Best Free Window Managers of 2025

Are you able to code, write, program, code, illustrate, or edit images on your computer. It would be amazing if your windows could be placed in the right places and the right sizes for each role, and then restored at the touch of a button. SmartWindows allows you to do exactly that! Switch between the layouts that best suit your coding, gaming, and writing style. SmartWindows will save you time and increase your productivity every day. SmartWindows not only saves and restores application positions, but also remembers and opens files. SmartWindows supports all your favorite applications, such as Word, Powerpoint and Excel, Project, Notepad, Wordpad, Wordpad, Excel, Project, Excel, Notepad, Wordpad, and Project. You will love the freedom and flexibility that comes with multiple monitors. No worries. SmartWindows supports multiple displays simultaneously. You can restore app positions on each monitor.

SuperPuTTY is a window management tool specifically designed for organizing PuTTY sessions in a Windows environment. This application not only facilitates the management of SSH terminals but also features a straightforward scripting language for executing basic tasks. Furthermore, SuperPuTTY extends its functionality to support RDP sessions, enhancing its versatility. Primarily, it acts as a multi-session manager for the PuTTY SSH Client, allowing users to integrate PuTTY terminal instances within a windowed interface that supports tabbed browsing for easier navigation during multiple connections. Additionally, the tool incorporates the ability to utilize pscp.exe for efficient file transfers to and from remote servers. Users can also initiate local terminal sessions using MinTTY, along with RDP, PowerShell, and various other terminal applications. It is noteworthy that SuperPuTTY does not handle SSH or terminal management on its own, as PuTTY effectively fulfills these roles. As of version 1.4.0.7, SuperPuTTY can be installed via an installer and is also offered as a portable ZIP file, which can be easily extracted to any desired location on your local drive. This flexibility makes SuperPuTTY a convenient choice for both casual and professional users looking to streamline their terminal management experience.

Stack is an essential productivity application designed for those utilizing large displays or multiple monitors, enabling efficient window management by allowing users to move and organize their windows seamlessly. With the capability to partition screens into customizable zones, users can quickly transfer windows between these areas using either designated hotkeys or simple mouse dragging. Additionally, windows can be grouped into tabbed sections and arranged vertically or horizontally within each zone. The tool offers high DPI support and a highly customizable layout using XAML, providing users with great flexibility. The latest version, v2.1, introduces the exciting feature of creating and sharing custom widgets, which can be integrated into Stack layouts. Initially, this version includes a sample widget and a few composable tools that facilitate the development of more intricate, data-rich widgets directly within the layouts. Furthermore, Stack has improved its functionality by automatically assigning newly opened windows to the nearest zone and allowing users to customize which mouse button is used for dragging. Now, there’s also the option to set hotkey combinations for moving the active window to a specific zone, enhancing the overall user experience. The ongoing updates promise to make window management even more intuitive and efficient.

WS Grid+ serves as a user-friendly window manager tailored for Windows 10, enabling users to organize the multitude of program windows that can clutter their screens. With a unique grid selection system, it allows for easy movement and resizing of the currently active window. The software also features convenient keyboard and mouse shortcuts, eliminating the hassle of reaching for the title bar to adjust window sizes. Additionally, it offers quick access to the Windows 10 virtual desktops function, enhancing multitasking efficiency. By double-tapping the CTRL key (or using ALT + F1), users can position the panel at the cursor's location, enabling a seamless grid selection process. The active application window will then replicate the selected grid's position and dimensions, making it easy to organize workspace effectively. For those who only wish to adjust a window’s location without altering its size, holding the CTRL key while clicking on a grid cell does just that. If users need to close the panel, a simple press of the ESC key does the trick, with no need for focus. Moreover, the tool allows resizing of the active window to specific dimensions and repositioning it to ensure it remains fully visible on the screen. This combination of features makes WS Grid+ a practical solution for anyone looking to enhance their window management experience on Windows 10.

Streamline your desktop experience in just three straightforward steps. With Mosaico, you can effortlessly arrange your workspace by simply dragging windows to automatically align them in a designated spot. Each layout you create can be tailored to specific tasks, whether for work, browsing, gaming, or file management. All configurations, including window sizes and positions, are saved in a snapshot that you can easily access. With a quick click, you can restore any saved layout, allowing windows to open and resize precisely where you left them. This tool is a fantastic way to enhance your efficiency and save time. Plus, Mosaico allows for seamless switching between different layouts using a simple mouse click or a personalized keyboard shortcut, making it perfect for those who juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. Embrace the power of Mosaico to optimize your desktop organization and boost your productivity!

WindowManager enhances your productivity by tracking and restoring the layout and dimensions of your applications and windows. Many applications fail to retain their layout across different sessions, and even Windows Explorer does not revert to previous window positions on Windows 7 or later versions. This is where WindowManager comes into play, ensuring that your windows are positioned precisely as you prefer each time they are launched. Additionally, WindowManager provides the option to lock the dimensions and location of any window, guaranteeing it opens in the same designated area regardless of any adjustments made. The utility offers extensive customization options, enabling you to establish specific rules for your most utilized windows. Furthermore, WindowManager can automate actions such as sending keystrokes or mouse clicks to a program upon opening its window, executing supplementary applications, and performing various advanced tasks. Moreover, users can conveniently minimize a majority of windows directly to the system tray, allowing for a more organized workspace. This comprehensive functionality makes WindowManager an essential tool for anyone looking to streamline their digital environment.

Awesome is a next-generation framework window manager for X that offers a high degree of configurability. Known for its speed and extensibility, it operates under the GNU GPLv2 license. This window manager is designed primarily for power users, developers, and anyone engaged in daily computing tasks who desires detailed control over their graphical interface. In fact, a window manager is one of the most frequently utilized software applications in everyday activities, alongside web browsers, email clients, and text editors. Power users and programmers enjoy a wide variety of options among multiple tools for their daily operations, many of which are highly customizable. Awesome aims to fill the gap in these tools by providing an extensible and highly configurable window manager that enhances the overall user experience. By prioritizing flexibility and user preference, Awesome stands out in a competitive landscape of window management solutions.

This application enables users to effortlessly arrange their windows on a flexible grid solely using their mouse. It enhances the utility of the right mouse button during window movement by activating grid snap mode. The program is user-friendly, portable, and easy to install, functioning harmoniously with Aerosnap while remaining unobtrusive. Users can customize the grid overlay, which supports auto-updating and adjustable input options. Compatibility extends to Windows Vista (SP2), 7 (SP1), 8, 8.1, and 10, with features that allow for saved window positions and theme personalization. However, users may experience occasional delays with the grid overlay, and the WindowGrid32.dll file might need to be placed on certain antivirus software's exclusion lists. Additionally, there can be issues when moving non-DPI-aware windows between monitors that utilize DPI scaling. WindowGrid serves as a contemporary solution for window management on Windows systems, offering a simple method to choose the initial grid position for window placement by simply moving the cursor. This functionality significantly streamlines workspace organization and enhances user productivity.

By dragging and dropping your windows to the edges or corners of your display, they will automatically adjust to occupy either half or a quarter of the screen, a feature reminiscent of Windows 10’s Aero Snap but with enhanced functionality. This capability proves to be particularly advantageous when using a 4K monitor or setting up multiple screens. With AquaSnap, you can significantly boost your productivity by utilizing an efficient tiling window manager tailored for Windows. However, there are times when dividing your screen into halves or quarters may not be the most effective approach. When two windows are positioned next to each other, adjusting the size of one while holding a key will simultaneously resize the other, providing a seamless way to alter the arrangement of several tiled windows. AquaSnap simplifies the alignment of your windows, allowing them to act like magnets, a crucial feature designed to enhance user experience without intruding on your workspace, ensuring you maximize your desktop area. Additionally, this intuitive tool helps streamline your workflow by making window management quicker and more efficient.

TidyTabs is a versatile application that introduces tabbed browsing functionality across various software programs. If you've ever desired the convenience of Chrome-like tabs in Windows Explorer, Microsoft Office, or PuTTY, TidyTabs fulfills that need seamlessly. It integrates effortlessly with the operating system, giving the impression that multi-tab features are an inherent aspect of Windows. You can streamline your workspace and declutter your desktop by organizing your windows effectively. With each window now featuring a draggable tab, it becomes simple to group them into related categories; just drag one tab over another to form a tabbed collection. Additionally, tabs can be easily detached and moved into different groups, allowing for flexible organization. You even have the ability to combine windows from various applications into one cohesive group. With a single click, you can save a configuration of your grouped applications, ensuring they open together in your preferred arrangement each time. For more intricate setups, you can also establish advanced auto-grouping rules. In just a few minutes, you can fully automate and enhance your tab management experience, making it more efficient than ever before. This tool truly revolutionizes how you interact with multiple applications simultaneously.

FancyZones serves as a window management tool designed to help users arrange and snap their application windows into optimized layouts, enhancing workflow efficiency and allowing for quick restoration of these layouts. This utility empowers you to specify a series of designated zones on your desktop where windows can be directed. By dragging a window into a predetermined zone or using a designated keyboard shortcut, the respective window automatically resizes and relocates to occupy that zone completely. Additionally, if you have the "Use non-primary mouse button to toggle zone activation" option activated, you can enter zone selection mode by simply clicking the secondary mouse button. When two zones are positioned next to each other, a window can be adjusted to span the combined area of both zones, effectively rounding up to the smallest rectangle that encompasses the two. As you maneuver the mouse cursor close to the shared boundary of two zones, both zones become active at the same time, giving you the flexibility to drop the window into either or both. Moreover, you can drag the window until it activates one zone and then, by pressing and holding the control key while continuing to drag, select multiple zones to expand your layout options. This feature significantly streamlines the process of organizing your desktop workspace efficiently.

Experience the window manager you never realized you were missing. Maximize your productivity on Windows by effortlessly dividing your screen into customized sections. It's simple to segment your monitor according to your preferences, as windows seamlessly snap into place below your mouse cursor. Each virtual desktop can maintain its distinct arrangement of regions, and you can easily toggle settings to determine if these profiles should differ across desktops. With MaxTo's convenient presets, accessing your preferred layouts becomes a breeze, and the fastest way to activate these regions is by assigning them to keyboard shortcuts. You can also preview the presets you're adjusting while fine-tuning your layouts. Launch and position multiple applications simultaneously, as our robust recipe features allow you to initiate the programs you need in their desired locations. Furthermore, any action performed through keyboard shortcuts can be replicated with scripts, enhancing your workflow even more. This powerful tool not only streamlines your tasks but also transforms your workspace into a more efficient environment.

i3 is a window manager designed with a tiling approach and built entirely from the ground up. It is compatible with GNU/Linux and BSD operating systems, and it is released as Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) under the BSD license. The design of i3 primarily caters to advanced users and developers. Drawing from our experiences while attempting to modify wmii, we established several objectives for i3. Key among these is ensuring that the software can be customized by individuals who possess programming knowledge but may not be well-versed in the intricacies of X11. To achieve this, we aim to provide comprehensive documentation that explains the reasoning behind various functionalities and their timing, allowing users to grasp the full scope of responsibilities handled by a Window Manager just through the source code. Furthermore, we prioritize the correct implementation of multi-monitor setups, enabling each workspace to be assigned to a distinct virtual screen. It is critical to ensure seamless operation during the connection and disconnection of new monitors, such as video projectors, while also supporting rotated displays, thus enhancing user experience and flexibility in different working environments. In doing so, we hope to create a more intuitive and adaptable window management experience for users.

Initially created to add sophisticated improvements to the basic and utilitarian GNU Screen for the Ubuntu server version, Byobu has evolved significantly. It now features an upgraded profile, user-friendly keybindings, configuration tools, and optional system status alerts for both the GNU Screen window manager and the contemporary Tmux terminal multiplexer, functioning seamlessly across various Linux, BSD, and Mac distributions. Additionally, Byobu boasts an enhanced profile, configuration tools, and system status notifications specifically tailored for the GNU Screen and Tmux. Byobu is made available as free software under the GPLv3 license, ensuring that users can freely access and modify it. This commitment to open-source principles strengthens its community support and continuous improvement.

TaskLayout is a Windows productivity application that allows users to quickly configure their desktop for work in just moments. It is free from adware, malware, and spyware, and offers professional tools that enhance productivity without any hidden costs. Users can try the app before committing to a purchase, and it boasts quick and responsive customer support. This application enables the saving and restoration of the Windows desktop layout, which includes a collection of active applications and their corresponding positions, all accessible via a designated hotkey. You can efficiently organize your workspace by launching apps, opening folders, and positioning windows as needed on your desktop. Once you have your ideal setup, save the layout using TaskLayout and assign a hotkey for easy access to open or close it. With these hotkeys, you can swiftly restore or discard your desktop arrangement in mere seconds. Additionally, the app features a command launcher that allows users to create custom commands for launching applications with their own assigned hotkeys. By default, TaskLayout functions as both a launcher and a window repositioning utility, automatically retrieving and saving startup commands linked to chosen windows for seamless operation. This ensures that your desktop remains organized and efficient, adapting to your workflow effortlessly.

For macOS users looking for a tiling window manager similar to xmonad, Amethyst serves as an excellent option. To delve deeper into the world of tiling window managers and explore the specific functionalities offered by Amethyst, you can find a wealth of informative community resources available on YouTube. These videos can greatly enhance your understanding and usage of tiling window managers.