, not full tab sets, and there is no Firefox support. It is not a tiling or snapping window manager. If you only ever arranged Finder windows and want that exact Finder-only behavior, SnapState will feel broader than the original idea.
Common questions
Is Simple WindowSets still updated?
It appears to no longer be updated. The last listed release is 3.8, whose notes say it was updated for Mac OS 10.10, and that version dates from 2014 with no newer release listed.
How is SnapState different?
SnapState saves named workspaces across all apps rather than Finder windows only, including window position and size, the apps to relaunch, the display layout, and the active tab URL in supported browsers. It runs on macOS 15.7 or later and restores from the menu bar, shortcuts, or display and wake triggers.
Do I need Accessibility permission for SnapState?
Yes. SnapState needs Accessibility permission to read window positions and move windows back into place. Reading browser tab URLs also needs Automation permission.
What does SnapState not save?
SnapState saves visible windows on the current desktop, not macOS Spaces, and restores only the active tab URL per supported browser window rather than full tab sets. Firefox is not supported, and it is not a tiling window manager.
Get SnapState for $9.99One-time purchase · up to three Macs · 14-day refund