Window snapping on Mac: native tiling and Win+Arrow shortcuts
By Wondering Works, maker of Windsify · Updated
On macOS 15 or newer, you can tile windows using the green window button or Window › Move & Resize. If your hands expect Win+Left and Win+Right, Windsify Pro puts tiling on those Windows shortcuts.
Try the built-in option first
Open two ordinary, resizable app windows. Hold the pointer over a window’s green button and choose a half-screen layout. Repeat with the other window on the opposite side. You can also use Window › Move & Resize. A small dialog or a window with a fixed minimum size may not fit the selected layout.
On a keyboard with a macOS-recognized Fn key, Fn+Control+Left and Fn+Control+Right tile the active window to a side. Fn+Control+F fills the desktop and Fn+Control+R returns to the previous size. A PC keyboard’s Fn key may be handled inside the keyboard rather than sent to macOS; use the menu when those combinations are unavailable.
Apple’s window tiling reference lists the native layouts and shortcuts. Check System Settings › Desktop & Dock for the available window tiling options.
Fill is different from full screen
Filling makes a window occupy the usable desktop while keeping it in your current workspace. Full screen is a separate macOS mode. For a Windows-style maximize action, choose Fill rather than Enter Full Screen.
Use Win+Arrow with Windsify
- Install Windsify and approve Accessibility, which allows the app to move and resize windows.
- Focus a resizable app window. On a standard Windows keyboard, hold the Windows-logo key and press Left or Right. On an Apple keyboard, use the physical Command key for this layer.
- Press Win+Up to fill a floating window, or to turn a side half into its upper quarter. Press Win+Down to restore a saved frame; when there is no frame to restore, this action minimizes the window.
| Shortcut | Result |
|---|---|
| Win+Left / Right | Left or right half |
| Win+Up | Fill a floating window; move a side half to its upper quarter |
| Win+Down | Restore, otherwise minimize |
| Win+Alt+Up / Down | Top or bottom half |
| Win+Shift+Left / Right | Move to the previous or next display |
Window management is a Pro feature. Every download includes a 14-day Pro trial; window management locks when the trial ends unless you activate Pro. The Free keyboard features keep working.
If a window does not snap
- Confirm that Accessibility is approved and the Pro trial or license is active.
- Try an ordinary resizable window. Fixed-size dialogs and app-specific minimum dimensions can limit the result.
- Leave full screen before testing desktop layouts.
- If a drag gesture triggers a different layout, check whether native macOS tiling or another window manager is handling it. Choose one handler for that gesture.
- For display moves, connect a second display and test with a window that can move between desktops. Display order follows the app’s display handling, not the label printed on a monitor.
Choose the workflow that fits
Native tiling is a good starting point if the menu or Fn shortcuts work for you. Windsify is useful when you want Windows key combinations together with Ctrl+C, Alt+Tab and Finder shortcuts. See the complete shortcut reference for the Free and Pro boundaries.
Try window management in Windsify 1.4.13
macOS 15 or newer · 14-day Pro trial · Signed and notarized