SnapState

A macOS menu bar application for saving and restoring workspace layouts. Capture your perfect desktop setup and restore it instantly with a single click.

Features

• Quick Capture - Save your current workspace with a single click from the menu bar
• Window Position Restore - Automatically restores app window positions using Accessibility APIs
• App Launch Management - Specify which apps to launch and which to close for each workspace
• URL Preservation - Saves browser URLs (Safari & Chrome) so you can resume exactly where you left off
• Monitor Auto-Restore - Automatically restores a workspace when you connect/disconnect external displays
• Menu Bar Only - Runs entirely from the menu bar with no dock icon

Requirements

• macOS 12.0 or later
• Accessibility Permission - Required for reading and restoring window positions

Installation

From DMG

1. Download SnapState.dmg from the Releases
2. Open the DMG and drag SnapState to Applications
3. Grant Accessibility permission when prompted (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility)

Building from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/SoulSniper-V2/SnapState.git
cd SnapState

# Open in Xcode
open SnapState.xcodeproj

# Build and run (Cmd+R)

Usage

1. Launch the app - SnapState appears in your menu bar (no dock icon)
2. Capture a workspace:
   • Click the menu bar icon
   • Click the + button
   • Give your workspace a name
   • Click the camera icon to capture
3. Restore a workspace - Click any saved workspace card
4. Manage workspaces:
   • Click "Settings" to open the full management window
   • Edit workspace names, icons, and colors
   • Delete workspaces
   • Set up auto-restore for monitor changes

Permissions

Accessibility (Required)

SnapState needs Accessibility permission to:

• Read current window positions
• Restore window positions after launching apps

Grant permission in: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility

How It Works

1. Capture - When you save a workspace, SnapState records:

   • Running applications
   • Browser URLs (Safari/Chrome)
   • Window positions and sizes
   • Display configuration

2. Restore - When restoring a workspace:

   • Launches specified apps (with URLs if saved)
   • Closes apps that should not be running
   • Waits for apps to launch
   • Restores window positions using Accessibility APIs

Tech Stack

• SwiftUI - Modern declarative UI
• AppKit - System integration
• ApplicationServices - Accessibility APIs for window management
• Combine/Observable - Reactive state management

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details