Positions the system does not offer
macOS offers halves, corners, and a filled desktop. Snap Assistant adds a 3x6 grid with 18 positions, so a window can also take a third, a sixth, or an exact place in the layout.
macOS window tiling alternative for Mac: Tangrid vs the built-in tiling
Built-in window tiling in macOS Sequoia 15 and later places windows in halves, corners, or preset arrangements. Tangrid is a Mac window manager that adds grid snapping, automatic layouts, window search, and saved Workspaces. This page compares their window placement options.
In short
- Best at
- The built-in tiling is best at being free and already installed. Drag a window to the left or right edge, to a corner, or to the menu bar to fill the desktop, or use the green button and the Window menu.
- Tangrid adds
- Snap Assistant places a window in any of 18 positions on a 3x6 grid and moves or resizes windows with modifier keys. Beyond placement, Tangrid adds Auto Flow layouts, Tab Grouping, Window Switcher search, Dock Preview, and Workspaces.
- The deciding question
- Are halves, corners, and a filled desktop enough, or do you need thirds, sixths, an exact grid position, and a layout that keeps itself in order?
Module by module
The built-in tiling and Snap Assistant both place and resize windows, so the table compares window snapping. Auto Flow is covered separately below.
| Module | macOS window tiling | Tangrid |
|---|---|---|
| Window snapping | Partly macOS places a window in a half, a corner, or the full desktop from a drag, the green button, or the Window menu. Thirds, sixths, and a custom grid are not offered. | Yes Snap Assistant places a window in any of 18 positions on a 3x6 grid, fills the screen, and moves or resizes a window with modifier keys instead of a drag to a screen edge. |
Where Tangrid goes further
Tangrid covers these modules too.
A layout that keeps itself in order
Auto Flow arranges managed windows with split or tab priority and adjusts the layout as windows open and close. Built-in macOS tiling offers preset arrangements that you apply from a drag, the green button, or the Window menu.
Finding a window and returning to a layout
Window Switcher searches by window title or app name, Dock Preview shows an app's windows from its Dock icon, and Workspaces save a project layout, including the target desktop, so the whole arrangement can be restored later.
Which one to choose
Stay with macOS window tiling if
- You prefer to keep the tools Apple already ships and not run another app in the background.
- A half, a corner, or a filled desktop covers how you arrange windows today.
- You do not need thirds, sixths, or a custom snapping grid.
Choose Tangrid if
- You want thirds, sixths, or an exact grid position rather than halves and corners.
- You want to move and resize a window with modifier keys instead of dragging it to a screen edge.
- You want placement to continue into automatic layouts, window search, Dock previews, and saved layouts.
Frequently asked questions
Does macOS tile windows on its own?
Yes. macOS Sequoia 15 and later include window tiling. Drag a window to an edge or corner, or use the green button and Window menu to tile windows or apply preset arrangements. This is distinct from the older full-screen Split View.
How is Snap Assistant different from the built-in Mac window tiling?
The built-in tiling places a window in a half, a corner, or the full desktop. Snap Assistant offers 18 positions on a 3x6 grid, so thirds and sixths are available, and it also moves or resizes a window with modifier keys instead of a drag to a screen edge.
Do I need Tangrid if macOS already tiles windows?
Only when the built-in positions are not enough. If you arrange a few windows by hand and leave them there, the built-in tiling covers that. Tangrid adds the grid, automatic layouts, window search, Dock previews, and saved Workspaces on top.
Does Tangrid replace macOS Spaces?
No. Tangrid works with the Spaces macOS provides instead of substituting its own desktop layer, so Mission Control and your desktop order keep working. The Space Indicator shows which desktop is active.