README

Tiling window management for the Mac.


  
    
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
    
  


 About



yabai is a window management utility that is designed to work as an extension to the built-in window manager of macOS.
yabai allows you to control your windows, spaces and displays freely using an intuitive command line interface and optionally set user-defined keyboard shortcuts using [↗ skhd][gh-skhd] and other third-party software.

The primary function of yabai is tiling window management; automatically modifying your window layout using a binary space partitioning algorithm to allow you to focus on the content of your windows without distractions.
Additional features of yabai include focus-follows-mouse, disabling animations for switching spaces, creating spaces past the limit of 16 spaces, and much more.

 Installation and Configuration

- The [↗ yabai wiki][yabai-wiki] has both brief and detailed installation instructions for multiple installation methods, and also explains how to uninstall yabai completely.
- Sample configuration files can be found in the [↗ examples][yabai-examples] directory. Refer to the [↗ documentation][yabai-docs] or the wiki for further information.
- Keyboard shortcuts can be defined with [↗ skhd][gh-skhd] or any other suitable software you may prefer.

 Requirements and Caveats

Please read the below requirements carefully.
Make sure you fulfil all of them before filing an issue.

|Requirement|Note|
|-:|:-|
|Operating System Intel x86-64|Big Sur 11.0.0+, Monterey 12.0.0+, Ventura 13.0.0+, Sonoma 14.0.0+, Sequoia 15.0+, and Tahoe 26.0+ is supported.|
|Operating System Apple Silicon|Monterey 12.0.0+, Ventura 13.0.0+, Sonoma 14.0.0+, Sequoia 15.0+, and Tahoe 26.0+ is supported.|
|Accessibility API|yabai must be given permission to utilize the Accessibility API and will request access upon launch. The application must be restarted after access has been granted.|
|Screen Recording|yabai must be given Screen Recording permission if and only if you want to enable window animations, and will request access when necessary. The application must be restarted after access has been granted.|
|System Preferences (macOS 11.x, 12.x)|In the Mission Control pane, the setting "Displays have separate Spaces" must be enabled.|
|System Settings (macOS 13.x, 14.x, 15.x, 26.x)|In the Desktop & Dock tab, inside the Mission Control pane, the setting "Displays have separate Spaces" must be enabled.|

Please also take note of the following caveats.

|Caveat|Note|
|-:|:-|
|System Integrity Protection (Optional)|System Integrity Protection can be (partially) disabled for yabai to inject a scripting addition into Dock.app for controlling windows with functions that require elevated privileges. This enables control of the window server, which is the sole owner of all window connections, and enables additional features of yabai