Native Window Snapping in macOS 13 Ventura

macOS 13 (Ventura) does not feature traditional drag-and-drop edge snapping, but it includes several built-in window management tools designed to organize and tile application windows. Users can manage their screen space natively using Split View tiling, Option-key window resizing, and the Stage Manager multitasking interface without installing third-party software.

Split View Tiling

The primary native snapping feature in macOS 13 is Split View, which snaps two apps side by side in a dedicated full-screen space.

To use Split View:

  1. Hover your cursor over the green circle (full-screen button) in the top-left corner of any supported app window.
  2. Select either Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen from the pop-up menu.
  3. The chosen window snaps to occupy that half of the display. Click any open window on the opposite side to fill the remaining half.
  4. Drag the black vertical divider line in the center left or right to resize the split proportion between the two windows.

Desktop Window Moving and Zooming

If you prefer to keep your windows on the standard desktop rather than entering a full-screen Space, you can use hidden modifier controls:

  1. Hover over the green button in the top-left corner of a window.
  2. Press and hold the Option (⌥) key on your keyboard.
  3. The menu options change to Move Window to Left Side of Screen and Move Window to Right Side of Screen.
  4. Selecting either option snaps the window to fill exactly half of your desktop while keeping the menu bar and Dock accessible.
  5. Holding the Option key also reveals the Zoom option, which expands the window to fill the maximum readable screen space without going full screen.

You can access the same window alignment options without hovering over the green button:

  • Open the Window menu in the top menu bar to select Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen.
  • You can assign custom keyboard shortcuts to these commands by navigating to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts, adding an entry for "Tile Window to Left of Screen" and binding your preferred keys.

Stage Manager

Introduced in macOS 13, Stage Manager provides an alternate method for organizing and grouping windows. When enabled via the Control Center, your active application stays centered on the desktop while other open windows are arranged along the left side of the display. You can drag multiple windows from the left side into the center workspace to create custom, grouped layouts that switch together with a single click.