How to Set Up Rectangle Mac: Step-by-Step Configuration

Download Rectangle

Setting up Rectangle begins with downloading the right version. The free, open-source version is available directly from the developer's website. Navigate there, find the download link for the latest stable release and download the .dmg file. The download is typically under 10 MB and completes in seconds on most connections.

Once downloaded, open the .dmg file, and drag the Rectangle app icon into your Applications folder — exactly as you would with any other macOS application. Eject the .dmg file and open Rectangle from your Applications folder. On the first launch, macOS's Gatekeeper may show a dialog saying the developer cannot be verified; this is normal for apps downloaded outside the App Store. Click "Open" to proceed.

If you prefer the App Store for software management, Rectangle Pro is available there as a paid purchase. The App Store version receives the same updates and provides the same core functionality, with the addition of the Pro features. For most users, the free direct download is the right starting point.

Grant Accessibility Permissions

When you first open Rectangle app, it will prompt you to grant Accessibility permissions. This is the only permission the application requires, and without it Rectangle cannot function — Accessibility access is what allows it to send resize and reposition instructions to other application windows. The permission prompt guides you directly to the correct settings page.

On macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia: open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. Scroll to find Rectangle in the list and enable the toggle next to it. On older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier): open System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Accessibility and add or enable Rectangle.

Once Accessibility is granted, Rectangle mac is fully operational. A small icon appears in your Mac's menu bar to confirm the application is running. Accessibility permission does not give Rectangle access to the content of any window — it only allows it to modify window position and size. The security implications of this permission are discussed in detail in our privacy guide.

Learn Your First Shortcuts

The fastest way to get productive with the rectangle app is to learn just two shortcuts before any others: left half (⌃⌥←) and right half (⌃⌥→). Open any two applications — a browser and a text editor works well. Click on one, press ⌃⌥← and it moves to the left half of your screen. Click on the other, press ⌃⌥→ and it moves to the right half. Your screen is now cleanly divided with both applications fully visible.

That single pair of shortcuts — left half and right half — delivers the majority of the productivity value that Rectangle Mac provides. Most knowledge work comes down to comparing two things: source and output, reference and draft, data and analysis. Once those two shortcuts are in muscle memory, add the full-screen shortcut (⌃⌥↩) for focus work and the center float (⌃⌥C) for keeping a utility window accessible without covering the full desktop.

The quarter shortcuts are the next tier to learn: upper-left (⌃⌥U), upper-right (⌃⌥I), lower-left (⌃⌥J), lower-right (⌃⌥K). These allow four-window layouts on large monitors and are useful for keeping a reference panel — a chat window, a calendar, a documentation page — in a corner while the main work occupies the other three-quarters.

Configure for Your Workflow

Open Rectangle's Preferences by clicking the menu bar icon and selecting Preferences. The Shortcuts tab shows every available position with its current key combination. Click any shortcut to reassign it — the field accepts the next key combination you press. Changes take effect immediately.

Two Preferences settings are worth enabling for most users. "Repeated shortcut cycles" turns each directional shortcut into a multi-position toggle: pressing the left-half shortcut twice sends the window to the left two-thirds, and a third press returns it to left half. This reduces the number of shortcuts you need to remember. "Almost maximize" adds a position that fills the screen with small margins on each side — useful when full screen feels too expansive but a half doesn't give enough room.

The "Gaps" settings let you add pixel margins between snapped windows and between windows and screen edges. Setting a small gap — 6 to 10 pixels — gives each window a visible border, making it easier to click between them. This is a personal preference; some users prefer zero gaps for maximum screen real estate, others prefer the visual breathing room a small gap provides.

Build Your Three Core Layouts

Most Rectangle mac users settle into two or three repeating layouts that they enter via shortcuts at the start of different work modes. Building these layouts into muscle memory takes one or two sessions and then becomes entirely automatic. Here are the three layouts that work for the broadest range of knowledge work:

The Focus Layout: One application, full screen. Press ⌃⌥↩ on the window you want. Use this for deep work: writing, reading, coding. No other windows compete for your attention. Switch applications with Cmd+Tab without any window management.

The Compare Layout: Two applications, halves. Left half on one, right half on the other. Two keystrokes from any starting state. Use this for any task where you read from one source and write or act in another: research, drafting, coding from documentation, reviewing a document against notes.

The Reference Layout: Two applications at halves with a third in a corner quarter. The main pair occupies left and right halves; a smaller utility — a chat window, a timer, a documentation tab — lives in the upper-right quarter. Three shortcuts total. Use this when you need ambient awareness of a communication channel or reference tool without it dominating the screen.

Frequently Asked Questions