r/macapps • u/cheatingrobot • 3h ago
Free WindowShift: a tiny native macOS app for fast moving windows between monitors
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Problem
One can move a window to another display either by dragging it or by using Window > Move to other "display name". Both approaches are slow, inconvenient for keyboard-driven workflows, and don't work with full-screen windows.
I use multiple displays and was frustrated with the current state of things, so I made WindowShift, a small app that lets you move windows between screens using customizable keyboard shortcuts. It's native, fast, and works for full-screen windows.
I use it a lot myself and tried to make the controls intuitive. When using multiple monitors, I naturally think about them by their relative positions: this display is to the left of the current one, this one is above it, etc. WindowShift works exactly this way: it sends the current window to a neighboring display based on its relative position ↑↓←→.
The attached video is a real screen recording showing the app in action.
Comparison
- I've heard Rectangle can handle multi-monitor window management too, and it offers many more features. WindowShift is intentionally much simpler. I personally prefer AltTab for window management and only needed a tiny native utility that does one specific thing well.
- DisplayShift does something very similar. I tried it and, on my setup, found it noticeably slower than WindowShift. DisplayShift additionally remembers which display a window was previously on, but in my experience macOS already does a pretty good job of remembering where a window was last placed when reconnecting a second display.
I'd genuinely be interested to know if you find an app that moves full-screen windows even faster than WindowShift without requiring System Integrity Protection to be disabled. Let me know in the comments if you do.
The app is extremely lightweight (current version ~1.5 MB). Despite its size, it supports secure updates, although it currently doesn't check for them automatically.
Minimum macOS version: macOS 12 Monterey
Pricing
Free. 0 data collection.
The app is notarized.
I plan to add more features and settings over time, though I can't promise they'll arrive very soon. If you have any requests for new features, feel free to write me.


