Rectangle App FAQ: Quick Answers to the Most Common Questions
Short, direct answers to the questions that come up most often about Rectangle app, before and after installing it. Where a topic needs more depth than fits here, a link points to the fuller answer.
Is Rectangle mac actually free, or is there a catch?
Fully free, open source under the MIT license, no trial period, no feature paywall inside the app itself. Rectangle Pro is a separate, different, paid app with additional features (custom layouts, window throw gestures) — buying it isn’t required to use anything documented as part of standard Rectangle app.
Does Rectangle slow down my Mac or use a lot of resources?
It runs as a lightweight menu bar utility with no continuous background processing beyond listening for its own keyboard shortcuts and an optional periodic update check. It isn’t a resource-heavy app in the way a tiling window manager that continuously recalculates every window’s layout can be — Rectangle only acts when you trigger a specific shortcut or drag.
Is Rectangle safe? Why does it need so much access to my Mac?
It needs Accessibility permission to read and move window positions — the same category of permission any window manager on macOS requires, since there’s no lower-privilege way to do this job. Rectangle’s own published security policy states it runs entirely locally with no data collection beyond an optional update check, and its source code is fully public for independent verification. For the full reasoning, see the dedicated breakdown of what this permission means and how to verify it.
Can I use Rectangle and Magnet (or another window manager) at the same time?
Not reliably. Two apps both using the Accessibility API to control window position at the same time is a documented source of conflicts and unpredictable behavior. Pick one window manager to actively use; quit or disable the others.
Does Rectangle work with multiple monitors?
Yes, with per-display sizing calculated automatically — no manual setup required for basic use. Display-switching shortcuts (Next/Previous Display) follow screen coordinate order rather than strict visual left-to-right layout, which can be non-intuitive in some multi-monitor arrangements. Full details are covered in the dedicated article on multi-monitor behavior.
Why won’t my window shrink to a clean half or third?
Most likely the app itself enforces a minimum window width that’s wider than the space Rectangle is trying to give it — a known limitation with apps like Discord and Spotify, not a Rectangle bug. See the full explanation of why certain apps won’t resize properly.
Why do I see a small gap where there shouldn’t be one?
Check first whether a gap setting (gapSize or the snapEdgeMargin* values) is enabled via Terminal — if so, that’s intentional. If not, a small number of specific, reported top-edge gap issues exist on the project’s tracker, some already addressed in recent versions. See the full breakdown of pixel-gap issues.
My keyboard shortcuts stopped working. What do I check first?
In order: lock and unlock your Mac, confirm macOS is up to date, restart, then check whether the same action works from Rectangle’s menu bar item instead of the shortcut (if the menu works and the shortcut doesn’t, it’s a shortcut conflict, not a broken installation). Full steps are in the troubleshooting guide.
Can I change the default keyboard shortcuts?
Yes, every action is rebindable in Preferences, and there’s a one-click toggle to switch the entire default set to match the discontinued Spectacle app’s shortcuts if you’re migrating from it.
Does Rectangle support drag-to-snap, or only keyboard shortcuts?
Both. Dragging a window to a screen edge or corner shows a preview and snaps it, independent of and in addition to keyboard shortcuts. Either can be disabled separately in preferences if you only want one.
Will Rectangle work after I update macOS?
Generally yes, but Accessibility permissions occasionally reset after a major macOS update, which shows up as shortcuts and drag-snapping both failing until the permission is re-granted. This is a macOS-level behavior, not specific to Rectangle, and the fix is a straightforward permission reset covered in the troubleshooting guide.
Is there a Rectangle for Windows or Linux?
No official version for either. A small number of unofficial, independently built tools attempt to replicate its behavior on Windows specifically — see the full rundown of Windows alternatives if you need something for a non-Mac machine.
Does Rectangle collect any data or show ads?
No. Per its own published security policy, it runs entirely locally, doesn’t collect, log, or transmit window layouts, keystrokes, or personal data, and its only network activity is an optional check for new versions.
What’s the difference between Rectangle and Rectangle Pro, in one sentence?
Rectangle covers fixed-position snapping (halves, quarters, thirds, and finer fractions) for free; Rectangle Pro is a separate paid app adding custom sizes and positions, saved multi-app layouts, window-throw gestures, and edge stashing. Full comparison in the dedicated breakdown.
I’m on an old Mac. Will Rectangle still work?
Rectangle supports macOS 10.15 and later on both Intel and Apple Silicon. For macOS 10.13 or 10.14 specifically, the last compatible release is v0.73, available from the project’s GitHub releases page rather than the current download link.
How do I completely uninstall it?
Quit Rectangle, move it to the Trash, and run defaults delete com.knollsoft.Rectangle to remove stored preferences. If you installed via Homebrew, use brew uninstall --zap rectangle instead, which removes the preferences file as part of the same command.
Yuri Martins é um entusiasta em tecnologia apaixonado por explorar as últimas tendências e inovações do setor. Desde a infância, ele se fascina com a capacidade da tecnologia de transformar vidas. Com vasto conhecimento, Yuri compartilha dicas e insights em seu blog e redes sociais, tornando a tecnologia mais acessível para todos.
