No fullscreen Space needed
Tile windows on your regular desktop. Keep the sidebar, menu bar, and other windows accessible.
Beyond Split View
Split Screen on Mac shouldn't be limited to two apps.
macOS Split View locks two apps into a fullscreen Space. WindowShelf lets you tile any number of windows into halves, quarters, or corners — without leaving your desktop.
Layout positions available
Left half
Right half
Quarters
Maximize
More than two apps
Tile 4 windows into corners, or use category tiling to stack all project windows vertically.
One click from the sidebar
Right-click a window row or use the tile popover — no keyboard shortcuts to memorize.
Five limitations of native Split View
1. Only two apps at a time
Split View accepts exactly two windows. If your workflow involves a browser, an editor, and a terminal — three windows — you cannot include all three. One is always left behind on another desktop.
2. Forces a fullscreen Space
When you enter Split View, macOS creates a dedicated fullscreen Space. The menu bar hides, the Dock disappears, and your other windows are no longer visible. Switching back requires a three-finger swipe or Mission Control.
3. Can't mix app windows
If you have two Safari windows and want one on each side, Split View makes it awkward. The green button menu only shows other apps by default, not other windows from the same app.
4. No quarter or corner tiling
Native Split View supports left-half and right-half. There is no built-in way to tile a window into the top-right corner or the bottom quarter. WindowShelf supports all eight positions including four corners, maximize, and center.
5. No persistent layout memory
Exit Split View and the layout is gone. WindowShelf keeps its sidebar visible so your organizational structure persists between sessions — shelves, collapse states, and ordering are saved automatically.
When you need more than two windows side by side
Consider a code review. You have the pull request in a browser, the source file in your editor, the terminal showing test output, and Slack with the discussion thread. Split View can handle two of those four windows — leaving the other two on a separate desktop where you can't see them. With WindowShelf, right-click each window and tile them into corners: browser top-left, editor top-right, terminal bottom-left, Slack bottom-right. All four are visible at once, on your regular desktop, with the sidebar still accessible at the screen edge.
Category tiling goes further. If all four code-review windows belong to one shelf, right-click the shelf header and choose "Tile." WindowShelf stacks them into a vertical column automatically — left-aligned, centered, or right-aligned. No manual positioning needed.
Split View, Stage Manager, and WindowShelf compared
Split View (built into macOS since El Capitan) tiles two apps side by side in a dedicated fullscreen Space. It works for simple pairings but limits you to exactly two apps, removes the menu bar, and cannot mix windows from the same app.
Stage Manager (macOS Ventura+) shows recent windows in a left-edge strip and groups them by app. It can display up to four windows at once, but the grouping is automatic and limited. You cannot create named groups, tile windows into corners, or manage more than a few windows at a time.
WindowShelf keeps all windows on your regular desktop — no fullscreen Spaces, no automatic grouping. You create custom shelves, drag any window into any group, and tile into eight positions (halves, quarters, maximize, center). The sidebar lists every open window with titles and optional thumbnails, so you always know what is open and where.
In short: Split View is good for occasional two-window pairs. Stage Manager is good for casual window cycling. WindowShelf is built for users who have many windows open all day and want persistent organization, not momentary snapshots.
One more advantage: WindowShelf does not force fullscreen mode. Your menu bar stays visible, your sidebar stays accessible, and Spotlight, notifications, and other system features work normally. You get multi-window tiling without giving up any macOS functionality.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Split View limited on Mac?
macOS Split View only supports two apps side by side in a dedicated fullscreen Space. You cannot split into quarters, keep other windows visible, or mix more than two apps.
Can WindowShelf replace Split View?
For most workflows, yes. WindowShelf tiles into halves, quarters, corners, and center without entering a fullscreen Space. See also tiling windows on Mac.
Does tiling work for entire categories?
Yes. Category tiling stacks all windows in a group into a vertical column with left, center, or right alignment. See organizing windows for grouping details.