Stage Manager is a mf-ing game changer

[petvas]

Stage Manager probably is the most annoying feature on new MacOS Ventura.

I immediately turned it off but I think it's still eating up some memories which is already precious since Apple only give us 8GB

Stage Manager is disabled by default…

 

[unrigestered]

question to those with 8GB models: how much RAM does SM use on your system, when unused AND disabled?

 

[bsmr]

totally stupid.

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

I'll try it again after they work out some of the issues.

 

[Toss4]

Seems like most don't understand how to use SM - here's a great video explaining how to use it:

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Seems like most don't understand how to use SM - here's a great video explaining how to use it:

Using it ‘correctly’ doesn’t fix the bugs or poor design choices, though.

 

[GlenK]

Great video, wish I'd had that during beta.

 

[petvas]

After watching the video I admit I liked what I saw. It’s probably not for me though , but if multiple Windows confuse some of you, then the Stage Manager will be a good way to get rid of the clutter.

 

[shapesinaframe]

The biggest downside for me is that it is touchpad only workflow and there is no keyboard shortcuts for using it.
but I guess it's targeted at ipad and iphone users. Not some nerds using i3 on dwm on their other machines.

There are some keyboard shortcuts, check towards the bottom of this page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213315

 

[mi7chy]

App group is more useful on phone. Not anxious to enable it on my Macbook over existing workflow.

 

[shapesinaframe]

After a couple of hours with it, I can see the value. But it need some work.

It’s really flaky with creating stages of multiple apps (eg. Notes, Teams & Calendar for meetings), especially on multiple monitors, but once they’re created they seem to be stable.

 

[Odessa]

There are some keyboard shortcuts, check towards the bottom of this page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213315

only kbd shortcut is for turning it on or off. Whack
cmd+tab and cmd+m are not SM specific..

 

[TinyMito]

I'm getting used to it, it is fantastic for one hand operation with touchpad instead of Command + Tab switching between apps. I know the virtual desktop swipe left and right is another option, but a pain if you want to constantly move the app around into another stack.

Stage Manager can just drag that app to another stack as I work. Just like shuffling cards.

This is ideal for small screen workspace MacBook Pro 14 and iPads. I find the Stage Manager on my huge 32" 4K display is just pointless to have it on since I can display multi apps on one view.

If I remember correctly, this is design for iPadOS + MacOS combo use.

 

[Vidnez]

I have mixed feelings. I think that SM is the way to go to replace the dock and it's great to manage windows, but it lacks some features that the dock have. Over the years I really like the dock but I think it's a little outdated, it's a great way to quick access most used apps and to view notifications and that's it. If they manage to merge dock and SM with a better notifications system and a way to quick access my most used apps (maybe a smart launchpad), I think it could be a great dock replacement.

 

[owidhh]

The biggest downside for me is that it is touchpad only workflow and there is no keyboard shortcuts for using it.

Worse, the iPad has globe-left and globe-right to switch between app groups, but no such shortcut that I know of on Mac...

 

[Chancha]

only kbd shortcut is for turning it on or off. Whack
cmd+tab and cmd+m are not SM specific..

I agree it should have a whole array of shortcut keys that activate and switch the different "spaces". Such as cmd+1 would throw the 1st space to the center stage, cmd+2 for the 2nd, kind of how Safari tabs work with shortcuts.

 

[xgman]

If you like to have 2 windows or more up at once it's useless. i prefer hyperdock to switch around.

 

[contacos]

I personally prefer to use spaces and active corners but that might just depend on what you are used to. I usually have mail full screen followed by two spaces, one with a browser, the other one with all my social apps open.

Also, I like to have everything in one fixed place and do not want to have it constantly switch position

edit: I don't think it is supposed to behave like that either?

 

[petvas]

When using maximized Windows Stage Manager has a problem displaying them on the recents list. I tried having Safari and Mail.app maximized, grouped together in Stage Manager, and the mail icon doesn't display at all...

 

[mouthster]

I tried this for a day but I'm going back to Mission Control + Spaces. The biggest offender for me is when I want to use the calculator or some other small windowed app and I'm left staring at an app in a sea of wallpaper and the context of what I was doing is whisked away.

For the Mac I'm really surprised Apple hasn't addressed their limited window sizing / arrangement options. I use the excellent and free 3rd party utility Tiles.

 

[Vidnez]

I personally prefer to use spaces and active corners but that might just depend on what you are used to. I usually have mail full screen followed by two spaces, one with a browser, the other one with all my social apps open.

Also, I like to have everything in one fixed place and do not want to have it constantly switch position

edit: I don't think it is supposed to behave like that either?

View attachment 2102421 View attachment 2102422

I having that issue just after installing Ventura, a restart fixed that.

 

[LeonPro]

To each his own. I find it annoying and a waste of space. I'd rather they have tiled windows that you can organize infinitely like Lightpillar's Mosaic app (which unfortunately is broken in the latest Ventura OS).

 

[filmbuff]

Can someone tell me if there's an advantage of stage manager over bettersnap? I can already see the windows I have open with a 3-finger swipe up for mission control, pick one, and drag it wherever I want.

 

[shapesinaframe]

After half a day of figuring out how it works, and a day of using it with some success (and actually kinda liking it), this morning I login and one of the stages I had spent quite some time crafting (and used the most) has completely disappeared.

I don't have time for this. I'm sticking with Spaces.

Can someone help me understand how Stage Manager isn't a janky re-interpretation of Spaces?

Spaces seems far superior;

• you can easily move windows into, and between spaces (in SM you have to deal with an obscure invisible interaction model that sometimes works and does not handle multiple displays well at all)
• you can see exactly what window is in each space and the layout of the windows (SM stacks the windows so you can only preview the window on top of the stack)
• you can create (and see all at once) up to 17 additional spaces per monitor (SM is limited to 4 visible at a time)

The only thing I can see that SM offers that Spaces doesn't is:

• an always on view - but even that is of limited value as it doesn't show all your Stages, just the ones used recently - and as I discovered, even the stage you use the most can be vanished without a trace for... reasons?
• icons of the apps in the stage (something that wouldn't be hard to add to Spaces)

How I think SM on macOS could be improved:

• Just use the Spaces interaction and UX model; it works
• Enable an option to put the Spaces tray on the side of choice per monitor (left, right, top or bottom side - whichever sides the dock isn't anchored to)
• Minor styling change so each spaces preview floats in 3d space like SM

 

[1885507]

I'm loving it. I can't wait for them to bring it to multiple displays.

EDIT: Ah, it does work on multiple displays--I just hadn't seen it yet.