BetterStageDocs / Core Concepts
Stages Bar
The Stages Bar is a visual overview panel that slides down from the top of your screen, showing every stage as a card with live window thumbnails. Use it to switch stages, reorder them, and manage stage settings.
Opening the Stages Bar
There are three ways to open the Stages Bar. Use whichever feels most natural.
Keyboard Shortcut
Press Opt+Up Arrow to toggle the Stages Bar open and closed.
Hot Edge
Move your cursor to the very top edge of the screen and hold briefly. The Stages Bar appears automatically.
Long-Hold Modifier
Press and hold Ctrl+Opt for a moment. The bar appears while held and dismisses on release.
Stage Cards
Each stage is shown as a card in the bar. Cards display the stage name and live thumbnails of the windows assigned to that stage, giving you a quick visual overview of what lives where.
- Click a card to switch to that stage.
- The active stage card is highlighted with a border.
- Thumbnails update in real time as windows are moved or resized.
Reordering Stages
Drag a stage card left or right to reorder your stages. The order determines which shortcut maps to which stage — the first card responds to Opt+1, the second to Opt+2, and so on.
Right-Click Context Menu
Right-click any stage card to access quick actions.
Dismissing the Bar
The Stages Bar dismisses automatically when you click a stage card to switch. You can also close it by pressing Opt+Up Arrow again, pressing Esc, or clicking anywhere outside the bar.