Different Stage Manager Settings per macOS Account

Yes, you can configure different Stage Manager preferences for separate user accounts on macOS 13 Ventura. Because macOS manages interface and window behaviors at the individual user level, any modifications you make to Stage Manager remain isolated to the active profile. This allows one user to use Stage Manager with custom window groupings while another user on the same Mac keeps the feature turned off entirely.

How Stage Manager User Isolation Works

In macOS 13, Stage Manager settings are stored within each account’s individual user preferences directory (~/Library/Preferences/) rather than in a global system-wide directory. As a result, the operating system applies Stage Manager rules only to the currently logged-in user session.

Individual customizations that vary by user include:

  • Toggling the feature: Enabling or disabling Stage Manager.
  • Recent Applications: Choosing whether to show or hide the strip of recent apps on the left side of the screen.
  • Desktop Items: Choosing whether desktop files and widgets remain visible or hidden when Stage Manager is active.
  • App Window Grouping: Configuring whether an application displays all its windows at once or one window at a time.

How to Configure Preferences for Each Account

To set up distinct preferences, you must log into each macOS account individually and configure the desired settings.

  1. Log into the target user account.
  2. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner and select System Settings.
  3. In the sidebar, select Desktop & Dock.
  4. Scroll down to the Stage Manager section.
  5. Turn Stage Manager on or off using the toggle switch.
  6. Click the Customize... button to set individual behaviors for displaying recent applications and desktop items.

Repeat these steps for any other user account on the Mac to establish different preferences for that user.

Behavior with Fast User Switching

If you use Fast User Switching to toggle between accounts without logging out, macOS dynamically swaps the interface state. When you switch to User A, their specific Stage Manager layout and preferences immediately take effect. When you switch to User B, macOS instantly shifts to User B's preferred window management configuration without altering User A's background session.