DisplayShift is a menu bar app for anyone who docks a MacBook. When you connect a display, a panel drops out of the notch and lists every open window, including full screen apps and windows on other desktops. Tick what should move and it glides across. Unplug the monitor and everything comes back to the MacBook. You can try it free for 7 days, then it costs $2.99 once.

Key Features

• Window Picker on Connect: The moment you plug in a monitor, a picker shows every window that is not on the new screen yet. Tick what should move, or let it move everything by itself.
• Full Screen Apps Handled: Full screen apps leave full screen, move, and go full screen again on the other display, behind a soft curtain instead of the usual macOS animations.
• Remembers Your Layouts: DisplayShift saves a layout for each set of screens. After sleep or a restart, it puts windows back on their desktops, and Split View pairs go back side by side.
• Keeps Your Screen Arrangement: If macOS swaps your monitors or the main display, DisplayShift puts the arrangement back.
• Tile Up to Four Apps: Place apps side by side, in thirds, quarters, or a grid, and drag one bar to resize the neighbours together.
• Rules Per App: Keep an app on the MacBook, send it to the big screen, or never move it.
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Every action has a shortcut that does not clash with macOS or your other apps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does DisplayShift cost?

DisplayShift is free for 7 days, then it costs $2.99 once. There is no subscription, and one license key works on up to 2 Macs.

Can DisplayShift move full screen apps?

Yes. Full screen apps leave full screen, move to the other display, and go full screen again there.

What happens when I unplug the monitor?

DisplayShift remembers where every window was. When you unplug, your MacBook layout comes back. When you plug in again, or wake from sleep, windows return to their spots.

Can DisplayShift tile windows side by side?

Yes. You can tile two, three, or four apps side by side in thirds, quarters, or a grid, and drag the bar between them to resize them together.

Does DisplayShift work on Macs without a notch?

Yes. On a Mac without a notch, the picker drops from a pill just under the menu bar instead.

What macOS version does DisplayShift need?

DisplayShift needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and it runs on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. It asks for Accessibility access once, because macOS only lets approved apps move other apps windows.

Does DisplayShift collect my data?

No. There is no analytics, telemetry, or account. It only goes online to check your license key and look for updates. Saved layouts store a hash of each window title, never the title itself.

Is DisplayShift a replacement for Rectangle?

Not exactly. Rectangle is a free tool for snapping and resizing windows with shortcuts. DisplayShift focuses on moving windows between a MacBook and external displays, and it also offers tiling for up to four apps.