Tutorials / Power Features
Build an Auto-Tiling Coding Layout with TabStack
TabStack combines resizable panes and window tabs in one managed Window Mode. Keep several windows in one pane or split them into neighboring panes, then choose how new windows enter the layout. This tutorial builds a coding setup with that unified model.
Step by step
- 1
Turn on TabStack for a monitor
Use the Snap Wheel or menu bar to set the current monitor to TabStack. Choose a preset, then set New Window Placement to Automatic, Active Pane, Adjacent Pane, or Own Pane according to your workflow.
- 2
Resize tiles by dragging dividers
Hover over the divider between two tiles and drag to resize them. With ghost-frame previews enabled, you see exactly where the split lands before you release. Only panes touching that divider resize; unrelated panes keep their positions.
- 3
Join tabs or split panes by dropping
Drop a window in the center of a pane to join its tab group. Drop on an edge to split that region and create a neighboring pane. Center drops join windows; they do not swap two tiles.
- 4
Retile when things get messy
Press Opt+Down for Retile Windows to reconform the existing pane tree. This is different from deliberately choosing Reflow as Grid to reorganize panes into a balanced grid.
- 5
Zoom one pane to take over the screen
Use Zoom Pane from the pane menu or Snap Wheel to temporarily expand the focused pane. Restore Panes brings back the full layout. Switching tabs within that pane keeps it zoomed; selecting a tab in another pane restores the layout first.
- 6
Set the gap and make it your default
Adjust the pane gap under Layout Spacing in Settings > Window Modes, independently of outer screen padding. Set the default mode and preset for new stages in the Defaults section.
Tips
- For managed TabStack windows, directional Snap Wheel actions move windows between neighboring panes instead of snapping them to free-form zones.
- If a drag goes wrong, restore the pane sizes from the divider instead of expecting an Undo command. TabStack layout undo is not exposed yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is TabStack?
TabStack is the managed Window Mode that combines a resizable pane tree with window tabs. A pane can hold one or several windows, and New Window Placement controls where incoming windows go.
How is a center drop different from an edge drop?
A center drop joins the destination pane's tab group. An edge drop splits the destination region to create a neighboring pane. Both are operations within TabStack, not separate modes.
Can I undo a tiling change?
Yes. Retiles and resize operations go through an undo stack, so you can revert any layout change.
Try it yourself
BetterStage is free for up to three stages with full snap zones. Eligible Macs can start a 7-day Pro trial — AI Staging, TabStack panes and tabs, Saved Workspaces, Layout Presets, and Pinned Displays. Previous trials do not reset; managed AI credits are separate. Free users on eligible Macs can also try Pro for 15 minutes once every 24 hours. See how to start a daily Pro preview.
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