Stage Manager on Multiple Displays in macOS 13

Yes, you can use Stage Manager with multiple displays in macOS 13 Ventura. The multitasking interface works across both built-in screens and external monitors, allowing you to organize, group, and switch between applications independently on each connected display. This guide explains how Stage Manager operates in multi-monitor setups, how to enable it, and how to optimize your display settings for the best experience.

How Stage Manager Functions with Multiple Monitors

When using external displays with macOS 13, Stage Manager treats each screen as an independent workspace, provided your system is configured with separate Spaces:

  • Independent App Strips: Each display features its own recent apps strip on the left side of the screen. Clicking an app group on your secondary monitor brings it forward on that monitor without disrupting the active apps on your primary screen.
  • Cross-Display Drag and Drop: You can drag open windows or grouped applications from one display to another to reorganize your workspace dynamically.
  • Mixed Window Management: You cannot have Stage Manager turned on for one screen and completely disabled for another; toggling Stage Manager activates or deactivates it system-wide across all connected monitors.

How to Enable Stage Manager on macOS 13

  1. Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar at the top right of your screen.
  2. Click the Stage Manager tile to turn it on.
  3. The app strips will immediately appear on the left edge of your primary and secondary screens whenever windows are active.

Essential Setting: Displays Have Separate Spaces

To ensure Stage Manager operates independently on each monitor, the "Displays have separate Spaces" feature must be enabled:

  1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
  2. Scroll down in the sidebar and click Desktop & Dock.
  3. Scroll down to the Mission Control section.
  4. Ensure the toggle next to Displays have separate Spaces is switched On.
  5. If you changed this setting, log out and log back in to apply the changes.

With this setting active, each monitor maintains its own set of Stage Manager app sets, maximizing your screen real estate and multitasking efficiency on macOS 13.