Use Stage Manager to organise apps and windows on Mac

Stage Manager organises apps and windows so that your desktop is clutter-free and you can stay focused.

Turn Stage Manager on or off

Requires macOS Ventura or later

Click Control CentreNo alt supplied for Image in the menu bar, then click Stage Manager.

Control Centre, showing the Stage Manager control

Organise apps and windows in Stage Manager

Stage Manager shows the app you're currently using in the centre of the screen. Other apps you're using appear as thumbnails on the side.

  • To switch between windows, click a thumbnail.

  • To access files and folders on your desktop, click the desktop.

Thumbnails are arranged automatically based on recent use, with up to 6 thumbnails shown, depending on the size of your desktop. Each thumbnail shows a live view of its window, so you can see updates such as incoming messages without switching to that window.

Example of Stage Manager view
  • To create a group of windows in the centre, drag a thumbnail to the centre window or press the Shift key while clicking the thumbnail. The image above shows two groups: Keynote and Finder windows are grouped in the centre, and News and Music windows are grouped in the bottom thumbnail.

  • To remove a window from a group you created, drag it back to the thumbnail area.

  • To move or resize the centre window, drag its title bar or drag an edge of the window to expand that side of the window. If a window covers the thumbnails, the thumbnails hide until you uncover them or move the pointer to the left edge of the screen. If you make a window enter full screen, it will move to its own space outside Stage Manager.

  • To drag items to another window, hold the dragged item over a thumbnail until its window moves to the centre, then drop the item into the window. If multiple windows are in the centre, you can hold the item over a rear window until it has moved to the front, then drop the item.

  • To send a window to the side as a thumbnail without switching windows, click the minimise buttonNo alt supplied for Image in the corner of the window. Or press Command-M.

  • To hide an app's thumbnail and windows, press Command-H. When an app isn't visible because it's hidden or hasn't been used recently, you can switch to that app in other ways, such as from the Dock or by pressing Command-Tab.

Change Stage Manager settings

Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar, then click Customise next to Stage Manager on the right.

Stage Manager settings

Recent applications

  • When this setting is turned on, thumbnails remain visible unless covered by a window.

  • When this setting is turned off, thumbnails are hidden until you move your pointer to the left edge of the screen.

Desktop items

  • When this setting is turned on, items on your desktop remain visible.

  • When this setting is turned off, items on your desktop are hidden until you click your desktop.

Show windows from an application

  • All at Once: the app in the centre of the screen shows all of its windows at the same time.

  • One at a Time: the app in the centre of the screen shows one of its windows at a time. Its other windows are in the app's thumbnail. To switch between them, click the thumbnail. You can still drag windows from the thumbnail to the centre to create a group.

    • On most keyboards that have a character key to the left of the number 1, you can press that key together with the Command (⌘) key to quickly switch between the windows of the app you're using.

If you can't see Stage Manager in Control Centre

Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar, then scroll down on the right and make sure “Displays have separate Spaces” is turned on. You should now see Stage Manager in Control Centre.

Learn more

To make Stage Manager even easier to access:

  • Add Stage Manager to the menu bar by dragging it from Control CentreNo alt supplied for Image to the menu bar. Or choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Control Centre in the sidebar, then choose Show in Menu Bar from the Stage Manager menu on the right.

  • Create a keyboard shortcut for Stage Manager. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar, click the Keyboard Shortcuts button, then click Mission Control. Double-click "none" next to the Stage Manager setting, then press the keys you want to use as a shortcut.

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