In macOS Sequoia, Apple has added yet another new feature for managing windows. In addition to Stage Manager and Mission Control, there is now also a feature called Full Screen Tiles, which can automatically place windows in boxes on the screen.
The new feature is similar to Aero Snap, which has been available on PC since Windows 7. Before macOS, you had to rely on third-party apps like Magnet or Rectangle for similar functionality. But with the arrival of macOS 15, this is no longer necessary.
Full screen tiles
In macOS Sequoia, the full-screen tile feature for snapping windows to a grid is present by default. According to Apple, this is a great way to improve your productivity, by allowing you to fit more app windows on one screen.
The power of the feature is the automatic positioning of windows when using drag, key combination or shortcuts in the menu. Something similar was promised when Stage Manager and Mission Control were introduced, but in practice only few Mac users use them.
Drag windows into full screen tiles
When you drag a window to the edge of the screen, ‌macOS Sequoia‌ suggests a screen position using a frame. When you let go of the window, it automatically positions itself within the frame.
This lets you quickly fit two app windows side by side, or four windows in the corners to keep multiple apps in view at once. When you drag a window out of a frame, it immediately resizes to its original width and height.
Key combinations for full screen tiles
There are several key combinations available for automatically placing windows next to each other. For this you need a good memory.
Do you want window half horizontal or vertical display then you can use the key combination:
fn + control + left, right, upwards or down.
A rearrange window can be done by using the key combination:
fn + control + shift + left, right, upwards or down
Finally, there is also the key combination fn + control + R with which you the original size of a window can be restored.
Via the menu bar or the green dot
The Window menu option in the macOS menu bar also has the ability to customize the layout of the full-screen tiles. You can customize both the position and the layout of the full-screen tiles.
This functionality is also accessible via the green dot in a window. To do this, place the mouse pointer on the green dot to adjust the possibilities of the full-screen tiles, which appear using a pop-up window.
Operation (not yet) entirely flawless
This all sounds very convenient, however, placing a window in a grid can be tricky. For example, if you drag a window to the side of the screen and hold it for too long, you can accidentally switch to an adjacent desktop if you are using it. In addition, it is also difficult to place windows so that they snap to the grid in the corners. If you experience these problems, the green dot is the best alternative to work with full-screen tiles.
Some apps, by design, don’t scale down beyond a certain size, causing windows to overlap or spill off the screen.
Additional settings via the System Settings
In System Settings â–¸ Desktop you will find three new settings intended for the new full-screen tiles.
For example, windows can be placed by the option-key while dragging, useful if you have multiple desktops. You can also turn off ‘Placed windows have margins’, which reduces the space between windows.