macOS Window Manager | BentoBox đŸ±

4 min read Original article ↗

BentoBox icon

“This is the window manager I’ve been waiting for. Having every window in its place is 🧑‍🍳😘!”

Alex Kretzschmar, Co-host of the Self-Hosted podcast

A window manager that boosts productivity by snapping windows into predefined zones, like a Japanese bento box organizing meals.

brew install bentobox

Features

BentoBox is built for speed: set up your zones once, then snap, move, and span windows as naturally as switching tabs.

Design layouts your way

Create multiple layouts per monitor. Choose tiled zones for clean grids, or windowed zones when you want freeform, overlapping regions.

  • Tiled and freeform “windowed” layouts
  • Multiple layouts per display
  • Switch the active layout anytime

Snap windows, fast

Reveal your zones while dragging, then drop a window exactly where you want it. You can also assign shortcuts to snap the focused window instantly.

  • Mouse + trackpad friendly (right-click or Shift)
  • Per-zone keyboard shortcuts
  • Optional “dragless” snap (⌘+⇧)

Move and span in seconds

Cycle, move, and span windows across zones to adapt your workspace as you work—perfect for ultrawides and multi-monitor setups.

  • Span across multiple zones
  • Cycle windows within a zone
  • Space-aware keyboard movement

More to love

Multi-monitor, independently

Different layouts per display, with per-display active layouts.

Customizable shortcuts

Set shortcuts for snapping, moving, spanning, and switching layouts.

Gaps and theming

Add breathing room between windows and customize colors.

Smart spanning

Quickly grow a window across adjacent zones when you need more space.

Behavior controls

Launch at login, optional auto-snap on layout change, and more.

Updates built-in

Automatic update checks, with an optional beta channel.

Inspired by FancyZones on Windows, BentoBox brings zone-based window management to macOS.

Create layouts for each monitor, then snap windows into place with your mouse, trackpad, or keyboard. It’s a faster, calmer way to work with lots of windows.

BentoBox is designed to feel natural: set up your zones once, then stay in flow.

Start by creating a layout, then snap windows as you work. BentoBox supports both classic tiled grids and freeform overlapping zones.

  • Multiple layouts per monitor (switch anytime)
  • Tiled and freeform “windowed” layouts (overlapping zones)
  • Snap with mouse/trackpad gestures or keyboard shortcuts
  • Span windows across multiple zones for perfect sizing
  • Multi-monitor support with per-display layouts

BentoBox requires Accessibility permission to move and resize other apps’ windows.

How it works

Set up once, then let BentoBox do the boring part of window management.

Build tiled grids or freeform overlapping zones. Save multiple layouts per monitor and switch when your workflow changes.

02

Snap windows instantly

Right-click or press Shift while dragging to reveal your zones. Prefer the keyboard? Assign shortcuts to snap a window in one move.

03

Move, span, repeat

Cycle, move, and span windows across zones to keep everything in the right place—without babysitting your desktop.

Pricing

When you’re ready, buy a license to keep using BentoBox.

$9

One-time purchase ‱ no subscription

Good for up to 2 devices.

Buy now

FAQ

    • Can I use BentoBox with multiple monitors?

      Yes. Create separate layouts per display and switch active layouts independently.

    • What happens if I unplug or rearrange displays?

      BentoBox saves layouts per display and adjusts them when macOS changes your screen’s visible area (menu bar/dock).

    • Does BentoBox need Accessibility permission?

      Yes. BentoBox uses macOS Accessibility APIs to move and resize other apps’ windows.

    • How do I snap windows with a trackpad?

      While dragging a window, right-click to toggle zones or press Shift. You can also choose whether Shift toggles snapping or only works while held.

    • What’s the difference between tiled and windowed layouts?

      Tiled layouts create clean, non-overlapping zones. Windowed layouts let you draw freeform zones that can overlap.

    • How many layouts can I create?

      Multiple per monitor. Add, remove, and switch layouts anytime from the app’s settings.

    • Can I snap a window to multiple zones at once?

      Yes. Span across multiple zones for the size you want. BentoBox can suggest adjacent spans automatically and you can hold Option to select multiple zones.

    • Can I snap without dragging?

      Yes—enable dragless snap to snap the focused window with Command+Shift.

    • Is BentoBox in the Mac App Store?

      Not currently. BentoBox is distributed directly so it can ship updates quickly and use the APIs needed for window management.