Docs / Setup

Getting Started

Get BetterStage up and running in under two minutes. Install the app, grant one macOS permission, and create your first stage.

System Requirements

  • macOS 14 Sonoma or later
  • Apple Silicon or Intel Mac

Installation

Download the latest version of BetterStage and get started in seconds. The free version includes 3 stages, full snap zone support, and macOS Native Window Mode on every monitor. A 10-day free trialof all Pro features is included automatically — AI Staging, Bento Box auto-tiling, Tabbed Layout Mode, and Pinned Displays. After the trial you keep the free tier; no credit card needed.

Download BetterStage
  1. Download BetterStage.dmg using the button above.
  2. Open the .dmg and drag BetterStage to Applications.
  3. Launch BetterStage — it appears as a menu-bar icon.

Required Permissions

BetterStage needs one macOS privacy permission to function. On first launch you will be prompted to grant it. You can also enable it manually in System Settings > Privacy & Security.

First: turn off macOS Stage Manager

If Apple's built-in Stage Manager is on, turn it off before granting BetterStage permission. Both tools manage which windows are visible, so running them together can cause confusing switches, hidden windows, or windows appearing in the wrong place.

Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Stage Manager and turn Stage Manager off. BetterStage's first-run setup also includes an Open Stage Manager Settings button that jumps directly to that pane.

Accessibility

System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility

Required for reading and controlling window positions and sizes. BetterStage uses the macOS Accessibility API to move, resize, and organize your windows across stages. Keyboard shortcuts use the native Carbon hotkey API, so no Input Monitoring permission is needed.

Creating Your First Stage

On first launch, BetterStage walks you through a short onboarding with feature highlights for stages, the Snap Wheel, and Window Modes. It also creates three default stages — Work, Comms, and Browse— and automatically sorts your current windows into them based on each app (mail and chat to Comms, editors and terminals to Work, browsers to Browse).

  1. Switch between your stages with Opt+1, Opt+2, and Opt+3.
  2. Send a window to another stage with Opt+Shift+2.
  3. Open the Stages Bar by moving your mouse to the top center edge of the screen, or press Opt+Up Arrow. Create more stages with the + button or Opt+N.
NextStages →