Stage Manager macOS Ventura: How to Use It

Stage Manager is a window management feature introduced in macOS 13 Ventura that keeps your current app front and center while neatly tucking away other open windows on the left side of your screen. It helps you focus on one task at a time without losing sight of your other apps. This guide walks you through turning it on, customizing it, and using it effectively.

What You’ll Need

A Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later (macOS 14 Sonoma and 15 Sequoia also include Stage Manager with similar controls).
An Apple silicon Mac or a Mac with an Intel processor that supports Ventura.
Basic familiarity with clicking and dragging windows.

Step-by-Step

Open System Settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings (in Ventura, this replaced System Preferences).
Go to Desktop & Dock. In the sidebar, click Desktop & Dock. This is where window management options live.
Find Stage Manager. Scroll down until you see the Stage Manager section. It has a toggle switch and a small preview graphic.
Turn it on. Click the toggle so it turns blue. Stage Manager activates immediately—you don’t need to restart or log out.
Close the settings. Press the red close button or hit Command+W. Your screen now shows your current app in the center, with other open apps as small thumbnails stacked on the left edge.
Switch apps. Click any thumbnail on the left to bring that app to the center. The app you were using slides into the thumbnail strip.
Open a new app. Click the app’s icon in the Dock (or use Launchpad). It opens in the center, and the previous app moves to the left.
Show all windows of an app. Click the app’s thumbnail on the left. If that app has multiple windows, they appear as a group—click the group to see all its windows stacked.
Add a second app side by side. Drag a thumbnail from the left strip onto the center stage. Both apps now appear side by side, and Stage Manager treats them as one group. You can drag more thumbnails to create a group of up to four or five apps.
Remove an app from the group. Click the small X in the corner of the app’s window (or press Command+W) to close it, or drag the window back to the left edge to return it to the thumbnail strip.
Hide the thumbnail strip. In System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Stage Manager, click the Customize button next to the toggle. Uncheck Show recent apps to hide the left strip. You can still switch apps using Command+Tab or the Dock.
Show desktop items. In the same Customize panel, uncheck Show desktop items to hide files and folders on your desktop while Stage Manager is active. This declutters your view.
Turn it off. Go back to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and toggle Stage Manager off. Your windows return to normal floating behavior.

Common Mistakes

Expecting Stage Manager to remember groups. It doesn’t. When you close an app or restart your Mac, the groups you created are gone. You’ll need to re-create them each time.
Clicking the desktop. Clicking the desktop background hides all windows and shows your desktop files. This is by design, but many users think it’s a bug. Click any app thumbnail to bring it back.
Dragging a window to the center but not releasing. You must drag the thumbnail fully into the center area and release it. If you drop it halfway, it may just bounce back.
Using Mission Control and Stage Manager together. They work, but can feel confusing. Mission Control shows all windows as a grid; Stage Manager shows them as a strip. If you prefer one, turn off the other.
Thinking Stage Manager is only for full-screen apps. It works with normal windows too. You can resize the center window and it stays in place.

Tips

Use keyboard shortcuts. Press Control+Command+F to toggle full screen for the current app. While in Stage Manager, this still works and keeps the app in the center.
Drag a window to the left edge. Instead of clicking the X, you can drag a window’s title bar all the way to the left edge of the screen. It snaps into the thumbnail strip.
Group apps by project. For example, drag Safari, Notes, and Pages together when writing an article. This keeps related tools one click away.
Use the Dock for quick switching. Even with Stage Manager on, the Dock remains functional. Click any app icon to bring it to the center, replacing the current one.
Customize per-display. If you use multiple monitors, Stage Manager appears on each display independently. You can have it on one and off on another.
Turn off desktop items for a cleaner look. If you rarely use your desktop files, hiding them makes the Stage Manager view less cluttered.

Troubleshooting

Stage Manager doesn’t appear in System Settings. Make sure you’re running macOS 13 or later. Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac. If you’re on an older version, update via System Settings > General > Software Update.
The toggle is grayed out. This can happen if you have a profile or parental control that restricts certain settings. Check with your system administrator.
Thumbnails don’t show. Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Stage Manager > Customize and ensure Show recent apps is checked.
Windows jump around when you turn it on. This is normal. Stage Manager rearranges your open windows to fit the new layout. Your apps aren’t lost—just reorganized.
Stage Manager slows down your Mac. If you have many apps open, the thumbnail previews can use extra resources. Close apps you’re not using, or turn off Stage Manager if performance is critical.
Can’t drag a window from the strip. Make sure you click and hold the thumbnail for a second before dragging. Sometimes a quick click just selects it instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use Stage Manager with a keyboard only?
A: Yes. Press Command+Tab to cycle through apps, and the selected app moves to the center. You can also use Control+Command+Left/Right arrow to switch between spaces or apps in some configurations.

Q: Does Stage Manager work on Intel Macs?
A: Yes, any Mac that runs macOS Ventura (2017 or later) supports Stage Manager, including Intel models.

Q: Can I have more than two apps side by side?
A: Yes. Drag multiple thumbnails into the center. You can have up to five or six apps in a group, though the windows will overlap. You can resize and arrange them manually.

Q: Why does my desktop disappear?
A: By default, Stage Manager hides desktop files when you’re in an app. Click the desktop background to see them, or change the setting in Customize to always show them.

Q: Does Stage Manager work with full-screen apps?
A: Yes, but full-screen apps behave a bit differently. They take over the entire screen, and the thumbnail strip may be hidden until you move your cursor to the left edge. You can still switch using Control+Command+F or Mission Control.

Q: How do I reset Stage Manager to default settings?
A: Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Stage Manager > Customize and re-enable both Show recent apps and Show desktop items. That restores the default behavior.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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