Quickly gather windows to compare, pick a screen, and tile them in one go — restore with a single shortcut when you're done.
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When you have a cluttered desktop and just need to cross-reference two or three documents, dragging and resizing windows one by one is tedious.
PaneSet doesn't force you into rigid window management rules or pre-configured workspaces: pick what you need right now, tile them onto any screen, and put them back when you're finished.
Currently a Windows prototype (macOS planned).
For a fixed local Windows x64 preview package, see the trial guide and known limitations (Chinese). The ZIP includes the .NET runtime; extract it and run PaneSet.exe.
To build from source, double-click run.cmd in the root directory.
- First Run: Automatically sets up a local, portable .NET toolchain without requiring global SDK installation.
- Subsequent Runs: Brings the existing instance to the foreground rather than launching duplicate processes.
- Exit: Click "Exit" in the panel to quit completely and release all registered global hotkeys.
- Open Panel: Press
Ctrl+Alt+Spaceto summon the main panel (the currently active window is pre-selected). - Select Windows: Check the windows you want to compare (supports multiple screens; search by app name or window title; numbers indicate layout order).
- Choose Layout:
- Supports Side-by-side (
Alt+1), Main + Sidecars (Alt+2), Grid (Alt+3), or Auto (splits 2–3 windows, grids 4+). - Live layout preview updates on the right; press
Alt+Sto cycle window order.
- Supports Side-by-side (
- Tile: Select your target display and press
Enter. Windows move into place immediately, and the panel tucks away. - One-Click Restore: Done comparing? Press
Ctrl+Alt+Z(or click "Restore last layout" in the panel) to instantly return all affected windows to their original positions, sizes, and screens.
If you only need to organize windows on your active screen without opening the full panel:
Ctrl+Alt+1(Auto Tile): Instantly tiles all visible windows on the active screen.Ctrl+Alt+2(Thumbnail Quick Pick): Opens a compact thumbnail grid for the current screen. Even windows buried completely behind others can be spotted and selected visually. PressEnterto tile, orEscto cancel.
If you want to swap the order or switch the layout of the windows you just arranged, open the panel and click "Tweak Recent Group" to reload the last members and settings without hunting for windows again.
Global hotkeys can be customized or disabled under Settings in the main panel (configuration is saved in %LOCALAPPDATA%/PaneSet/settings.json).
| Scope | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Global | Ctrl+Alt+Space |
Summon / hide the main PaneSet panel |
| Global | Ctrl+Alt+Z |
Restore windows to their pre-tiling state |
| Global | Ctrl+Alt+1 |
Auto-tile all windows on the current screen |
| Global | Ctrl+Alt+2 |
Open thumbnail quick-pick for the current screen |
| In Panel | Alt+1 / 2 / 3 |
Preview layouts: Side-by-side / Main + Sidecars / Grid |
| In Panel | Alt+S |
Cycle window order (swap pairs or move #1 to end) |
| In Panel | Ctrl+F |
Focus search box |
| In Panel | Tab / Space |
Navigate focus / Toggle selection |
| In Panel | Enter |
Confirm and tile windows |
| In Panel | Esc |
Hide panel (or cancel quick-pick selection) |
Note: If an application enforces its own minimum window size and cannot shrink further, consider switching to a grid layout or selecting fewer windows.
- Tech Stack: C# / .NET 10, WPF, Win32 API (no external third-party runtime dependencies).
- Project Structure: Main application lives in src/PaneSet; automated checks and tests are in tests/PaneSet.Checks.
- Run Verification: Double-click verify.cmd to execute layout math tests and live controlled-window interaction suites.
- Test Details: Real-world screenshots, system environment notes, and test records can be found in Validation Log.
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Product Definition | Core problem statement, product scope, and principles. |
| Windows Architecture Plan | Window filtering, layout algorithms, coordinates, and restoration. |
| Research & References | Competitive analysis and native Windows API research. |
| Setup Review | Test environment baselines and project configuration. |
| Validation Log | Test runs, screenshots, and verified boundaries. |