A desktop full of overlapping windows makes finding the app you need a chore. Stage Manager puts app thumbnails on the left and lets you group windows you use together. Start with the toggle, then adjust your groups and desktop settings to suit how you work.
Turn on Stage Manager
Desktop clutter builds up when several app windows compete for the same space.
Click Control Center in the menu bar.
Click Stage Manager to turn it on. This works on compatible Macs running macOS Ventura 13, Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15, or Tahoe 26.
On Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe, another route is Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Desktop & Stage Manager.
Turn on Stage Manager there.
To stop using it, click Stage Manager in Control Center again. There’s no separate download or app to uninstall.
Build a workspace with the apps you need
Click an app thumbnail on the left to bring its windows into the central workspace.
Drag another app’s thumbnail from the left into that workspace to group the apps together. A browser and a notes app, for example, can share a stage.
Reposition the windows so the content you need is visible.
Resize a window to suit your workspace. Windows can overlap, too.
Click another thumbnail on the left to switch to a different app or group.
Drag an app back to the left to remove it from the group.
Tip: Move the pointer to the left edge of the screen whenever the thumbnails are hidden.
Choose how apps and windows appear
On Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe, open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Desktop & Stage Manager.
Turn off Show recent apps in Stage Manager to hide the thumbnail strip. Move the pointer to the left edge to reveal it temporarily.
Set Show windows from an application to All at Once to display an app’s windows together, or choose One at a Time to show them individually. This preference applies system-wide.
With One at a Time selected, repeatedly click the app’s thumbnail to advance through its windows.
Keep desktop files within reach
Missing your desktop files? Stage Manager has settings for keeping items visible. On Tahoe, open System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
Under Show Items, select In Stage Manager to show desktop items.
Under Show Widgets, select In Stage Manager to keep widgets visible as well.
For wallpaper-click behavior on Tahoe, open Desktop & Stage Manager > Show Desktop within the same settings pane.
Choose Always on Wallpaper Click or Only in Stage Manager on Click.
On Sonoma and Sequoia, open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Desktop & Stage Manager > Click wallpaper to reveal desktop.
Choose Always or Only in Stage Manager.
If desktop items are still hidden, click the desktop to access them.
Fix a dimmed Stage Manager toggle
Enabling separate Spaces for displays addresses an unavailable or dimmed toggle on Tahoe and Sequoia.
Open Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
Scroll to Mission Control.
Turn on Displays have separate Spaces.
Open Control Center from the menu bar.
Click Stage Manager to enable it.
Navigate with Mission Control and window buttons
On Tahoe, press the Mission Control key or Control–Up Arrow to see your windows. Click the window you want. Mission Control works alongside Stage Manager; that key combination does not toggle Stage Manager.
The usual window buttons still do their jobs. Click the red close button to close a window, or the yellow minimize button to minimize it.
Restore a minimized window by clicking it in the Dock.
For full-screen controls, hover over the green window button. Choose Full Screen > Entire Screen to enter that view. To leave it, hover over the same button again and choose Exit Full Screen. These controls are separate from dragging an app out of a Stage Manager group.
Add a menu bar shortcut
On Sonoma and Sequoia, choose Show in Menu Bar under Apple menu > System Settings > Control Center > Stage Manager; on Tahoe, add direct access to the toggle with these steps:
- 1.Open Control Center.
- 2.Click Edit Controls.
- 3.Select Desktop & Finder.
- 4.Hover over Stage Manager and click the More button.
- 5.Choose Add to Menu Bar.
- 6.Click Done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create another desktop while using Stage Manager?
Yes. On Tahoe, press the Mission Control key or Control–Up Arrow. Click Add Desktop to create another desktop.
Can I navigate Stage Manager with VoiceOver?
Yes. With VoiceOver enabled, press VO–Fn–F1 twice. Select Stage Manager in Application Chooser. Choose Go to Stage Manager or a listed pile. Use VO–Up Arrow or VO–Down Arrow to navigate piles. Press VO–Space to activate one. VO means your configured VoiceOver modifier.
How do I add a window to the current stage with VoiceOver?
While navigating a pile in Stage Manager with VoiceOver, press VO–Command–Space. Choose Add window to stage to add that pile’s top window to the current stage.