Switchback 1.1.0

Switchback 1.1.0

This update adds a Windows-style Start menu for your Mac. Settings sync now covers everything, and an option puts your Switchback favourites in Open and Save windows. Task Manager and Open at login no longer need repeat approvals, and window snapping has fixes. Everything from 1.0.1 is still included.

getswitchback.io

Requirements

• macOS 13 Ventura or later, including macOS 27. One universal app for Apple silicon and Intel.
• Finder features need the one-time setup, which includes a short visit to Apple Recovery to set Permissive startup security. A Mac that already allows Switchback skips that step. Uninstalling Switchback doesn't undo the change. The guide at https://getswitchback.io/setup/ shows how to undo it.
• Window, switcher and Dock features need Accessibility permission. Window pictures need Screen Recording. Switchback asks only when you turn on a feature that needs it.
• The Start menu is off until you turn it on.

Download and upgrade

• New install: download Switchback-1.1.0.dmg, open it and choose Install Switchback.
• From 1.0 or 1.0.1: install the DMG over your current copy. Your settings and licence stay as they are.
• Trial and licence: start a free 14-day trial with every feature, or enter your licence key.
• SHA-256: dba60882afdc447b22318f686055170741bc5eec166589c5568fdd1452c0a406

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New features

Start menu (Settings › Start)

• A Windows-style Start menu built with native Mac materials. It follows light and dark mode, Reduce Transparency and Reduce Motion. It's off until you turn it on.
• Open it your way: click its Dock icon, press a shortcut from any app (⌃Space by default, and you can change it), or turn on Open Start with the Command key to open it with a tap of ⌘ on its own, like the Windows key. ⌘ held with another key is still a normal shortcut.
• It opens just above its Dock icon and stays on screen whether your Dock is at the bottom, left or right.
• Pinned apps: pin and unpin apps, move them left, right or to the front, group them into folders you can rename, and use Reset to bring back the original pins.
• All apps: every installed app, as a Grid or List from A to Z with a letter index, or grouped by Category. You can also show your most used apps.
• Recent: recently added apps, recent files with their icons and previews, and a short tip when the list is empty. Each one has its own switch.
• Search: find apps, settings, documents and folders as you type, narrow the results to All, Apps, Documents, Folders or Settings, and preview the selected result. Search includes every installed app, even ones macOS keeps out of normal folder lists, and the files in your Documents, Desktop and Downloads folders.
• Right-click any app in Start, whether it's pinned, in All apps, in a category or in search, to pin or unpin it, open it, show it in Finder, keep it in the Dock, quit it or Get Info.
• Power button: Lock Screen, Sleep, Restart, Shut Down and Log Out.
• Folders beside Power: choose which folders sit next to the Power button.
• Quick links menu: right-click Start's Dock icon for Activity Monitor, System Information, Disk Utility, Console, Network, Battery, Terminal, Task Manager, System Settings, Finder, Spotlight Search, Run…, Shut Down or Log Out, and Show Desktop. Your recent files appear there too.
• Account: your name and picture at the bottom of Start, with an option to hide them, and optional account notices. Start never shows sign-in promotions.
• Start menu size: Automatic, which fits a laptop screen, Small or Large.
• Pin Switchback in the Dock: puts Switchback in the first space after Finder, which macOS keeps at the front.
• Keyboard control: use the arrow keys, Return, Escape and Tab.

Favourites in Open and Save windows (Settings › Sidebar › Additional Favorites)

• New option: Show Switchback folder tree and favourites in Open/Save windows (off by default). When it's on, your Additional Favorites also appear in the sidebar of Open and Save windows, for example when you attach a file in Mail.
• Switchback adds them to Finder's own sidebar favourites, which Open and Save windows use. It never moves or reorders favourites you added yourself.
• Turn it off and Switchback removes only the favourites it added.
• The expandable folder tree stays in Finder windows. Open and Save windows belong to macOS, and Switchback doesn't load into them.

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New options and settings

• Start page in Settings, with switches for Pinned, Recent, All apps, recently added apps, tips, recent files, most used apps, account details and notices, plus the Start shortcut, Command-key opening, Folders beside Power, Start menu size and Dock position.
• Show Switchback folder tree and favourites in Open/Save windows (Settings › Sidebar, off by default).
• Show recent items in Start menus (Settings › Start): your recent files can appear when you right-click Start.
• Reconnect Task Manager in the menu-bar panel and the Switchback menu. It appears only while ⌘⌥Esc isn't connected.
• Start, Collections and Default Apps is a new group on the Sync page.

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Improvements

Task Manager (⌘⌥Esc)

• No more administrator password every time you sign in or restart. Allow Switchback once in Login Items & Extensions, and Task Manager connects on its own after that.
• If that approval is missing, Switchback shows a short note and Reconnect Task Manager instead of a password prompt.
• Task Manager shows Connected only while it really is connected.

Open at login

• Open at login stays the way you set it after you quit, restart or sign in again.
• The switch shows whether Switchback will really open at login, and turning it on doesn't ask for an administrator password.
• If macOS needs your approval, Switchback opens Login Items for you.

Live copy controls

• When live copy controls need approval, the button reads Approve in Login Items and takes you there. Switchback no longer keeps asking in the background.

Settings sync

• Sync now covers all your settings: window layouts and shortcuts, snap area maps, per-app rules and exclusion lists, menu-bar panel controls, folder history, folder view options, Task Manager columns and refresh rate, reconnect options, saved Finder command customisations, Collections, Default Apps and the Start menu.
• Collections sync as folders. A folder that doesn't exist on one Mac stays in the list but is hidden on that Mac.
• Default Apps choices apply only on Macs that have that app installed.
• Licences, setup, Open at login and permission answers stay on each Mac. Task Manager and window features still ask before they turn on, because each Mac needs its own approval.

Speed and battery

• Switchback checks its helpers and login items only when it opens, when you switch to it, and every 15 minutes, instead of all the time.
• Finder view options are saved only when they change.
• Collections no longer re-check every folder every few seconds.
• More of Switchback's work happens in the background, so Settings, the Default Apps list and the switcher stay responsive.

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Fixes

• Snap divider: the grey bar between two windows snapped side by side no longer stays on top of other apps. It shows only while one of the snapped windows is in front and nothing covers it, and it no longer follows you to other desktops or full-screen apps. While you drag it to resize the pair, it stays visible.
• Snap Assist: after you snap a window, clicking another window in Snap Assist now moves that window into the empty space.
• Open at login could turn itself off after a restart, or show as off when it was on. Finishing setup no longer removes a login item you turned on.
• Task Manager asked for an administrator password again after every restart.

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Known issues

• Open and Save windows show your Additional Favorites but not Switchback's expandable folder tree. That tree is only available in Finder windows.
• Finder is always first in the Dock, so Pin Switchback in the Dock uses the first space after Finder.
• Edge snapping waits while macOS's own window tiling is on. Settings shows a warning with Open Desktop & Dock.
• While an app has secure input on (for example a password field), the switcher can't see keystrokes and ⌘Tab opens the macOS switcher.
• Window features stay off while another window manager app is running, so the two don't fight over windows.
• After updating, an open Finder session asks you to restart Finder once.
• Intel Macs and macOS 13 to 15 are supported but have had less testing than macOS 26 and 27.

Switchback 1.0.1

Switchback 1.0.1

The biggest update since launch. Switchback now runs on macOS 13 Ventura through macOS 27, on Apple silicon and Intel. It adds optional Windows-style window management: layout shortcuts, edge snapping with Snap Assist, move and resize by dragging, a window switcher, Dock previews and Dock click actions. There's also a new Controls section in the menu-bar panel, Tab completion in the address bar, Windows Delete keys, a simpler setup and a long list of Finder fixes.

Switchback is made by Gavin Shipman, its developer. getswitchback.io

Requirements

• macOS 13 Ventura or later, including macOS 27. One universal app for Apple silicon and Intel, on any Mac model.
• Window, switcher and Dock features need Accessibility permission. Window pictures in the switcher and Dock previews need Screen Recording. Switchback asks only when you turn on a feature that needs it. Finder features need neither.
• Every window, switcher and Dock feature is off until you turn it on. The one exception is layout shortcuts, which are on for a new install.

Download and upgrade

• New install: download Switchback-1.0.1.dmg, open it and choose Install Switchback.
• From 1.0: use Check for Updates in Switchback, or install the DMG over 1.0.
• Trial and licence: start a free 14-day trial with every feature, or enter your licence key.
• SHA-256: a91e0a8cb5f25557ae41cebdc2f433fb67bbe95fb731a5d38b5322b8db63cf2f

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New

Runs on many more Macs

• macOS 13 Ventura, 14, 15, 26 and 27, on Apple silicon and Intel, as one universal app. There's no Mac model check any more.
• Full macOS 27 support.
• A Mac that already allows what Switchback needs skips the Recovery step entirely.
• Recovery instructions show the correct steps for Intel and for Apple silicon.
• Updating macOS no longer reopens setup or makes you repeat the Recovery step.

Window layout shortcuts (Settings › Windows › Shortcuts)

• Shortcuts switch, on for a new install. If macOS refuses a shortcut, you see an orange line.
• 41 layouts in seven groups. Click a row to apply it, record your own shortcut, clear it with ×, or Reset it:
  • Halves: Left ⌃⌥←, Right ⌃⌥→, Top ⌃⌥↑, Bottom ⌃⌥↓, Centre half.
  • Thirds: Left 1/3 ⌃⌥D, Centre 1/3 ⌃⌥F, Right 1/3 ⌃⌥G, Left 2/3 ⌃⌥E, Right 2/3 ⌃⌥T, Centre 2/3, Top 1/3, Middle 1/3, Bottom 1/3, Top 2/3 and Bottom 2/3.
  • Quarter rows: Top, Upper middle, Lower middle and Bottom 1/4.
  • Quarter columns: Left, Left middle, Right middle and Right 1/4.
  • Sixths: Top left, Top centre, Top right, Bottom left, Bottom centre and Bottom right 1/6.
  • Corners: Top left ⌃⌥U, Top right ⌃⌥I, Bottom left ⌃⌥J, Bottom right ⌃⌥K.
  • Actions: Maximise ⌃⌥↩, Maximise with Margin, Full Screen, Centre ⌃⌥C, Previous display, Next display ⌃⌥⌘→, Restore ⌃⌥R.
  • Layouts without a default shortcut start empty, ready for you to record one.
• Repeat Left or Right to cycle sizes (off by default): pressing Left or Right again steps through sizes.
• Margin per edge slider for Maximise with Margin, from 0 to 25% (5% by default).
• Restore puts a window back to its size before the last layout.
• A shortcut can take over a matching macOS shortcut, and the macOS one comes back when Switchback quits.
• Shortcut + pointer layout (off by default, ⌃⌥Space): hold the shortcut, move the pointer towards an edge or corner, and release to place the active window. A round indicator and a preview show where it will go. While you hold the shortcut, a click, scroll up, Space, Return or ↑ maximises, and a right-click, scroll down, M or ↓ minimises. Esc cancels. The trigger can be a key or a held set of modifier keys.
• Move pointer to next display (off by default, ⌃⌥⌘Z): puts the pointer in the centre of the next display.

Gaps

• Window gap and Screen gap: None, 8, 16, 32, 64 or 128. Both are None by default.

Edge snapping and Snap Assist (Settings › Windows › Window dragging)

• Snap windows at screen edges (off by default): drag a window by its title bar to an edge or corner, see a preview, and let go to snap it. Drag it away again to get its old size back. A window you move with the modifier keys snaps too. It has its own switch and works on macOS 13 and later.
• Snap area map: eight zones around a picture of your screen. Each edge can be split into one to four areas. Click an area to:
  • turn that edge or corner on or off;
  • pick its placement from 36 layouts in groups;
  • set how many areas the edge has.
• The standard zones are the top edge to maximise, the left and right edges to the halves, the bottom edge to the bottom half, and each corner to its quarter. Reset puts them back and is dimmed while every zone is standard.
• Snap Assist: after you snap a window, choose another window to fill the rest of the screen, including the remaining quarters.
• Linked resize: windows snapped side by side resize together when you drag their shared edge. They stay linked until you pull them apart or snap another window over one of them.
• Edge snapping waits while macOS's own window tiling is on. Settings shows a warning with Open Desktop & Dock, and snapping starts as soon as tiling is off.

Move and resize by dragging

• Move and resize by dragging (off by default): hold the keys and drag anywhere inside a window to move it. Add Shift and drag to resize. The nearest edge or corner to where you start is the one that moves. On a mouse, dragging with the right button also resizes. Works with a trackpad or a mouse.
• Keys to move: ⌃, ⌥ and ⌘ buttons. Use any combination (⌃⌘ by default). The last key held can't be turned off.
• Bring the dragged window to front (off by default).
• A short click with the keys held still reaches the app.

Ignore apps

• Pause in these apps: while a listed app is in front, window layout ignores your input. Choose the apps from an app picker. The list is empty by default.

Green button

• Maximise windows (off by default): the green button fills the screen without creating another Space. Click again to restore.
• Keep full screen in these apps: in these apps the green button keeps its macOS behaviour, so games, emulators and video players can still go full screen.
• A live status line shows whether the feature is active.

Quit on close

• Quit an app when its last window closes (off by default). Close the last window with ⌘W or the red button and the app quits by itself. Prompts to save changes still appear.
• Apps that normally run without a window are never quit.
• Exceptions: apps on this list stay open even with no windows. Finder, and Phone when it's installed, are always on the list.
• A live status line shows whether the feature is active. A note warns that apps such as screen recorders can close their last window but keep working.

Window switcher (Settings › Switcher & Dock)

• Use the Switchback switcher (on by default once window features are allowed). Switch between apps and windows, including minimised windows and several windows of one app.
• Layout: Window previews (the default), Large icons or Simple list. Simple list doesn't need Screen Recording.
• Apps shortcut ⌘Tab and Windows shortcut ⌘`. Both can be re-recorded. The Windows shortcut opens the front app's windows, and while the switcher is open it jumps between the selected app's windows.
• Replace macOS ⌘Tab and ⌘` (off by default): turns off the matching macOS shortcuts only while the switcher is running. They come back when Switchback quits.
• Keys: hold the shortcut to move through the list and release to switch. Shift or ← goes back, and →, Tab and the scroll wheel also work. W closes the window, Q quits the app and Esc cancels. Previews also have a close button.
• Appearance delay: 0 to 500 ms (100 ms by default).
• Maximum columns: Auto (the default) or 2 to 8, useful on ultrawide displays.
• Instant selection (off): the highlight moves at once while you browse.
• Pin search with S (off): S starts a search and pins the switcher open.
• Show shortcut hints (on): shown for Large icons and Simple list.
• Show one entry per app (off).
• Show fullscreen windows (on).
• Minimised windows: Normal ordering (the default), Place at end or Hide.
• Treat hidden apps like minimised windows (on). Shown unless Normal ordering is chosen.
• Show on: the display with the pointer (the default), the one with the menu bar, or the one with the active window.
• Show only the current display (off) and Show only the current desktop (off).
• Apps with no open window: Do not show, Finder only (the default) or All apps. It's locked to All apps while Replace macOS ⌘Tab is on.
• Rules by app: hide an app, always show it, or show only its windows.
• Window thumbnails: Preview size (Small, Normal, Large or Extra large; Normal by default), Minimal previews (off; hides titles, buttons and decorations, and is shared with Dock Preview), and Pause in these apps, where icons show instead of thumbnails.
• If secure input is on, Settings names the app holding it and offers Show app.

Dock Preview

• Preview windows from the Dock (off by default): rest the pointer on an open app in the Dock to see its windows, then click the one you want.
• From a preview you can open, minimise or restore, close and drag windows. Use Pin preview to keep a panel open, and Unpin preview to let it go.
• Show only the current desktop (off). When it's off, choosing a window on another desktop takes you there.
• Open delay: 200 to 900 ms (200 ms by default).
• Panel background: 40 to 100% (100% by default).
• Quit the app with the × button (off).
• Keep Dock visible (experimental, off): pauses Dock hiding while a preview is open and restores it when you leave.
• Order windows by creation time (off): older windows come first, instead of ...

Switchback 1.0

Switchback 1.0

The first full release. The Preview label is gone.

What's new

• Settings sync across your Macs. Turn it on under Settings → Sync. Change a setting on one Mac and your other Macs follow within a minute. You choose what syncs: Features, Sidebar, Folder views and Appearance. Settings are encrypted on your Mac before they leave it, so the server only stores data it can't read. Your previous settings are saved before every sync, and you can restore them anytime. Included with a Switchback licence, not available during the trial.
• Automatic updates. Switchback checks for new versions and installs them for you. There's no need to download and replace the app by hand. Every update is checked against Switchback's signing key and Apple's notarisation before it installs, and your previous version is kept so you can go back.
• Live Pause stays connected. Pause and resume Finder copies from Switchback. Approve the helper once and it keeps working after restarts.

Upgrading from 0.23

If you have 0.23, Switchback will offer 1.0 automatically. Or download it below and open it as usual. Your licence, trial and settings carry over.

Requirements

An Apple silicon Mac running macOS 26.6.2.

Pricing

One Mac is $24.99 USD. Each extra Mac is $8.99, added to the same licence key. That includes a 14-day trial with no card, and 12 months of updates.

Developer ID signed and notarised by Apple.

SHA-256: 3884eeee6e58eb45bb41277c6b9fe4ff1db715757003feda831ea04bebcaeafa

Same installer: https://getswitchback.io/downloads/Switchback-1.0.dmg

Switchback 0.23

Switchback 0.23

The public site is https://getswitchback.io.

One Mac is $24.99 USD. Each extra Mac is $8.99, added to the same licence key.

• 14-day trial, no card, starting only after Finder connects
• Up to 20 Macs on one licence
• 12 months of updates from the original purchase
• Developer ID signed and notarised

SHA-256: ad2814d7b9b711d2186b12910945496a7b1c0a8c5ce6eeac51c6a19c4550f558

Same installer: https://getswitchback.io/downloads/Switchback-0.23.dmg

Switchback 0.22

Switchback 0.22

One Mac is $24.99 USD. Each extra Mac is $8.99, added to the same licence key. There is no new key and no account.

• 14-day trial, no card, starting only after Finder connects
• Up to 20 Macs on one licence
• 12 months of updates from the original purchase
• Developer ID signed and notarised

SHA-256: 164e42b1d1d05df31b4ec4b6cdff0560934ed51e79d5388e782f2948cf34e9f1

The file attached here is the same installer as https://switchback.plus/downloads/Switchback-0.22.dmg

Switchback 0.20

The Windows features you miss, in the Mac you love.

Download: Switchback-0.20.dmg below — Developer ID signed and notarised by Apple (no Gatekeeper warnings). SHA-256: 731d6933e833fd0561862bb47e4e819ebceab2c5aaf5b20a56a9947f63583cab

Requirements: Apple silicon Mac, macOS 26 (build 25G83). One-time guided Recovery setup, fully reversible.

New in 0.20: Show app in Dock setting (Settings → General) — run menu-bar-only if you prefer.

Status: preview build. Trial activation and purchasing open shortly — see https://switchback.plus for availability, pricing (A$49 founder / A$69 standard, one payment, 2 Macs, 12 months of updates) and the setup guide.