Different jobs in the same workspace
An app switcher helps you find and activate an open app window. A window manager moves or resizes windows into a chosen layout. The overlap is that both reduce friction when many windows are open, but they act at different moments.
AltTab brings a thumbnail-based, keyboard-driven window switcher to Mac. Rectangle focuses on arranging windows with keyboard shortcuts. Using both can make sense when switching and arranging are separate pain points.
Choose a switcher when you lose windows
Consider an app switcher if you often have several documents or browser windows open in the same application and the standard app-level switcher does not help you identify the right one quickly. Window previews can make the destination easier to recognize than a row of app icons.
Test the switcher with your normal mix of displays and spaces. Check how it handles minimized windows, full-screen apps, and windows on other displays before changing your everyday shortcut.
Choose a layout tool when placement is the problem
A window arranger is useful when you repeatedly place two or more windows side by side, move them to a display, or snap them to consistent regions. macOS has built-in tiling options; a separate tool may offer a different shortcut model or additional layouts.
Try one layout tool at a time and learn its default shortcuts before customizing them. Rectangle’s keyboard shortcuts are the relevant feature to compare if your goal is predictable window placement.
Can they be used together?
Yes, the categories are complementary. Assign distinct shortcuts, then use the switcher to locate a window and the arranger to position it. If both tools respond to the same shortcut, change one binding. Keep a short note of custom bindings so you can restore them after an update or on another Mac.
A quick decision
- Choose a switcher if identifying the correct open window takes time.
- Choose a window arranger if resizing and placement take time.
- Use both only if both jobs recur often enough to justify separate shortcuts.
For more detail, see our guides to managing multiple Mac displays and Mac window keyboard shortcuts.