HopTab
How to snap windows on Mac
There are three ways to tile windows on a Mac: dragging to a screen edge, the Window menu, and global keyboard shortcuts from a dedicated app. Here's when to use each — and why most people end up on shortcuts.
macOS can snap windows to halves and quarters if you drag to a screen edge or use the Window → Move & Resize menu. There's no built-in shortcut for thirds, and the keyboard options are limited. For fast, consistent tiling, install a free window manager and snap with a single key combo.
Method 1 — Drag to a screen edge
On macOS Sequoia and later, drag a window's title bar to the left or right edge of the screen; release when you see the highlighted zone and the window tiles to that half. Drag into a corner for a quarter, or to the top to fill the screen. It works, but it's mouse-only and you have to aim.
Method 2 — The Window menu
With a window focused, open the Window menu in the menu bar and look for Move & Resize (Sequoia and later). You'll find Left, Right, Top, Bottom, and quarter options, plus “Fill.” Some of these have keyboard shortcuts, but the defaults are awkward, app-dependent, and don't cover thirds.
Method 3 — Global keyboard shortcuts (the fast way)
This is what most Mac power users actually do. A small window manager adds global shortcuts that snap the focused window anywhere, in any app, without aiming a drag:
- Halves: ⌃⌥ + arrow keys (left, right, top, bottom).
- Quarters: ⌃⌥ + U I J K.
- Thirds: ⌃⌥ + D F G — something macOS can't do at all.
- Maximize / center: one combo each, and press the same direction again to cycle ½ → ⅓ → ⅔.
HopTab also adds drag-to-snap with a translucent preview overlay (so you can see the target zone before dropping) and an undo shortcut, since the built-in tiling has no undo. Every shortcut is rebindable.
Snap windows with one keystroke
HopTab adds global shortcuts for halves, thirds, quarters, and more — plus drag-to-snap and undo. Free and open source, macOS 14+.
FAQ
Does macOS have keyboard shortcuts to snap windows?
macOS Sequoia and later added some tiling options in the Window menu, but they're limited and the defaults are awkward. For fast, consistent halves/thirds/quarters on global shortcuts, most people use a dedicated tool like HopTab or Rectangle.
How do I split the screen into two windows on Mac?
Drag one window to the left edge and another to the right edge to tile them side by side, or snap each to a half with a keyboard shortcut. (This is screen tiling, not the older full-screen Split View.)
How do I snap a window to a third of the screen?
macOS doesn't tile to thirds out of the box. A window manager like HopTab adds first/center/last third and two-thirds positions on dedicated shortcuts — ideal for wide and ultrawide displays.