{"id":97371,"date":"2025-10-03T13:04:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T18:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=97371"},"modified":"2025-10-03T13:04:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T18:04:22","slug":"swift-shift-makes-moving-and-resizing-windows-on-macos-so-much-easier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/97371-swift-shift-makes-moving-and-resizing-windows-on-macos-so-much-easier\/","title":{"rendered":"Swift Shift Makes Moving and Resizing Windows on macOS SO MUCH Easier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since the dawn of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) in computing, moving and resizing windows has been a common occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the last 10 years, window management tools, meant to improve efficiency (and thereby, productivity), have become increasingly commonplace. And while these tools are undoubtedly useful, I believe that there is still room for improvement in macOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we get into the specifics, a few terms are in order. A macOS window has two main components: a frame<\/strong> and a body<\/strong>. The frame of the window appears above the body area and typically contains a title bar, tool bar, and tabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-time Mac users have already developed muscle memory with the Mac windowing experience, and have adjusted themselves accordingly to work within its limitations. But one only needs to glance at a few Linux distros to see how much better macOS window movement \/ resizing could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what\u2019s the problem, then?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
In macOS, moving a Finder window forces you to select the top of the Finder window frame.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In macOS, to move a window (Finder or otherwise), one must select the title bar of the window first to move it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
In macOS, to resize a Finder window, you must drag the corner of the window or on one of its four sides.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To resize a window, macOS requires that you select the sides or the corners of a window frame first to drag it as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now bear in mind: There\u2019s nothing inherently wrong with both of these approaches, but if you\u2019re coming over to the Mac from another platform (particularly Linux), you may get sufficiently irritated with the macOS \u201cway\u201d of windowing. Especially if the smaller touch targets are too difficult to select.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
With a user assignable key \/ mouse setting, Swift Shift lets you easily move a window from anywhere inside the window. I use the Control key with the Left Mouse Button for moving windows with Swift Shift.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Resizing window from anywhere within the window is easy using Swift Shift. I use Control Shift with the Left Mouse Button to resize windows with Swift Shift. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Swift Shift<\/a> offers some new options to Mac window management that, in my opinion, improves the overall experience. With Swift Shift, you can freely move and resize your windows by dragging anywhere<\/em> in the window. Like most niche macOS utilities, Swift Shift lives in your Mac menu bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
SwiftShift lives in the Mac menu bar and includes options for customizing keyboard shortcuts to Move and Resize.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In Swift Shift, Move<\/strong> and Resize<\/strong> are assigned separate modifier keys. You can customize them as needed. For example, you can assign the Control key as the modifier key: holding it down, you can move a window by dragging anywhere inside the window\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A different modifier key is assigned for Resize. When it\u2019s selected, Swift Shift will let you select any region within a window body to expand or contract its size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift Shift also lets users assign left or right mouse buttons for moving \/resizing windows as well. For my setup, I use Control-Left Mouse Button<\/strong> to move windows, and Shift-Control-Left Mouse Button<\/strong> for resizing windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift Shift isn\u2019t for everybody, but if you are annoyed by the current window moving \/ resizing options that come \u201cout of the box\u201d from Cupertino, I recommend giving Swift Shift a try. It\u2019s by no means essential<\/em>, but I find Swift Shift to be very useful in my day-to-day computing. In my testing, Swift Shift worked with nearly all of the applications I use. It’s also tremendously useful as an accessibility tool, to aid users who may have difficulty in the precise motor skills involved in manipulating windows on their Mac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift Shift is an open source Mac application and can be downloaded directly from the developer\u2019s site<\/a>; donations are encouraged if you find value with the application.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With Swift Shift, you can freely move and resize your windows by dragging anywhere in the window.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":286,"featured_media":97781,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[932,7597,4],"class_list":["post-97371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-app-review","category-mac-tips","category-tech-tips"],"yoast_head":"\nSwift Shift Makes Moving and Resizing Windows on macOS SO MUCH Easier<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With Swift Shift, you can freely move and resize your windows by dragging anywhere in the window.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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