FancyZones for Mac
By Guido Crego · Last updated:
FancyZones only runs on Windows. Shoji brings the same idea to the Mac: draw zones on each monitor, drag a window over one, and it snaps in.
Is there a FancyZones for Mac?
No. FancyZones is one of the utilities in Microsoft PowerToys, and PowerToys only runs on Windows 10 and 11. When someone asked for a Mac version, the PowerToys team closed the request as not planned: “PowerToys is too tightly coupled to the Windows OS APIs to port to MacOS.”
So if you’re coming from Windows and miss it, you need a Mac app that works the same way. Shoji is one of them; the others, free ones included, are listed further down.
What carries over
- You draw the zones. Open the editor and drag across the screen. Zones snap to a grid and to each other, so they line up without measuring. Halves, Thirds and Center + sides are there as quick starts.
- You drag a window while holding a key, and drop it on a zone. In FancyZones that key is Shift. In Shoji it’s fn (the Globe key) by default, and you can switch it to Shift, Option, Control or Command.
- Each monitor has its own layout. A laptop with a big monitor above it can have two completely different setups, and a window dragged from one to the other snaps into the zones of the screen it lands on.
- A window goes back to its size when you drag it out of its zone.
- Space between windows, with one setting (0 for flush).
What’s different
| FancyZones (Windows) | Shoji (Mac) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, part of PowerToys | US$4.99 once per Mac |
| Key held while dragging | Shift | fn by default; Shift, Option, Control or Command |
| A layout per monitor | Yes | Yes. It comes back when you plug that monitor in again |
| Several layouts to switch between | Yes | Yes, chosen from the menu bar |
| A window across two zones | Hold Ctrl, or drop on the edge between two zones | Draw a zone of that size instead |
| Overlapping zones | Yes, in canvas layouts | Yes (⌘-drag in the editor); the smallest zone under the pointer wins |
| Move windows with the keyboard | Optional (Win + arrows) | No |
| Zones without holding a key | Optional | No: holding the key is what keeps normal drags normal |
The short version: if you dragged windows into zones on Windows, Shoji will feel familiar. If you moved them with Win + arrows, a keyboard-first Mac app like Rectangle fits you better.
Set up your FancyZones layout in Shoji
- Open Shoji. macOS asks for the Accessibility permission, which any app needs to move other apps’ windows.
- From the Shoji menu in the menu bar, choose Edit Zones.
- Start from a quick start (Halves, Thirds, Center + sides) or drag on the screen to draw your own zones. With more than one monitor, draw a layout on each.
- Save. Now hold fn while you drag any window: the zones light up. Let go over one.
FancyZones layouts can’t be imported, but a typical one takes a minute to draw again.
Other ways to get zones on a Mac
There are a few. Prices as checked on the date at the top of this page.
| App | Price | Draw your own zones | Key while dragging |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS (built in) | Free | No: halves and quarters | Drag to an edge, or hold Option |
| MacsyZones | Free, open source ($7 optional) | Yes, per screen and Space | Shift, or right-click |
| RectZones | Free, open source (you build it yourself) | Yes | ⌘ |
| BentoBox | US$9, 2 Macs, 14-day trial | Yes, per display and Space | Shift, or right-click |
| Smart Layouts | US$10, 2 Macs, 14-day trial | Yes, per monitor | Shift |
| Rectangle Pro | US$9.99, 3 Macs, 10-day trial | Snap targets you define by size and position | Drag to an edge |
| Shoji | US$4.99, 1 Mac, 14-day refund | Yes, per monitor | fn, or another modifier |
If you want something free, MacsyZones is the most complete, and it’s open source. BentoBox does more than Shoji (layouts per Space, keyboard shortcuts for zones) for about twice the price. Shoji is for people who want a small, native app built around several monitors, for $4.99: each monitor keeps its own layouts, and edge snap, if you turn it on, never fires on the border between two screens.
Questions
Can I import my FancyZones layouts?
No. You draw layouts in Shoji’s editor; the grid and the quick starts make that quick.
Does it work with every app?
With any window macOS lets other apps move and resize. A few windows have a fixed size, and full-screen apps live in their own space, so those can’t be snapped.
Is there a free trial?
No. If Shoji isn’t for you, you get your money back within 14 days, no questions asked.
Which Macs does it run on?
macOS 15 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel. The app is in English, Spanish and Japanese.
FancyZones and PowerToys are Microsoft products. Shoji isn’t affiliated with Microsoft.
Shoji · window zones for Mac
Draw zones on each monitor, drag a window over one, and it snaps in. $4.99 once; if it isn't for you, your money back within 14 days.
$4.99 once · one Mac · macOS 15 or later