The GridyNotch manual.

Start on your Mac

Requires macOS 14 or later and Accessibility access. This website is a product preview; it does not include a public installer.

Open GridyNotch
Do
Launch the app on your Mac.
On screen
Projects opens. A new installation has Personal, Development and Design, with Development selected. Your existing saved projects keep their names and order.
Allow window access
Do
Choose Enable Accessibility. In System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, enable GridyNotch.
On screen
macOS grants permission to move and minimize windows. Screen Recording and Input Monitoring are not required.
Check the connection
Do
Return to Projects and choose Check again.
On screen
The access message changes to Ready with a window count. Existing windows appear in Unassigned and stay untouched until you explicitly select a project or Unassigned.

Open Projects

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Projects is your window list, project switcher and layout control.

Use the menu bar
Do
Click the GridyNotch grid icon in the macOS menu bar.
On screen
The Projects board slides down near the top of the display under your pointer. Project columns show window previews and rows. The selected project has a checkmark.
Or use the notch
Do
Move the pointer behind the physical notch, then click the GridyNotch button that appears.
On screen
The small launcher appears for about two seconds and opens Projects. Move away and back to reveal it again. The launcher still works while arrangement is paused.
Read the board
Do
Expand Unassigned windows with its disclosure control. Use a window row’s ellipsis to open its assignment menu.
On screen
Unassigned lists windows without a project. The bottom toolbar contains the layout menu, Settings, Pause/Resume, Restore and Quit; the status line shows window access and arrangement state.
Return to your work
Do
Press Escape or click outside Projects.
Escape
On screen
The board slides away. GridyNotch keeps running. A project name editor stays open until you save or cancel it.

Switch projects

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A project is a group of windows. While arrangement is running, switching hides the other groups by minimizing their eligible windows; it does not close them.

Choose a project
Do
Click a project header, or hold Control and Option and press 1, 2 or 3 for the first three projects.
ControlOption2
On screen
The selected header is marked. A small capsule briefly shows the project’s name and icon. Its hidden windows restore before its saved layout is applied.
Move to another group
Do
Select a different project.
ControlOption3
On screen
Eligible windows from the previous project minimize. The new project’s windows restore. After your first explicit category selection, eligible Unassigned windows are also hidden when you leave that category.
Bring one window forward
Do
Open Projects and click a window row.
On screen
That window is explicitly restored and raised, even if you minimized it yourself. If it belongs to another project, that project becomes selected.

Navigate with Option swipes

Try in demo

Hold Option before starting a two-finger trackpad swipe. Project gestures start off.

Enable project gestures
Do
Open Settings → Project gestures. Turn on Switch projects with Option + two-finger swipes.
On screen
The gesture status shows whether GridyNotch is listening. Reverse direction and Swipe distance become available. Accessibility access is required.
Move between projects
Do
With the default direction, swipe left for the next project or right for the previous one.
OptionTwo-finger swipe left / right
On screen
Windows switch to the adjacent project and its name appears briefly. Navigation stops at either end; it does not wrap. From Unassigned, next opens the first project and previous opens the last.
Leave for Unassigned
Do
From a named project, hold Option and swipe up.
OptionTwo-finger swipe up
On screen
Eligible assigned windows hide and eligible Unassigned windows restore at their own positions. The project you left is remembered. Repeating swipe up keeps that same return project.
Return to the exact project
Do
While Unassigned is selected, hold Option and swipe down.
OptionTwo-finger swipe down
On screen
You return to the project you left, with its saved layout. The return survives renaming that project and restarting GridyNotch.
Adjust the feel
Do
Change Swipe distance, or enable Reverse horizontal swipe direction in Project gestures.
On screen
A shorter distance is more sensitive. Reverse changes only left and right; up always selects Unassigned and down returns.

Assign a window

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Move a single window into a project with its menu, or drop its title bar onto Notchboard.

Use the window menu
Do
Open Projects, find the window and open the ellipsis at the end of its row. Choose the destination project.
On screen
The row moves into that project’s column. If the destination is inactive, the eligible window hides. Your active project stays selected.
Or drag to the top
Do
Drag the real window by its title bar toward the top center of its display.
On screen
A compact Notchboard with project drop targets appears. A physical notch is not required. Keep holding the title bar while choosing a target.
Complete the drop
Do
Release over the destination project.
On screen
The drop panel closes and the window is assigned. The active project stays selected; the destination’s arrangement applies when you select it.
Remove an assignment
Do
In a window’s ellipsis menu, choose Unassign window. Select Unassigned windows to see it.
On screen
The window leaves its project. Once category visibility is active, unassigned windows are visible in Unassigned and hidden while a named project is selected.

Arrange a project

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Each project saves its own layout and main-window width. Each display is arranged separately inside its menu bar and Dock boundaries.

Choose a layout
Do
Select a project. Open the layout menu in the Projects toolbar and choose an arrangement.
On screen
Eligible windows move to the chosen layout. Returning to the project reapplies that arrangement after its hidden windows restore.
Choose a window in Focus
Do
With Focus selected, click the window row you want to work in.
On screen
That window comes forward in the large Focus area. Other eligible project windows minimize and remain available from the board.
Resize Main and stack
Do
With at least two eligible windows in Main and stack, drag the small handle at the middle of their shared seam.
On screen
The main window grows or shrinks and the stack follows. Enable the resize handle in Settings if it is hidden. Other layouts do not use this seam handle.
Set spacing precisely
Do
In Settings, adjust Gap between windows or the active project’s Main window width.
On screen
Gap updates from 0 to 32 points. Main window width adjusts from 20% to 80% and applies to Main and stack.

The five layouts
Layout	What happens on screen
Main and stack	One main window on the left; the other windows stack vertically on the right.
Side by side	Windows share one row in equal-width columns.
Grid	Windows fill rows and columns; an incomplete final row fills the available width.
Focus	One window fills the available area on each display; other eligible windows minimize.
Keep my layout	Window positions are retained instead of tiled. Unassigned always keeps its positions.

Place new windows automatically

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Use an app rule for a consistent destination, or let new windows join the active project.

Move an app’s windows
Do
Open a window’s ellipsis menu. Under Move all [app] windows, choose a project.
On screen
That app’s current windows are assigned together. A rule is also created so future windows from the app join that project.
Add a future-window rule
Do
Open Settings → App assignment rules → Add app rule. Choose a running app and a project.
On screen
A rule row appears. New windows from that app go to the chosen project even if another project is active. Adding a rule alone does not move existing windows.
Change or remove a rule
Do
Open the project menu on the app’s rule row. Choose a different project or Remove rule.
On screen
Future windows follow the updated rule. Removing a rule leaves existing assignments intact.
Choose the fallback
Do
In Arrangement, set Assign new windows to the active project.
On screen
With no app rule, newly created windows join the active named project when the app reports creation or launches after GridyNotch starts. Turn it off to leave those windows unassigned. While Unassigned is selected, they stay unassigned unless an app rule applies.

Create and edit projects

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Keep the project list small enough to navigate. Up to 12 projects are supported.

Create a project
Do
In Projects, choose New project. Enter a name, choose an icon and save.
On screen
A new column is appended to the board. It starts empty with Main and stack as its layout. Names must contain 1–64 characters after surrounding spaces are trimmed.
Rename a project
Do
Open the ellipsis beside its project header and choose Rename…. Save the new name.
On screen
The header updates while assignments, layout and remembered gesture return stay attached to the same project.
Remove a project
Do
Open its header menu, choose Remove project… and confirm.
On screen
Its windows become unassigned. Rules targeting it are removed. If it was active, the first remaining project is selected. Select Unassigned to show its eligible windows.

Make it yours

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Open Settings from the Projects toolbar, or right-click the menu-bar grid icon and choose Settings….

Set the arrangement controls
Do
Change the gap, auto-assignment, Notchboard or resize-handle switches under Arrangement.
On screen
Settings apply immediately. Turning Notchboard off disables drag assignment; the row menus still work. Turning the seam handle off leaves the Main window width slider available.
Set project controls
Do
Enable or tune Project gestures, then select a layout or main width under Active project.
On screen
Layout and ratio belong to the selected project. With Unassigned selected, that section explains that its windows keep their positions instead.
Check access
Do
Under Window access, use Open System Settings or Check again when access needs attention.
On screen
The access status updates. Restore hidden windows brings back windows GridyNotch hid and pauses arrangement.
Return to Projects
Do
Click outside Settings, then reopen Projects from the menu bar.
On screen
Settings closes on an outside click. Reopening Projects keeps Settings closed until you choose it again.

Defaults on a new installation
Setting	Default
Gap between windows	10 points
Assign new windows to the active project	On
Open Notchboard when dragging toward top center	On
Show the resize handle	On
Option + two-finger swipes	Off
Reverse horizontal swipe direction	Off
Swipe distance	Medium
Main window width	60% for a new project

Pause, restore and quit

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GridyNotch distinguishes windows it minimized from windows you minimized yourself.

Pause arrangement
Do
Choose Pause in Projects, or Pause arrangement from the menu-bar icon’s right-click menu.
On screen
Windows GridyNotch hid restore and automatic arrangement stops. The board shows Paused. Resume starts arranging the selected category again.
Restore hidden windows
Do
Choose Restore hidden windows from Projects, Settings or the menu-bar menu.
On screen
GridyNotch restores only windows it hid and pauses arrangement so they stay visible. Windows you minimized yourself remain minimized. Choose Resume when ready.
Quit cleanly
Do
Choose Quit GridyNotch.
On screen
The app restores the windows it minimized before exiting. Manually minimized windows keep their state. No apps or documents are closed.
Open GridyNotch again
Do
Relaunch the app while your other applications are still running.
On screen
Saved projects, rules and settings load. Assignments and hidden-window ownership recover for eligible windows whose identity can be verified. The previous project for an Unassigned return is remembered.

Work across displays

Try in demo

A project can contain windows on more than one display. Layouts are calculated separately for each display.

Select the project
Do
Switch to a project with assigned windows on two displays.
On screen
Its eligible windows restore on their displays and arrange within each display’s usable area. The project’s chosen layout applies independently to each group.
Assign from either display
Do
Drag a window title bar toward the top center of that display and release over a project.
On screen
Notchboard appears on that display. Assignment changes while the active project stays selected. Displays without a notch support this drop target too.
Open Projects where you work
Do
Click the menu-bar grid icon with the pointer on the display you are using.
On screen
Projects opens near that display’s top center or notch. The hover launcher itself is available only on a display with a physical notch.
Disconnect a display
Do
Remove an external display and return to the project.
On screen
Keep my layout clamps recovered positions to the remaining usable display area. Tiled projects arrange eligible windows within available bounds.

When something stays put

Start with the board’s status and messages. Use Restore hidden windows when you need everything GridyNotch hid back in view.

Access is missing
Do
Enable GridyNotch under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, then choose Check again.
On screen
A successful check replaces the permission message with Ready. If you rebuilt the locally signed app and an enabled switch no longer works, quit, remove only GridyNotch’s Accessibility entry, add the current app and reopen it.
A window is missing
Do
Select its project or Unassigned, or explicitly click its row. If needed, use Restore hidden windows or restore it from the Dock.
On screen
A manager-hidden window returns. An explicitly clicked row also restores a manually minimized window. Check app access and reassignment if identity recovery could not verify the window.
An app will not arrange
Do
Check that arrangement is not Paused, select a tiled layout, then use Refresh on Projects after the app responds.
On screen
Supported resizable windows arrange. A non-resizable window stays in place. Apps can reject Accessibility operations or enforce minimum sizes; the board reports failures.
A shortcut or swipe does nothing
Do
For a shortcut, check the board for a conflict and use its project header. For a swipe, enable Project gestures, check listening status and hold Option before starting a two-finger stroke.
On screen
A valid adjacent project is selected. Horizontal swipes stop at the ends. Down returns only from Unassigned with a valid remembered project. Try a shorter Swipe distance if needed.

Shortcut reference

Inputs and their results
Input	Action	On screen
`ControlOption1`	Select the first project	Personal on a new installation.
`ControlOption2`	Select the second project	Development on a new installation.
`ControlOption3`	Select the third project	Design on a new installation.
`OptionTwo-finger swipe left`	Next project	Stops at the last project. Reversible in Settings.
`OptionTwo-finger swipe right`	Previous project	Stops at the first project. Reversible in Settings.
`OptionTwo-finger swipe up`	Select Unassigned	Remembers the project you leave.
`OptionTwo-finger swipe down`	Return from Unassigned	Returns only when a valid previous project is remembered.
`Escape`	Dismiss Projects	Closes the board without quitting the app.
`Command,`	Open Settings	When GridyNotch is the active app.
`CommandQ`	Quit GridyNotch	When GridyNotch is active. Restores windows it hid.

Open GridyNotch

Allow window access

Check the connection

Use the menu bar

Or use the notch

Read the board

Return to your work

Choose a project

Move to another group

Bring one window forward

Enable project gestures

Move between projects

Leave for Unassigned

Return to the exact project

Adjust the feel

Use the window menu

Or drag to the top

Complete the drop

Remove an assignment

Choose a layout

Choose a window in Focus

Resize Main and stack

Set spacing precisely

Move an app’s windows

Add a future-window rule

Change or remove a rule

Choose the fallback

Create a project

Rename a project

Remove a project

Set the arrangement controls

Set project controls

Check access

Return to Projects

Pause arrangement

Restore hidden windows

Quit cleanly

Open GridyNotch again

Select the project

Assign from either display

Open Projects where you work

Disconnect a display

Access is missing

A window is missing

An app will not arrange

A shortcut or swipe does nothing