Window management in macOS isn’t always the smoothest or most intuitive experience, despite the number of tools Apple has designed to help you out. If you’re looking for maximum efficiency, keyboard shortcuts have always been quicker, and borrowing an established Windows feature can’t hurt either.
Rectangle can revolutionize macOS window management using both of the above-mentioned methods. It adds customizable hotkeys for moving and resizing windows, in addition to a Windows-like snap assist function that works as well as the original.
This part of the app’s functionality is pretty straightforward. Using key combinations, you can move windows to one half, one corner, or even one-third of the screen, resize them freely, move them to a different display, maximize them, and so on.
All these keyboard shortcuts are fully customizable, so you can define combinations that are easier for you to remember. If you need help at any time, just click the app’s menu bar icon to see a list of all the configured hotkeys.
A similar feature has been available on Windows since Windows 7, and it’s simply too useful not to bring to macOS as well. Essentially, when you drag a window to a certain part of the screen’s edge, it will be moved and resized accordingly.
With these gestures, you can send a window to one half of the screen, maximize it, move it to a corner of the desktop, or even resize it to cover one or two-thirds of the screen area. It can be difficult to figure out all the snap areas at first, but there is a helpful guide available on the project’s GitHub page.
Once you unsnap the window, it will return to its previous dimensions. You can also use a hotkey to restore it to its original size and position (⌃⌥⌫ by default).
After trying out Rectangle, you’ll likely find it hard to use a Mac without the app ever again. Window management just becomes much easier, especially once you get accustomed to the snap areas.
Since it’s based on Spectacle, which is no longer being maintained, Rectangle is obviously a better choice, and most of the other alternatives don’t offer as many features without also including a price tag. On top of all that, Rectangle is also open-source.
What’s New:
Version 0.80
Add separate gap for notched display by @Tmate6 in #1387
docs: update README to mention –zap for Homebrew uninstall by @jacobbednarz in #1391
Add title bar tab group support by @decodism in #1399
Adjusted the sixths and ninths on the right side of the display, which were off by a pixel.
Title: Rectangle 0.8.0
Developer: Ryan Hanson
Compatibility: macOS 10.15 or later
Language: English
Size: 2.49 MB
