Keyboard Maestro

Who It's For

Keyboard Maestro is for Mac power users who want a visual, no-code automation environment where window management is one action among hundreds. If you want to build complex workflows — "when I connect to my external display, launch Chrome and Terminal, arrange them in specific positions, and change my wallpaper" — Keyboard Maestro handles all of that in a single macro without any scripting. At $36 one-time, it's priced as a professional tool for users who automate frequently.

How It Works

Keyboard Maestro provides a visual macro builder with a large library of actions: window management actions (Move/Resize Window, Set Window Size, Close Window), app control actions (Activate App, Quit App), file system actions, web actions, and control flow (If/Then, Loops, Pause Until). Macros are triggered by keyboard shortcuts, time schedules, application focus events, USB device connections, or clipboard changes. Window arrangement actions specify the target window by app name or title, then set its position and size in pixels or as a percentage of screen size.

Compared to Similar Tools

Compared to Hammerspoon, Keyboard Maestro requires no coding — its visual macro builder covers most workflows without writing a line of Lua. Hammerspoon has a lower-level API that's more flexible for complex programmatic logic, while Keyboard Maestro is faster to use for standard automation tasks. Many advanced users run both: Hammerspoon for code-driven window logic, Keyboard Maestro for triggering multi-app setup sequences. Compared to BetterTouchTool ($22 lifetime), Keyboard Maestro has a stronger macro sequencing engine while BTT is better for input interception (trackpad gestures, Touch Bar).

Requirements

• macOS 10.13 or later (check keyboardmaestro.com for current requirements)
• Accessibility permission required for window management actions
• $36 one-time, purchased from keyboardmaestro.com (free trial available)

Getting Started

Download a free trial from keyboardmaestro.com. Create your first macro via File → New Macro. Add a trigger (keyboard shortcut) and a "Move Window" action, selecting the target app and desired position. The full action library is browsable in the macro editor — window management actions are under the "Window" category.