Swift Shift
Free, open-source Mac utility for moving and resizing windows with a shortcut and the mouse.
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About Swift Shift
Swift Shift is a small menu bar utility for macOS that lets you move or resize any window by holding a shortcut and moving the mouse, without aiming for the title bar or a tiny corner. It brings the modifier-drag behaviour many Linux desktops have to the Mac. You choose the shortcuts, and they can include mouse buttons as well as keys. By default resizing works from the bottom-right corner, but a quadrant mode resizes from whichever edge or corner is closest to the pointer. It runs quietly in the background, can launch at login and can hide its menu bar icon. Swift Shift is open source under the MIT licence and free to download, with an optional pay-what-you-want donation. It doesn't snap windows into layouts or tile them, so many people pair it with a snapping tool such as Rectangle. It suits trackpad and mouse users who find dragging windows by their title bars fiddly.
Best for: Mac users who want Linux-style modifier-drag window moving and resizing for free..
Pros and cons
What works
- Free and open source, with an optional pay-what-you-want
- Move and resize from anywhere in a window, not only the title bar
- Shortcuts can include mouse buttons
- Quadrant mode resizes from the nearest edge or corner
Why people leave
- macOS only
- No snapping, tiling or saved layouts on its own
- Small single-developer project, so support is community-based
Top Swift Shift alternatives
See all 5- 1
Easy Move+Resize81.5Another free open-source modifier-drag mover and resizer, even more minimal.
- 2
Rectangle64.8Free snapping to halves, thirds and corners by shortcut or drag, which Swift Shift lacks.
- 3
Moom61.8Paid app that adds saved window layouts and precise resize grids on top of moving windows.
- 4
Loop59.4Free open-source app that moves and resizes windows from a radial menu around the cursor.
- 5
Magnet57.5Low-cost App Store app for drag-to-edge snapping and keyboard layouts.
Why people left Swift Shift
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Swift Shift: common questions
Is Swift Shift free?
Yes. Swift Shift is free, open-source software.
Is Swift Shift open source?
No, Swift Shift is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Easy Move+Resize, Rectangle and Loop.
What platforms does Swift Shift run on?
Swift Shift is available for macOS.
What are the best alternatives to Swift Shift?
The highest-ranked Swift Shift alternatives right now are Easy Move+Resize, Rectangle and Moom. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.