Putback

The Mac window manager that remembers your layout

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Category
Utility
WM Type
—
License
paid
Open Source
No
Keybindings
Yes
Scripting
No
Last Update
2026-07-06

Features

  • Auto-restore on display reconnect
  • Scenes: named layout snapshots
  • Scene Studio placeholder apps
  • Per-scene wallpaper
  • Display identity detection
  • Sidecar & DisplayLink support
  • Rebindable scene shortcuts

About

Putback automatically restores window positions and sizes when displays reconnect, identifying each monitor by identity rather than connection order so layouts survive docks, hubs, and sleep. Its Scenes feature lets you save named desk configurations — including apps that aren't open yet — and recall them instantly with a rebindable hotkey.

Who It's For

Putback is for anyone who plugs a laptop into a dock or external display and is tired of macOS scattering every window back to the built-in screen on reconnect. It's aimed squarely at the display-reconnect problem: rather than a general workspace tool, its "Scenes" feature also suits users who want distinct named desk setups — a "focus" scene, a "meeting" scene — that can launch apps that aren't even open yet and seat them exactly where drawn.

How It Works

Putback quietly snapshots your window layout as you work, then watches for display reconnect events. Instead of matching displays by connection order (which macOS can shuffle), Putback identifies each monitor by its own identity, so a saved layout survives being plugged into a different dock, a different USB-C hub, or waking from sleep. This includes any number of displays, "including Sidecar and DisplayLink docks." It uses the macOS Accessibility permission — "the permission macOS requires for any app that moves windows (Rectangle and Magnet use the same one)" — and nothing beyond that; window data is processed locally and never leaves the Mac.

Scenes extend this from passive restoration to deliberate layout design. In Scene Studio, you draw boxes for apps — including ones that aren't currently running — and pressing Apply launches each app, waits for its window to appear, and seats it exactly where you drew it. Each scene gets its own rebindable keyboard shortcut, with collision checks against existing bindings. Scenes currently operate within the visible Space on each display; full multi-Space memory is listed on the roadmap rather than shipped today.

Compared to Alternatives

Compared to Stay (free) and Display Maid ($5.99), which both restore window positions on display reconnect, Putback adds named, hotkey-triggered Scenes that can launch and place apps that weren't open yet — a layer beyond passive restoration that neither of those tools offers. Compared to ScreenPlace (free tier / $19 Ultra), which also layers named workspaces on top of display-triggered restoration, Putback's distinguishing feature is Scene Studio's ability to place placeholder apps before they're launched.

Requirements

  • Accessibility permission required
  • No SIP disabling required
  • Paid: $19 one-time (Personal, 1 Mac), with Family and Team tiers available
  • 7-day free trial, no card required
  • Full multi-Space memory not yet shipped — currently restores within the visible Space per display

Getting Started

Download from putback.app/download, launch, and grant Accessibility permission when prompted. Arrange your windows once — Putback snapshots the layout automatically as you go, no manual save step required. To build a Scene, open Scene Studio, draw boxes for the apps you want (open or not), press Apply, and assign a shortcut to recall it later. Full details at putback.app and the changelog.

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