How to Enable Stage Manager in macOS 13

Stage Manager is a multitasking feature introduced in macOS 13 Ventura that automatically organizes open applications and windows into a single strip along the side of your screen. This guide explains how to quickly enable Stage Manager using the Control Center, how to turn it on via System Settings, and how to customize its behavior to fit your workflow.

How to Enable Stage Manager from Control Center

The quickest way to toggle Stage Manager on or off is through the menu bar:

  1. Click the Control Center icon (the two sliding switches) in the top-right corner of your menu bar.
  2. Click the Stage Manager icon to turn it on.
  3. Your active window will center on the screen, while other open windows will move to the left side of the display.

To turn Stage Manager off, repeat the steps and click the icon again.

How to Enable Stage Manager in System Settings

You can also enable and configure Stage Manager directly inside System Settings:

  1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. Select System Settings.
  3. In the sidebar, click Desktop & Dock.
  4. Scroll down to the Stage Manager section on the right.
  5. Toggle the switch next to Stage Manager to the On position.

How to Customize Stage Manager Settings

Once Stage Manager is enabled, you can adjust how it behaves to better suit your needs:

  1. Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
  2. Under the Stage Manager section, click the Customize... button.
  3. Configure the following options:
    • Recent applications: Toggle this off if you prefer the app strip on the left to hide automatically until you move your cursor to the edge of the screen.
    • Desktop items: Toggle this on or off to choose whether files and folders on your desktop remain visible while Stage Manager is active.
    • Show windows from an application: Choose All at once to bring all open windows of an app forward together, or One at a time to cycle through them individually.
  4. Click Done to save your preferences.

How to Add Stage Manager to the Menu Bar

For faster access without opening Control Center:

  1. Open System Settings > Control Center.
  2. Scroll to the Stage Manager entry.
  3. Change the dropdown menu next to it to Show in Menu Bar.