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Stage Manager: Are you using it?
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That's an interesting way to describe it. I've often said that there is potential for the feature on iPad (it does need a lot of work to actually make good use of the limited screen estate), but on the Mac it seems quite unnecessary when there are existing ways to multi-task.
Q: when I need to drag n drop between windows B -> A with stage manager on, I select A, pull out B from the "stage", do my thing, then drag B back off the side of the stage. So far so good. But when I switch back to B the window is off the edge of the screen as opposed to being in the center where it was. Is this right? That is so stupid that I think I must be doing it wrong.
I hope that it is not left to rot--we'll find out at WWDC if they mention it for any length of time I suppose.
I honestly do use it every day. I started out just messing with it, and now I hate having it turned off and lose track of where all my windows are. I like to work with one monitor rather than two, so Stage Manager on macOS was exactly what I've been wanting. I use it in conjunction with Spaces and Magnet. I don't have an iPad that can run that feature, but I feel like the Mac version gets a bad reputation BECAUSE of the iPad version. I find it quite useful.
I honestly do use it every day. I started out just messing with it, and now I hate having it turned off and lose track of where all my windows are. I like to work with one monitor rather than two, so Stage Manager on macOS was exactly what I've been wanting. I use it in conjunction with Spaces and Magnet. I don't have an iPad that can run that feature, but I feel like the Mac version gets a bad reputation BECAUSE of the iPad version. I find it quite useful.
I gave Stage Manager a try for some 10 minutes (Mac Studio + 27" Dell monitor).
It occupies a huge part of the screen without providing any benefits I could think of.
Well I need my screen estate.
Even if I could find any use for SM, I wouldn't be willing to give up so much of the valuable screen area for some utility.
Not for me.
It occupies a huge part of the screen without providing any benefits I could think of.
Well I need my screen estate.
Even if I could find any use for SM, I wouldn't be willing to give up so much of the valuable screen area for some utility.
Not for me.
I use it 24/7. I only need to focus on one window at a time as it's just a personal machine. It's extremely useful and makes things look a lot tidier.
I really like it on both Mac (two large monitors) and 11 inch iPad. Still using it since day 1. The Mac version could do with some refining. Don’t like it when calling up a Finder window on one screen and Finder windows come to the front on both screens. But I’d miss it if it was gone from the OS.
I tried it for a week. I liked its satisfying smooth animation, especially on my 144Hz monitor.
Other than that I don't see the benefits of it. Not for me.
Other than that I don't see the benefits of it. Not for me.
Is there a keyboard shortcut or setting that allows a newly-opened app to launch into my current Stage?
For example, if I have my 3 windows grouped in Stage Manager, and I click on an app in my dock, I get a new 'stage'. What if I want it to be group with the existing windows?
For example, if I have my 3 windows grouped in Stage Manager, and I click on an app in my dock, I get a new 'stage'. What if I want it to be group with the existing windows?
I haven't even investigated Stage Manager. I don't know a single thing about it. Maybe it is indeed a solution in need of a problem to solve.
I think we saw the problem it was trying to solve when they introduced the Vision Pro. The implementation of Stage Manager makes a lot of sense if you are physically reaching out to grab a new space to work in. It is there to help ‘spatial computing’ feel more natural. As it is on a 2-D screen with space constraints, I find little use for it.
Stage manager has promises. But it needs improvement. Like, say if you option click when opening an app it should put it in the same screen as current window as opposed to in a new screen. Or it remembers that you paired two apps A and B together and next time you open B it will put it with A if A is already opened. Or how about a quick easy way to decouple an app and put it on its own screen
But I have a feeling this is another thing they half ass and never bother to refine. On to the next thing they can show off at wwdc
But I have a feeling this is another thing they half ass and never bother to refine. On to the next thing they can show off at wwdc
old thread. But actually you can just SHIFT-CLICK the iconized app on the left to merge into currently active stage (and drag individually to "release" from the stage).
I have been trying stage manager for few days (in MBA 15") and found that it's more easier to click icons on the left than on the task bar in the bottom. It's bigger and more intuitive (grouped); also you can click anywhere to minimize everything. The task bar in the bottom is mixed between active and unopened apps, while stage manager on the left are for active apps only.
I'm still using it daily and agree with this. I love Stage Manager on macOS.
Massively useful for me - I always have a lot going on at work and can swap focus between sets of windows much more easily using Stage Manager than not using it.
I don't use it at home where I am generally not switching context so much or so busy.
I don't use it at home where I am generally not switching context so much or so busy.
Of no use on my desktops (where even my MBPro spends most of its life). Of no use yet on my iPad.
I’m one of those dreamers who still anticipates a day when my iPad can be my 99%er. Mind you, I’ve had that dream since trying to use the OG iPad as my daily driver in grad school… and it’s still not quite there. Which was exactly the case in 2010-2012 when I first gave it a stab. And continued on through just about every single iPad Apple has ever released (that dropped off in the past few years. I haven’t tried a base iPad since the “Air” was released and haven’t tried a non-mini since the “Pro” and haven’t tried the most recent mini… I’m one of those who sees and is incredibly annoyed by the “jelly scrolling”).
And why do I post this in a forum for macOS features? le sigh I ramble… apologies. Regardless, Stage Manager is of no use or interest (okay, I did try it, in case I was wrong… I wasn’t) to me on macOS. I’m a sucker for physical real estate + Spaces.
I’m one of those dreamers who still anticipates a day when my iPad can be my 99%er. Mind you, I’ve had that dream since trying to use the OG iPad as my daily driver in grad school… and it’s still not quite there. Which was exactly the case in 2010-2012 when I first gave it a stab. And continued on through just about every single iPad Apple has ever released (that dropped off in the past few years. I haven’t tried a base iPad since the “Air” was released and haven’t tried a non-mini since the “Pro” and haven’t tried the most recent mini… I’m one of those who sees and is incredibly annoyed by the “jelly scrolling”).
And why do I post this in a forum for macOS features? le sigh I ramble… apologies. Regardless, Stage Manager is of no use or interest (okay, I did try it, in case I was wrong… I wasn’t) to me on macOS. I’m a sucker for physical real estate + Spaces.
I've given up on Stage Manager for my 2-screen Mac. It was OK, but the quirks ended up bugging me too much. I just manage windows manually again. Still liking it on my 11.5" iPad Pro though.
Same here. I've given it a try on my two 27" Dell Monitors driven by an M1 Mac mini. I think it would be more useful on a single screen IMHO.
That said, if I ever get a largish, single curved screen I'd give it another try.
I'm not a fan of Stage Manager on my 12.9" iPad Pro. I think the window in use doesn't seem to want to use the open space on the desktop. Now if Apple ever goes 14" with the iPad Pro I think that would work better for me due to the extra real estate. But of course only it the window in use can make full use of the available desktop (while keeping the open app. icons in view to the left of the window in use.
And there is a toggle shortcut, buried in keyboard in sys settings, go to keyboard and find mission control and it's randomly in the mission control shortcuts, I reassigned it to Fn -1
I keep on going back and forth on my dual screen set-up with Stage Manager on my M1 MacMini. I wish I could figure out how not to have Stage Manager on my left hand screen and have multiple windows open and in view, and then have Stage Manager on, on my right hand screen.
I just got a Mac that can actually use stage manager. I have to say that since I was reminded that it is available, I really like how it works. Have never had more than mail and safari open at the same time yet, but really like how stage manager works, and do not have to keep going to the dock to switch between safari and mail.