How to plan and restore Mac window layouts
A useful layout makes your next action easy to find. Start with the windows you need for one task, then save and test the arrangement before expanding it to every workspace.
By Luke Kevin McLaughlin, IndepApps · Updated
Choose a layout around one task
For writing, give the document most of the display and keep source material beside it. For data review, place the source and result side by side. For calls, keep meeting controls visible and move private notes outside the shared area. A saved layout does not decide what is safe to screen-share.
Write down the apps and displays used by each task. Keep window titles or document names distinct enough to identify the right window when an app has several open.
Use snapping for individual changes
Gravity supports halves, quarters, thirds, two-thirds and sixths, with remappable shortcuts and snap cycling. Choose shortcuts you can remember and check for conflicts with your editor or other window utilities. Repeated shortcuts can step through widths.
macOS requires Accessibility permission for an app to move and resize other apps' windows. Enable it for Gravity in System Settings, then test one ordinary window before setting up a large arrangement.
Save a scene for a repeatable arrangement
Arrange the windows on the displays you intend to use, then save a scene. Restore it while the relevant apps are open and inspect the result. Repeat after disconnecting and reconnecting an external display. Check scaling and resolution if window positions differ.
A saved position is not a saved document or a guarantee that every app can recreate its previous state. Save your work in each app. Test separately when switching between a laptop-only setup and a desk with multiple displays.
Use app rules selectively
App rules can help a frequently used window return to a preferred position. Start with a small number of rules and watch what happens when an app opens a dialog or an additional document. If a rule fights a manual adjustment, simplify it before adding more.
After an operating-system update or a monitor change, run through your important scenes again. Keep a short checklist of the windows and displays each scene needs.
Compare related workflows
Read the Gravity product page for current capabilities and release requirements. For storage, files or private browsing, use the Mac utilities comparison; those are separate tasks from arranging windows.