Tile windows from a game controller
The Window Tiling (Rectangle) layout is built into InputConfig, free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
On a Mac: Sends the free Rectangle app's default shortcuts, so Rectangle needs to be installed and running. The macOS built-in tiling uses different keys.
Yes, you can snap windows from a game controller on a Mac: halves on the D-pad, maximize and center on the face buttons, two corners on the bumpers. The rows send the free Rectangle app's default shortcuts, so Rectangle needs to be installed and running. Rectangle's chords are hard to remember, and the D-pad remembers them for you.
The layout, control by control
How the layout thinks
- Halves. Left, right, top and bottom on the D-pad (Control Option and the arrows).
- Whole window. Maximize (Control Option Return) on the bottom face button, center (Control Option C) on the right, restore on the left.
- Corners. Top left and top right (Control Option U and I) on the bumpers.
- Switch and point. The app switcher on the left stick click, a pointer on the left stick, a click on the right trigger.
Check the restore row
- You: Open Rectangle's settings and read its restore shortcut.
- InputConfig: Sends Control Option R on the left face button. Rectangle's default restore is Control Option Delete.
- Check: Snap a window, then press the left face button. If it does not go back to its old size, set the row to Rectangle's key.
The halves and maximize work from the first press, and restore is the one to check.
Tune it, or use the built-in tiling
- Built-in tiling. Recent versions of macOS have tiling under Window, Move & Resize, with their own shortcuts. Try them on the keyboard first, then change these rows to match if you would rather skip Rectangle.
- Thirds. Put Rectangle's thirds behind a chord on the D-pad.
- Add the rows to your desktop preset. Then tiling is always a button away.
Arranging a desk of windows becomes four presses.
Get it in two clicks
- Get InputConfig free on the Mac App Store, open it, and click Smart Preset Maker on the welcome screen.
- Search for Window Tiling (Rectangle) and pick it. The layout is created as a preset in your sidebar, named and ready.
- Press Activate. Every row can be changed afterwards: the editor's Scan button rebinds any control the moment you touch it.
Every binding, as a table
| Controller | Sends | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| D-pad left | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), Left | Left half |
| D-pad right | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), Right | Right half |
| D-pad up | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), Up | Top half |
| D-pad down | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), Down | Bottom half |
| A / Cross | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), Return | Maximize |
| B / Circle | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), C | Center |
| X / Square | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), R | Restore |
| LB / L1 | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), U | Previous corner (U) |
| RB / R1 | Ctrl (Left), Alt / Option (Left), I | Next corner (I) |
| L3 (left stick click) | Command (Left), Tab | App switcher (Cmd + Tab) |
| Left stick left | Mouse motion left (speed 16) | Pointer left |
| Left stick right | Mouse motion right (speed 16) | Pointer right |
| Left stick up | Mouse motion up (speed 16) | Pointer up |
| Left stick down | Mouse motion down (speed 16) | Pointer down |
| Right trigger | Left click | Click |
Button names follow the Xbox / PlayStation pair shown in the editor, so A / Cross is the bottom face button on either pad. On a Switch Pro Controller the bottom button is labeled B; the mapping still fires on position.
Questions
Do I need Rectangle?
For these exact rows, yes, and it is free. Or change them to the built-in tiling shortcuts.
Related
Completely free. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon. Open source on GitHub.
Updated