The COVID-19 pandemic may mean you’re spending more time than ever in front of your computer screen. Perhaps you’re taking online classes, working from home, and/or having Zoom chats with friends.
The need for multi-tasking on your computer is perhaps greater now than ever before and a simple Mac app called Magnet can make you much more efficient when you have multiple screens open.
About Magnet
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- If you’re like many people, however, you may be concerned about the amount of time you’re spending on your phone. Luckily, there are some excellent apps that can help you gain a little balance.
Magnet is a 4.9 star-rated Mac app that helps you arrange and resize open windows on your computer. Using Magnet you can quickly and efficiently move and resize open windows to make the most of your computer screen. Instead of dragging and dropping windows into the positions and sizes you want, you can use Magnet to neatly and quickly organize your desktop.
Apps Like Magnet House
Maybe you’ve always wanted a magic fairy to come and tidy up your house. Magnet is that magic fairy for your computer desktop.
On a video call and need to refer to a website, email, map, or social media post? Use Magnet to arrange open windows side-by-side. Researching an article? Have two windows open in each corner of your screen to easily copy and paste quotes or drag and drop images between windows.
Apple has done very well to declare Magnet an Invaluable Utility and list it in its grouping of best “Get Productive” apps - it’s a tiny little program that gives Finder and program windows on the Mac the “Snap” feature that Microsoft Windows has had for quite a while now.
Magnet can resize and move open windows on your screen into spaces that take up a half, a quarter, a third, or two-thirds of your screen. On ultra-wide screens Magnet can arrange up to six windows.
Magnet can arrange two open windows into horizontal or vertical views. Use Magnet to resize one window to two-thirds of the screen and another to one’third of the screen and align them side-by-side.
Magnet works with all types of open windows. Use Magnet when you have a music player open to share the screen with a browser window. Keep a calendar window open in a corner of your screen when you’re planning your next Zoom get-together. Have a social media window open if your FOMO (fear of missing out) is difficult to control during these troubling times.
Using Magnet
Magnet is an app for Mac computers that takes up very little space on your computer’s hard drive (3.1 MB) but can be a powerful tool for keeping your desktop neatly organized and helping you multi-task.
Magnet has three methods for you to resize and re-arrange windows. For each method, start by clicking on a window you want to resize and rearrange on your screen.
Magnet Drop-Down Menu
After downloading the Magnet app to your Mac, click the Magnet icon in the top toolbar on your screen to reveal the drop-down menu with options for placing and sizing the current window on your screen.
The top section of the menu offers options for a half-screen window, left or right, or up or down. The second section has options for quarter-windows placed in the corners of your screen. The third section is for windows to be sized in one- or two-thirds of the screen. The fourth section is helpful for those who have multiple monitors (Magnet supports up to six monitors) and want to move a window between monitors. The fifth section lets you restore, center, or maximize a window.
Repeat for each open window until all of your open windows are nestled in the sizes and places you want them to be.
Magnet Keyboard Shortcuts
To the right of each menu option is a keyboard shortcut you can use if you want to move and resize windows in your desktop without your fingers leaving the keyboard. For example, to move an open window to the left half of the screen press Control + Option + Left Arrow at the same time.
You may find that you develop favorite window arrangements and only need to memorize a few keyboard shortcuts.
Drag and Drop Windows in Magnet
You can also drag and drop windows to snap them into place. Drag a window to the edge of the screen until you see a grey outline appear. Release the window and to snap it into place.
Click “Ignore” in the drop-down menu if you want to disable dragging and dropping a window in Magnet.
Availability
Magnet is an app for Mac computers, running Mavericks OS X 10.9 or later. The price of Magnet is currently $2.99 in the Mac App Store.
You can download Magnet from the App Store.
Your Thoughts
Are you multi-tasking more on your computer these days? Do you keep multiple windows open on your computer screen? Do you like the idea of an app that quickly and easily resizes and rearranges your open windows?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see Magnet in action before purchasing it?
There is an independent review screencast by iDownloadBlogwhere you can check out all important features. Watch it on YouTube!
What is Magnet's privacy policy?
We do not collect any personal data at all.
Window snapping is not working after updating macOS.
How can I fix that?
Some installations are experiencing issues with accessibility functions. You can fix that by following this procedure:
- Quit Magnet.
- Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Acccessibility
- In the list Allow the apps below to control your computer, highlight Magnet and remove it using the – (minus) button.
- Launch Magnet and follow instructions.
Why is my window not resizing?
Magnet can handle all standard resizable windows in OS X for you. Magnet can not do anything with non-standard windows used bysome developers. Fortunately, such windows are quite rare.Adobe Creative Suite & Creative Cloud apps older than 2017 version is not supported exactly for this reason.
Some apps don’t resize to a half screen and remain wider. What’s wrong?
Certain apps require a minimal width of their window. In some cases the width can exceed half of your screen, particularly on small screens like Macbooks'.
I’ve got older Mac. Is Magnet compatible with it?
Magnet is compatible with OS X 10.9 Mavericks or later.If you can run such OS X, Magnet will be working fine on your Mac.
Can I arrange my windows on different Spaces?
Apps Like Netlimiter
You can arrange your windows in any active Spaces screen. You can not do it across different Spaces.
Why doesn’t my Magnet launch?
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The Mac App Store probably just got confused by all the certificate, signature and security stuff. Simply trash your Magnet from the Applications folder and redownload from the Mac App Store. There’s no charge and you will keep your current settings.