Auto Center Windows

A free, lightweight macOS menu-bar utility that automatically centers app windows.

What it does

Auto Center Windows centers the first normal window when an app opens and centers new windows created afterward. Apps are learned automatically and enabled by default, while Manage Apps… gives you a simple on/off switch for each one.

• Centers windows on the display where they appeared
• Avoids the menu bar and Dock
• Ignores minimized, full-screen, and nonstandard utility windows
• Remembers which apps should or should not be centered
• Can pause for 15 minutes, 1 hour, or until manually resumed
• Centers the front window on demand with Control–Option–C
• Exports and imports app and window choices
• Adds optional per-window overrides beneath their parent apps
• Supports explicitly added child sheets and dialogs
• Starts automatically when you log in
• Uses only built-in macOS frameworks—no Hammerspoon or other dependencies
• Runs entirely on your Mac with no networking, analytics, or data collection

Download

Download the latest release

The downloadable ZIP contains the installer, app manager, uninstaller, and a detailed text guide.

Install

1. Download and unzip the latest release.
2. Double-click Install Auto Center Windows.command.
3. Wait for the Installation complete message.
4. When macOS asks, enable Auto Center Windows in Accessibility settings.
5. Open an app or create a new window to test it.

If macOS blocks the installer, try opening it once, then go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to Security, and choose Open Anyway. Confirm with your Mac password and click Open. The button appears only after macOS blocks an opening attempt. This is a personal build and is not notarized through Apple's paid developer program.

Manage apps

Click the centered-window icon in the menu bar and choose Manage Apps…. Checked apps are centered; unchecked apps keep their own window placement.

Choose Add Window… to select a window that is currently open. Focused child dialogs—such as Xcode's Downloads panel—are included even when the app does not expose them in its ordinary window list. Added windows appear beneath their parent app behind a clean disclosure chevron. Their individual switches override the app switch, and the minus button removes an override.

The list starts empty and fills automatically as you open apps or create windows.

Pause and resume

Open the menu-bar icon and choose Pause Auto Centering, then select 15 minutes, 1 hour, or until you resume. The icon dims while paused, and a timed pause resumes automatically. Your app choices remain unchanged, and the pause survives a restart when necessary.

Center the front window now

Press Control–Option–C or choose Center Front Window Now to center the window you are currently using. This manual command works even while automatic centering is paused or disabled for that app.

Back up or move settings

Open Settings in the menu-bar menu to export or import your app and window choices. Importing replaces choices for matching apps while keeping other apps already learned on that Mac.

Why Accessibility permission is required

macOS requires Accessibility permission before one app can reposition another app's windows. Auto Center Windows uses that access only to identify and move eligible windows. It registers only the exact Control–Option–C shortcut; it does not monitor typing, inspect documents, or send information anywhere.

The only saved information is:

• App names
• Bundle identifiers
• Your on/off choice for each app
• Names and accessibility identifiers for windows you explicitly add

Compatibility

• macOS 13 Ventura or later
• Apple silicon and Intel Macs
• Version 1.5.1

Some apps deliberately prevent accessibility tools from moving their windows, so an occasional app may not center.

Uninstall

Double-click Uninstall Auto Center Windows.command and confirm. No administrator password is needed. The uninstaller removes the app, startup item, learned-app list, logs, and Accessibility permission entry.

Report a problem or share compatibility

Open the GitHub issue page and choose the form that fits:

• Report a Bug for something that is not working as expected
• Compatibility / Device Report to share your Mac model, macOS version, utility version, and tested apps—even when everything works perfectly

Before attaching a screenshot or log, remove serial numbers, names, file paths, and other personal information.

Troubleshooting

• The window-shaped menu-bar icon confirms the utility is running.
• Open its menu to check whether Accessibility is Enabled or Needed.
• If an app is listed but unchecked, enable it and create a new window.
• Installation details are stored locally at ~/Library/Logs/Auto Center Windows Installer.log.
• An update may require Accessibility to be enabled again because macOS can treat personal builds as a new app identity.

Privacy

Auto Center Windows has no network code, analytics, advertising, accounts, or cloud service. Everything runs locally.

Source

The Swift source for the menu-bar utility and the C source for its native launcher are included under payload/source. The packaged release binaries are included so the one-click installer works without developer tools.

To create the same universal Apple-silicon/Intel release locally, run:

/bin/zsh ./scripts/build-release.sh 1.5.1 161

GitHub Actions runs the same build and uploads the verified ZIP as a workflow artifact.

License

Licensed under the MIT License. Copyright © 2026 Justin Chacon.