How do I make a Window ALWAYS open in a specific size?

[Brian Mage]

Hello
Very new to OS X and still finding way around it. Like most things its the very simple stuff that throws us newbies.

My issue at the moment is whenever i open a new window (i.e. finder window) it opens centralised on the desktop at about 25% of the screen size (ie lots and lots of desktop visible). Now i'm looking for particular files etc this is too small, so the first thing i have to do, is grab the top corner and stretch, grab the bottom corner and stretch etc etc. Its not a big problem, its just bloody annoying. Is there a way to sort this? Under Windows it always just remembered the position/size and that was good enough for me.

Sorry that this is such a basic question, but it is quite a hard one to google.

 

[LxHunter]

On my iMac the windows reopen at the last size used.
Not sure why you are having this issue?

And, not really an answer to your question, but I use a tool called Moom.
Can use keyboard shortcuts to resize windows.
I also use their tool called Witch - a kind of old Expose replacement.

http://manytricks.com/moom/

 

[Vito Botta]

Have you tried Stay (http://cordlessdog.com/stay/) yet?
It stores Windows etc so you can restore them as they were - also works with dual screens etc.

 

[sjtidy]

I think the Finder remembers the size of the first window that opens. So if you open a window and resize it, it should remain that size whenever it opens.

Seems like it only works for the first window though - mine defaults to my home folder, so if I resize that it remembers the setting. It works when I open the hard drive windows too.

 

[Brian Mage]

Thanks for the answers guys.
It's pretty weird then, by thr sounds of it.

I really don't want to install an App just to sort it as i'm running a 256 AIR and need to keep it clean for longevity.

All i want is that whenever i open a window (finder/Mac disk/et al) that it is size i want (in my cae about 90% of the screen, i.e. gives me a little room either side for movement but not a tiny window in the middle which is useless for browsing.

I've gone from a CTO with Lion to an upgrade of ML in the first few days of having this MBA

 

[matrix07]

Thanks for the answers guys.
It's pretty weird then, by thr sounds of it.

I really don't want to install an App just to sort it as i'm running a 256 AIR and need to keep it clean for longevity.

All i want is that whenever i open a window (finder/Mac disk/et al) that it is size i want (in my cae about 90% of the screen, i.e. gives me a little room either side for movement but not a tiny window in the middle which is useless for browsing.

I've gone from a CTO with Lion to an upgrade of ML in the first few days of having this MBA

My Finder window open to the last position every time. I'm still on Lion btw.

 

[satcomer]

My Finder window open to the last position every time. I'm still on Lion btw.

That's why you are in the Mountain Lion forums? Am I missing something?

 

[matrix07]

That's why you are in the Mountain Lion forums? Am I missing something?

I'm here because I want to prepare myself before upgrade. People on Lion can not come in here?

 

[satcomer]

I'm here because I want to prepare myself before upgrade. People on Lion can not come in here?

Then if you are upgrading then do two simple networking things.

1. Open system Preferences->Network and at the top of the Network pane will be the 'Location' drop-down. Use that to 'Edit Locations' and that will bring a pop-up and here click the + button to add a custom named Location (Don't worry this will act actually the same as the 'Automatic' Location). Then click the 'Done' button. Then at the bottom of the pane make sure you ultimately click the 'Apply' button to completely save your new Location.

2. Make sure you wireless network has the latest "firmware' installed.

Also make sure all you applications are up to date and are compatible with 10.8.0 Mountain Lion.

 

[Weaselboy]

I'm here because I want to prepare myself before upgrade. People on Lion can not come in here?

Well... okay, but just for today.

 

[stuartrozier]

Mavericks - same issue

again im a newbie -

and after reading everyone's posts, finder does remember size an position yes.

but with other apps like terminal, mail, photos, iTunes ... it never does ?

it seems on finder will remember the position and size, but no others will ?

 

[ricede]

On Macs - if you want a window size remembered ( terminal, mail, photos, iTunes ) open the app - resize the window. Then close the app. On reopening - the window should be in the last position.

( Not sure if the closing/reopening routine is necessary but it works for me )

 

[stuartrozier]

On Macs - if you want a window size remembered ( terminal, mail, photos, iTunes ) open the app - resize the window. Then close the app. On reopening - the window should be in the last position.

( Not sure if the closing/reopening routine is necessary but it works for me )

weeks later i reply, haha apologies -

so tonight, i opened an image, it opened in the 'preview' app on the left hand side of the screen ...

i brought it to the centre ... resized it smaller ....

when to the top of the screen, click 'preview' then 'exit/quit' ...

reopened the same image ...

and was back over to the left again, same position, same size :/

 

[Bruno09]

Hi,

go to System Preferences / General, uncheck : "Close windows when quitting an application".

Now test opening a picture in Preview, quitting Preview, then reopening the same image.

 

[stuartrozier]

Hi,

go to System Preferences / General, uncheck : "Close windows when quitting an application".

Now test opening a picture in Preview, quitting Preview, then reopening the same image.

so far so good, thank you ...

but, what does this mean to other programs, meaning ... will they always stay open now, ? will they never close upon exit ?

 

[m3lettings]

Hello
Very new to OS X and still finding way around it. Like most things its the very simple stuff that throws us newbies.

My issue at the moment is whenever i open a new window (i.e. finder window) it opens centralised on the desktop at about 25% of the screen size (ie lots and lots of desktop visible). Now i'm looking for particular files etc this is too small, so the first thing i have to do, is grab the top corner and stretch, grab the bottom corner and stretch etc etc. Its not a big problem, its just bloody annoying. Is there a way to sort this? Under Windows it always just remembered the position/size and that was good enough for me.

Sorry that this is such a basic question, but it is quite a hard one to google.

Hi Brian,
Did you ever get a solution for this please?
Regards Michael.

 

[Vinitoo]

I have the same problem on 2 different macs but both running Sierra. It seems to happen mostly when I used Photoshop on either machine. It's very irritating to have to re-size the folder each time I'm looking for a file. Help, please1
Vini

 

[Sherryladart]

Hello
Very new to OS X and still finding way around it. Like most things its the very simple stuff that throws us newbies.

My issue at the moment is whenever i open a new window (i.e. finder window) it opens centralised on the desktop at about 25% of the screen size (ie lots and lots of desktop visible). Now i'm looking for particular files etc this is too small, so the first thing i have to do, is grab the top corner and stretch, grab the bottom corner and stretch etc etc. Its not a big problem, its just bloody annoying. Is there a way to sort this? Under Windows it always just remembered the position/size and that was good enough for me.

Sorry that this is such a basic question, but it is quite a hard one to google.

[doublepost=1504145786][/doublepost]Did you find an answer about how to make pages open full screen all the time? I, too, am new to the Mac system and still haven't been able to find out how to do it. Sherry
[doublepost=1504145931][/doublepost]

Mavericks - same issue

again im a newbie -

and after reading everyone's posts, finder does remember size an position yes.

but with other apps like terminal, mail, photos, iTunes ... it never does ?

it seems on finder will remember the position and size, but no others will ?

What is Finder?

 

[Weaselboy]

What is Finder?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201732

This should help you.

 

[JoelG]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201732

This should help you.

I have OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan which is the last one for the Early 2009 White MacBook. I never any problem with window sizing until I set the menu bar to auto hide, decided I didn't like it and turned off the feature. Then windows stayed set at the wrong size and no amount of adjusting and saving them worked. Then set the window to the desired size and turned on and off the menu bar auto hide and now the windows stay at the new size. I also did turn off 'close windows when quitting app' as someone said earlier but that didn't do it.

 

[Jodeo]

I'm a long time Mac user. I don't have this issue on older versions of Mac OS. I'm presently using 10.12 on a work laptop.

Whenever I re-open an app after dragging the window to be full width and full height, the smaller window appears instead. It's rather maddening. I just want the Mac to remember my preferred window size so that I don't have to keep resizing my workspaces. Sometimes it's only after I reboot that they revert to the smaller size, but even so, it's nuts.

 

[Klaas Vaak]

I am on Mojave (macOS 10.14.6) and the problem still has not been resolved. Furthermore, contrary to others' remarks above, Finder does not keep its resized window size either.

 

[Titus Adrianus]

I'm a long time Mac user. I don't have this issue on older versions of Mac OS. I'm presently using 10.12 on a work laptop.

Whenever I re-open an app after dragging the window to be full width and full height, the smaller window appears instead. It's rather maddening. I just want the Mac to remember my preferred window size so that I don't have to keep resizing my workspaces. Sometimes it's only after I reboot that they revert to the smaller size, but even so, it's nuts.

Same problems here. Trying to migrate for months now (to Mojave) -- and cannot figure out this simple behavior. Very unpredictable.
Talked to Apple and they said I *should* use tabs. I explained to them that I have thousands of folders with their own properties, like
background color, size, coordinates (stored in .DS_store files). They did not have a good answer to that. It's like Mojave does not read
those files? Any hints, please? THANKS.
[automerge]1587895853[/automerge]

I am on Mojave (macOS 10.14.6) and the problem still has not been resolved. Furthermore, contrary to others' remarks above, Finder does not keep its resized window size either.

So, I am not the only one suffering with this issue... Any suggestions? Lose all folder properties, for good? Is this considered an upgrade? or downgrade.

 

[edgb77]

I've just registered to share this with you, since this is along term 'issue'..

Mac Os must have to different places where it stores the values of the windows, one is the .DS_Store and the other one didn't find it yet, one is the 'hard value', i´m going to call it and is the value always going to go when a session is started, and is the value recorder in the .DS_Store, the other one is the 'soft value' that is used whenever the user changes the windows size in the normal use of his session, but I do not know where this value is stored in.
Anyway, when ever you want to have the 'hard value' prevented to be changed, and have the windows size always fresh in the beginning of your session, you must prevent the system to have access to write the .ds_store. And this only going to be practical for windows that are not going to change, almost so much, because anytime you want to change those properties, you have to grant privileges again, so keep in mind.

Logged as administrator, go to terminal,
ls -la
You see files & folders privileges, probably, .Ds_store, will be rwxr-xr-x, what its means that your user can change properties.

write new line in terminal
chmod 444 .DS_Store
and you will see r-xr-xr-x, what it means that you can no longer change those properties until you grant privileges.

When ever you want to create a new folder, the finder will prompt you for your admin password, so no big deal to have it setted up that way.

hope it helps!

 

[jeffhalmos]

I use Moom. Have set, for example Safari, to jam itself into the left top corner and expand top to bottom (to the Dock), and about 85% of the width of the monitor (so I can still see the desktop) with the key command Control + S. Essential when using Stage Manager because Apple has decided that when using Stage Manager windows should open in the middle of the screen and be sized arbitrarily.