TidyFrame › Workspaces

Save and restore window layouts on Mac with one shortcut

Set up your windows once, save them as a workspace, and bring every app back to its place whenever you want.

Short answer: macOS can't save a layout of several apps by itself. With TidyFrame you arrange your windows, click Save Current Layout, give it a shortcut like ⌃⌥⌘1, and press that shortcut later to put every window back. Apps that are closed open by themselves.

Saving a TidyFrame workspace named Morning with the shortcut Control Option Command 1 — Saving a workspace called "Morning" with its own shortcut

How to save a window layout in 3 steps

Arrange your windows. Open the apps you use together and place them. Snap them quickly with shortcuts such as ⌃⌥← (left half), or drag a window to the screen edge.
Save it as a workspace. Open TidyFrame → Workspaces → Save Current Layout. Name it, for example "Morning", "Coding" or "Focus", and record a shortcut.
Restore it any time. Press the shortcut from any app, or pick the workspace in the menu bar. Every window jumps back to its saved size and position. You can also choose to hide every app that isn't part of the workspace.

Ideas for workspaces

Workspace	Windows	Good for
Morning	Mail, Calendar, Safari, Notes	Starting the day in one key
Coding	Editor, Terminal, browser	Developers switching between projects
Writing	Pages or Word, research tab, notes	Students and writers
Meetings	Zoom or Teams, notes, Calendar	Calls without hunting for windows
Focus	One or two apps, full height	Deep work with nothing else on screen

TidyFrame Focus workspace with four windows arranged in quarters — Switching to the "Focus" workspace with `⌃⌥⌘8`

Why not just use macOS?

macOS Sequoia added basic tiling: you can drag a window to an edge to fill half the screen, and Stage Manager groups apps. Neither one saves a set of windows in exact positions or restores it with a shortcut. Workspaces fill that gap.

More than workspaces

Snap any window into halves, thirds, quarters or sixths with shortcuts, edge dragging or the menu bar.
App rules: tell TidyFrame where an app belongs (Mail always on the right half) and it goes there every time it opens.
Auto tidy: 2 windows become halves, 3 become thirds, 4 become quarters.
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Questions

Can I save and restore window layouts on a Mac without extra software?

No. macOS can snap two windows side by side and remembers some window positions per app, but it cannot save a layout of several apps and bring it back with a shortcut. You need a window manager such as TidyFrame for that.

How many windows can one TidyFrame workspace hold?

Up to 6 windows per workspace, and you can save as many workspaces as you like, each with its own shortcut.

What happens if an app in the workspace isn't open?

TidyFrame opens it for you and puts its window in its saved place.

Does it work with an external monitor?

Yes. A workspace remembers windows on every connected display and shows a small map of your screens when you save it.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Every feature, including workspaces, is free for 7 days. After that TidyFrame costs $4.99 once.

Try TidyFrame free for 7 days

Every feature included. Then $4.99 once, no subscription. macOS 14 or later.

Download the free trial