Anyone who manages multiple projects or switches between different work contexts knows the frustration of constantly rearranging windows. I discovered Spencer while looking for a way to stop manually positioning my browser, terminal, and design apps every time I switched from coding to writing to meeting mode.
Spencer takes a radically different approach to window management. Instead of snapping windows to predefined grid positions like Rectangle or Magnet, it saves exactly where your windows are right now and brings everything back to that exact state whenever you want. This includes window positions, sizes, which apps are open, which ones are hidden, and even which macOS space they belong to.
The workflow is straightforward. I’ve created three profiles on my Mac Mini M4: one for deep work with my code editor and terminal arranged across two displays, one for meetings that hides everything except Zoom and a notes app, and one for casual browsing that launches Safari and hides work apps. Switching between these states is a single menu bar click.
What makes Spencer particularly useful for remote workers coordinating across time zones is its ability to launch apps that aren’t open yet and hide apps that shouldn’t be visible in your current context. When I click my “meetings” profile, it automatically hides Slack and email to prevent embarrassing screen shares while keeping my meeting notes visible. This has saved me from accidentally sharing sensitive information more than once.
The app handles multiple display configurations well. I switch between working on my Mac Mini with two external monitors and my M2 MacBook Air with just the built-in screen. Spencer adjusts window positions proportionally based on the available display space, so layouts remain sensible even when I’m working from a coffee shop with a single 13-inch display.
Spencer requires macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer and works with Stage Manager if you use that feature. Performance impact is minimal - roughly 1% CPU usage and around 100MB of memory on my system. The app is a paid utility available for purchase directly from the developer’s website at macspencer.app. Pricing information is available on the site.
There are some limitations worth mentioning. Apps that don’t play well with AppleScript for window positioning might not restore perfectly. I occasionally need to manually adjust windows in my PDF reader. The app also requires accessibility permissions to manage window layouts, which is necessary but something to be aware of if you’re cautious about system permissions.
For anyone juggling multiple workflows or trying to maintain focus by switching between dedicated work contexts, Spencer offers a practical solution to the endless window shuffling problem. It’s not a window snapping tool - it’s a way to save your perfect workspace and bring it back whenever your context changes.
