Window Modes
Window Modes
BetterStage 1.0 introduces Window Modes — a per-monitor setting that decides how windows behave on that screen. Pick a different mode for every monitor, so each screen works the way that screen needs to.
The three modes
macOS Native
Free-floating macOS windows you arrange yourself. BetterStage stays out of the way of the layout but still tracks which stage each window belongs to. This is the default mode for new stages.
Bento Box
ProAutomatic tiling that adapts as windows open and close. Drag a handle between tiles to resize neighbors together, drop one window onto another to swap, or drop on a tile edge to insert a new split. See Bento Box for the full reference.
Tabbed Layout Mode
ProA saved layout where each pane can hold multiple windows you switch between with tabs. Empty panes stay reserved so the layout is ready when you come back. See Tabbed Layout Mode and Layout Presets.
Switching modes
Window Modes are set per monitor, and each stage keeps its own per-monitor settings. Switching stages can therefore bring different modes back with it. Change the active monitor's mode from any of these surfaces:
- The Snap Wheel → Window Modes submenu
- The BetterStage menu bar → Window Modes section
- Settings > Window Modes for the default mode applied to newly created stages
The Window Modes slot in the Snap Wheel shows the active mode as its label, so when you open the wheel you can tell at a glance what mode the monitor under your cursor is running.
Floating apps in any mode
Some apps shouldn't be tiled or paneled at all — browser session-restore prompts, color pickers, popovers, and small utility windows. Add them to Settings > Exclude Apps > Float in Window Modes and they'll always float, regardless of which mode the monitor is in. You can also flip the toggle for the focused app from the Snap Wheel.
Pro Bento Box and Tabbed Layout Mode are part of BetterStage Pro. The macOS Native mode is free for everyone.
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Bento Box