I’m evaluating whether BetterTouchTool can reliably support a strict multi-monitor workflow on macOS, and I’d appreciate clarification before I commit further.
My setup uses three external monitors with fixed physical roles (left / center / right). My requirement is straightforward but non-negotiable:
• When a window is sent to a specific monitor, it must land on that physical monitor every time
• Windows should remain on their assigned monitors across sleep, logout, and reboot with high reliability
• I want to avoid relative positioning (move left/right from current screen), as this appears to drift when macOS reorders displays or Spaces
In the current GUI, Move/Resize actions seem to rely on relative screen movement (left/right/forward/back) or reference frames like “Main Display” or “From Window Display.” I don’t see a way to explicitly target a specific physical monitor (e.g., Screen 1 / Screen 2 / Screen 3 or via a persistent screen identifier).
My questions are:
Does BetterTouchTool currently support absolute monitor targeting using stable identifiers (not relative movement)?
If so, what is the recommended way to configure this for long-term reliability?
If not, is this something planned or achievable via a different feature (screen layouts, scripting, profiles, or screen UUIDs)?
In your experience, can BTT reliably prevent monitor/window drift caused by Mission Control or display reordering?
I’m trying to determine whether BTT can be the foundation of this workflow, or whether I need to rely on simpler tools that use explicit screen coordinates.
Thanks for your time — I appreciate the depth and flexibility of BTT and want to be sure I’m using it in the right way.
If you have some specific positions you want your windows moved to, I can post some setup examples.
To save a window layout that you want to restore later you can use the Save / Restore WIndow Layout action. However note this action will not launch apps, it only works if the windows are already opened
Thank you so much, Andreas! I’m trying to figure out if this is possible within the next 24 hours or so; if not, I’ll be leaving the world of macOS.
Yes, the goal is to dedicate a particular monitor to particular windows and apps. Monitor 1 (left), center (2), right (3).
So, if windows or apps stray, because macOS prioritize spaces over linear and absolute positioning, I can “send them back home” to their anchored monitor. So, it’s not about launching or closing apps, it’s about corralling them strategically.
In your example, is this process automated? Or is it only manually-initiated? I’m okay with the later, too.
the problem with spaces is that there are no APIs left for us developers to move windows between spaces - Apple blocked them all with the latest macOS versions.
This means BTT can not "bring back" windows that are on different spaces (windows on different monitors are fine, but not spaces)
Thanks so much, Andreas. I have an extension with my return window and am still experimenting and gauging BTT’s functionalities within the new Mac OS’s limitations.
My goals are:
Center-screen normalization
A global hotkey that sends the active / foremost window to the center monitor and fills or nearly fills that screen.
This should work regardless of which monitor the window originated on.
App-specific monitor correction
Ideally, a rule where certain apps (for example: Safari on the left monitor, Firefox on the right monitor) are automatically moved back if they open or drift onto the wrong monitor.
Alternatively, a manual hotkey that “corrects” stray windows of a specific app.
Layout restoration
Whether BTT can automatically restore a predefined layout if windows move unexpectedly, or if restoration must always be triggered manually.
Clarification on the difference between:
Saved Focus Window Layouts
Saved Window Layouts
Custom Move / Resize actions
Monitor identification
Is it possible to assign static or persistent identifiers (names, roles, or indices) to monitors for use in rules?
Or are geometry-based / relative positioning strategies the only reliable option?
Current-monitor behavior
Is it possible to enforce that newly opened or activated windows open on the currently active monitor (as opposed to macOS deciding based on Spaces or app history)?
I want to be sure I’m working with BTT’s design rather than trying to force unsupported behavior. Any clarification or best-practice recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and for the depth of this tool.
I'm still trying to figure out if I can work within MacOS with the available tools. Thanks to an extension, I have this weekend before the new Mini is due for return -- if I can't figure it out, then that's my likely destiny.
