BETTERSTAGE

Tutorials / Everyday Workflows

IntermediatePro feature

Save and Reuse Window Layouts with Presets

Rebuilding the same window arrangement every morning is wasted effort. Tabbed Layout presets lock a monitor into a fixed set of panes, and each pane can hold several windows you flip between with tabs. This tutorial shows how to apply a preset and save your own.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Switch a monitor to Tabbed Layout mode

    Open the Stages Bar or Settings and set the monitor's Window Mode to Tabbed Layout. Unlike free-form windows, this mode arranges windows into fixed pane slots so the layout never drifts.

  2. 2

    Pick a built-in preset

    Choose a starting preset: Split View (two equal panes), Top / Bottom, Focus + Stack (one large pane plus a stack), or Four Corners. The windows already open snap into the preset's slots.

  3. 3

    Group windows into tabbed panes

    Each pane can hold more than one window. Drop several windows into the same slot and a tab strip appears at the top of that pane — click a tab to bring that window forward without disturbing the others. Great for keeping reference material in one slot.

  4. 4

    Save your own preset

    Once the panes are where you want them, save the arrangement as a custom preset. Set it as the default for new Tabbed Layout stages so every new workspace starts from your layout.

Tips

  • Adjust container padding in Settings if you want tighter or looser gaps between panes.
  • Pair a Focus + Stack preset with a Bento Box monitor: a fixed primary layout on one screen, automatic tiling on the other.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a preset and Bento Box auto-tiling?

A preset is a fixed set of panes you place windows into — the structure never changes. Bento Box automatically tiles every new window into a non-overlapping grid. Presets are predictable; Bento Box is hands-off.

Can a single pane hold multiple windows?

Yes. That's the defining feature of Tabbed Layout mode — each pane slot can contain several windows with a tab strip to switch between them.

Is Tabbed Layout mode a Pro feature?

Yes. Tabbed Layout mode and Layout Presets are part of Pro, which includes a 10-day free trial. The free tier uses macOS Native mode and snap zones.

Try it yourself

BetterStage is free for up to three stages with full snap zones, and includes a 10-day trial of every Pro feature — AI Staging, Bento Box auto-tiling, Tabbed Layouts, and Pinned Displays.

Download BetterStage

Related tutorials

Build an Auto-Tiling Coding Layout with Bento Box

Turn a monitor into an auto-tiling grid — every new window snaps into place.

Set Up a Developer Workspace on Mac

Editor, terminal, browser, and docs arranged across stages with per-monitor auto-tiling.

Get the Most Out of an Ultrawide Monitor

Carve a super-wide screen into readable columns with thirds, auto-tiling, and presets.