rectangleapp.com
Window management for macOS with keyboard shortcuts and snap areas
AI Summary
Rectangle is a free and open-source macOS app for window management using keyboard shortcuts and snap areas. Users can quickly snap windows to screen edges or resize them to predefined sizes via shortcuts. The app is the successor to Spectacle and offers a Pro version with advanced features.
✓ Pros
- + Completely free and available as Open Source
- + Supports Intel and Apple Silicon Macs from macOS 10.15 onwards
- + Easy to use with customizable keyboard shortcuts and snap areas
✗ Cons
- − Advanced features only available in the paid Pro version
- − Works exclusively on macOS, no cross-platform support
Use Cases
- → Quickly set windows to half or full screen size using keyboard combinations
- → Arrange multiple apps side by side for multitasking workflows
- → Automatically position windows by dragging them to screen edges
- → Repeatedly press shortcuts to cycle through different window sizes
Who is it for?
For Mac users who want to increase their productivity through efficient window management and spend less time manually positioning windows.
Tags
What is rectangleapp.com?
Rectangle is a free, open-source app for macOS that handles window management via keyboard shortcuts and snap areas. It is the direct successor to Spectacle and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs from macOS 10.15 onwards. Switching between multiple apps and manually repositioning windows every day costs measurable time. Rectangle solves this with predefined shortcuts and snap zones at the screen edges.
Core features
- Window positioning via shortcut: Move windows to half or full screen size without touching the mouse.
- Snap areas: Drag windows to screen edges and have them dock automatically.
- Cycling through sizes: Pressing the same shortcut repeatedly cycles through different predefined window sizes.
- Customisable keyboard shortcuts: All shortcuts can be remapped individually.
- Pro version: Extended features are available in the paid variant; the basic version remains free permanently.
Who is rectangleapp.com for?
Rectangle is aimed at Mac users who regularly work with several apps in parallel and want to arrange windows quickly. This applies especially to developers working with two or more windows side by side, such as Terminal and an editor. Users switching from Windows who miss the snap behaviour there will also find a direct replacement. Because the app is open source, it suits anyone who prefers not to have proprietary software in their workflow.
Context & alternatives
Rectangle belongs to the category of macOS window managers. Direct alternatives in the same space are Magnet (paid, App Store) and Moom, which offers somewhat more extensive customisation options. Users who want to go deeper into automation can consider Hammerspoon, though it requires knowledge of Lua. Rectangle hits the right middle ground for anyone who wants to get started immediately without configuration overhead. If the free core features are sufficient, there is no reason to switch to one of the paid competitors.
