Menu bar item missing to arrange windows

Prior to updating to Sonoma, I had a menu bar item that I could use to arrange windows and it has disappeared. I don't know what it was called. If I selected a window (finder for instance) I could click this button in the menu bar and then could select for that window to be left or right half of screen, or left middle or right third of screen or top left, top right, etc quarter of screen etc. I just don't remember how I got that app (button) or where to find it now. Any help is appreciated.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.0

Posted on Oct 15, 2023 9:46 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best answer

Just to add, Magnet is available in the App Store.

Posted on Oct 15, 2023 12:53 PM

2 replies
Question marked as Helpful

Oct 15, 2023 12:38 PM in response to AppleHaze

no, it wasn't a third party app. I used to have room but the built in function from apple seemed to work better. very frustrating that i can't get that hover to work. guess I'm stuck finding a 3rd party app anyway to do what I need, unless a future update somehow brings things back. thanks for your time.

I have never seen a button in macOS that provides anything other that left or right as shown in Luis’ screenshot.

If you had an option for thirds or top/bottom, it was a third party app.

18 replies

Oct 15, 2023 10:22 AM in response to AppleHaze

Interesting... in testing this, I discovered something that I never knew: I can even just leave the cursor over the green button (not clicking anything) and after a second or so the menu appears. Maybe it has always worked that way, I just don't know (I only rarely use this feature, so it is quite possible it has long been there).


Does leaving the pointer there also not work for you?

Oct 15, 2023 10:30 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

No, unfortunately I still don't get a menu when hovering. I have been searching for something in the preferences that potentially got turned off but haven't found anything yet. Very strange. Do you happen to have a button in the menu bar that does the same thing? It was a button with two different sized boxes. I have Sonoma on a M1 MacBook Pro 2021.

Question marked as Helpful

Oct 15, 2023 12:38 PM in response to AppleHaze

no, it wasn't a third party app. I used to have room but the built in function from apple seemed to work better. very frustrating that i can't get that hover to work. guess I'm stuck finding a 3rd party app anyway to do what I need, unless a future update somehow brings things back. thanks for your time.

I have never seen a button in macOS that provides anything other that left or right as shown in Luis’ screenshot.

If you had an option for thirds or top/bottom, it was a third party app.

Oct 15, 2023 12:48 PM in response to AppleHaze

AppleHaze wrote:

Prior to updating to Sonoma, I had a menu bar item that I could use to arrange windows and it has disappeared. I don't know what it was called. If I selected a window (finder for instance) I could click this button in the menu bar and then could select for that window to be left or right half of screen, or left middle or right third of screen or top left, top right, etc quarter of screen etc. I just don't remember how I got that app (button) or where to find it now. Any help is appreciated.

I would guess you were using either Magnet or Rectangle Pro.

Here's the Magnet menu…

Oct 15, 2023 1:15 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Luis, you were correct all along regarding 3rd party app. I don't remember getting it but I must have had Magnet and have redownloaded from app store and am back in business. I love it because I can split to thirds, or quarter screen. I still don't have hover function which I will have to figure out at some point especially if there are other items that have hover and I'm not able to utilize. Thanks.

Oct 15, 2023 1:25 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

Interesting... in testing this, I discovered something that I never knew: I can even just leave the cursor over the green button (not clicking anything) and after a second or so the menu appears. Maybe it has always worked that way, I just don't know (I only rarely use this feature, so it is quite possible it has long been there).

FWIW, It goes back at least as far as Monterey.

Menu bar item missing to arrange windows

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.