Ordinary Space

Window tiling for macOS, without the reshuffling.

You lay out workareas on your native desktop, apps open in the one you're working in, and a keystroke moves them between workareas or across monitors.

Download for macOS

Built for macOS Tahoe · 7-day free trial, no credit card

  • Works with the native macOS desktop
  • Works with multiple monitors

See Ordinary Space in action.

Windows, in their place

Launch Ordinary Space and the windows you already have open snap into a workarea, sized to fit. Each workarea holds its own stack of apps. Open something new and it lands in the workarea you're working in, not wherever macOS feels like putting it.

Draw the desk you want

Switch into edit mode and lay out your workareas however you like: two side by side, one wide and one narrow, a grid for the ultrawide. Save the layout as a preset and switch between them as your day changes.

Mouse optional

Everything in Ordinary Space works with the mouse. Everything also has a shortcut, so once the layout is muscle memory you can stop reaching for the trackpad.

  • Cycle the stack Flip through the windows stacked in a workarea.
    +N/P
  • Move focus Jump to the workarea next door without touching a window.
    +H/J/K/L
  • Move a window Send the window you're on to another workarea and follow it.
    ++H/J/K/L

Those are the defaults. Every shortcut can be changed in Settings.

One place for everything

Every setting and every action lives in one searchable place. Type a few letters to switch layouts or bring any window to the front, whichever workarea it's in. It's the fastest way to do anything the app can do.

Make it yours

Pick the accent color for the active workarea, set the gap between windows, and rebind any shortcut to whatever your hands already know. Ordinary Space should feel like part of your desk, not a guest on it.

Pricing

Pay once. No subscription, no account. Start with the free trial and buy when you're sure.

One year

$10 one-time

Every update released in the next 12 months.

  • Activates one Mac. Move it any time.
  • Keep the versions you got, forever.
  • Renew later only if you want newer releases.

Prices in USD. Checkout is handled by Polar. Not sure yet? The download starts a 7-day free trial, no purchase needed.

Why I built this

I've been using tiling managers since 2020.

It started with i3 on Ubuntu. I tried it out of curiosity and got hooked. After a few weeks I genuinely couldn't use a laptop without a tiling manager anymore.

When I got my first job I finally bought a MacBook, and honestly the first thing I did was search for "i3 for Mac". I ended up with yabai and it stayed with me for years. Then early this year I got curious about Linux again, installed Arch, found niri, and used it as my daily driver for about five months.

Living in all these tools taught me what I actually want, and it turns out it's not really auto-tiling. I don't like windows shuffling themselves every time something opens. What I want is fixed workareas that I open apps into. Each one holds its own stack of apps, so I can see a few things side by side and switch to whatever combination I need.

Lately I've been exploring mobile apps for both Android and iOS, and a MacBook is still the one machine that can do it all. So I moved back to the Mac, and since nothing out there tiled the way I wanted, I started Ordinary Space. Maybe an Ordinary Space for Linux someday too!

Common questions

Short answers to the things people ask about Ordinary Space.

Which versions of macOS does Ordinary Space support?

Ordinary Space is built for macOS Tahoe and installs on macOS 15 or later. Each release on the past versions page lists the minimum macOS it needs.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Every download starts with a 7-day free trial. No credit card, no account, nothing to cancel.

Where can I find my license key?

It's in the confirmation email from your purchase. If you can't find the email, write to [email protected] and it will be resent.

Can I use one license on more than one Mac?

A license activates one Mac at a time. To move it, deactivate the current Mac in Ordinary Space under Settings → License & Purchase, then activate the new one with the same key.

What does a one-year license cover?

Every release published on or before your updates-through date, and you can keep using those forever. Releases after that date need a renewal or a lifetime license.

How do I download an older version?

Every build stays available on the past versions page, with its release date, build number, and checksum. Pick the newest one your license covers.

Does Ordinary Space work with multiple monitors?

Yes. Workareas span every display, and the same shortcuts move focus and windows between them.

Didn't find your answer? Get in touch.

Past versions

Every build stays downloadable, with its release date, build number, and checksum. Find the one your license covers.

View all versions

Give your desktop some order.

Try Ordinary Space free for 7 days. No account, no credit card.

Download for macOS