1. Before you start
1.1. What does KeyTiler do?
KeyTiler is a macOS menu-bar app that moves and arranges the active window after a Layout Panel choice or a global shortcut. It acts on the window already in focus; it does not replace the app you are working in.
1.2. Which version of macOS does the current Preview support?
The current Preview targets macOS 15 and later. KeyTiler is independently distributed outside the Mac App Store because its window-management use of the macOS Accessibility API is not accepted by the store.
1.3. Which languages does KeyTiler support?
The current KeyTiler version supports 12 interface languages and language variants: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Russian, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic. The KeyTiler website is currently available in English and Simplified Chinese.
1.4. Are KeyTiler’s translations human-reviewed?
When meanings differ, use the English interface as the semantic reference. The Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese localizations have been manually proofread. The other nine interface languages were translated with AI and have not yet been manually proofread, so they may contain errors, omissions, or awkward wording. If you find a translation issue, contact us.
1.5. What does Preview mean here?
Preview is KeyTiler’s pre-1.0 release stage for validating functionality, compatibility, and user experience. It is not a commercial trial, a promise of a permanent free channel, or a statement of final pricing. A Stable Release begins at version 1.0.
2. Install and Accessibility permission
2.1. How do I install the Preview?
Download the DMG file, open it, and drag KeyTiler.app into Applications. Launch KeyTiler from Applications; it stays in the menu bar. The first launch may ask for Accessibility permission, which you can also grant from System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
2.2. Why does KeyTiler need Accessibility permission?
macOS requires Accessibility permission before an app can read the window information needed for a requested layout and move another app’s window. KeyTiler uses that permission for the window-management action you ask it to perform.
2.3. Where do I grant the permission?
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility, find KeyTiler.app, and turn it on. If KeyTiler was already running when you changed the switch, quit and reopen it before trying the layout action again.
2.4. What should I check if a window does not move?
Confirm that KeyTiler.app is enabled in the Accessibility list, that the intended window is active, and that you are using a supported macOS version. You can revoke the permission from the same System Settings pane at any time.
3. Panel, keyboard, and direct actions
3.1. How do I use Layout Panel with a mouse?
Open Layout Panel, choose a layout family, select the display when more than one is connected, and click the zone you want. KeyTiler then applies that choice to the active window.
3.2. How do I use Layout Panel without a mouse?
Open the panel with its global shortcut. Use number keys to choose a display, Tab or Shift + Tab to change the layout family, and an hotkey showed on UI to choose a zone.
3.3. What is a direct global shortcut?
A direct global shortcut applies a familiar position without opening Layout Panel. The current Preview provides direct Halves and Quarters positions, plus general actions such as Maximize, Center Window, and moving to the next or previous display. Panel-mode shortcuts open the panel in a chosen layout family; they do not create a second layout system.
4. Multiple displays and shortcut customization
4.1. How does KeyTiler handle multiple displays?
Layout Panel reflects the connected display arrangement. When more than one display is available, choose the display first and the zone second. The layout family stays the same while the available display geometry changes with the arrangement in front of you.
4.2. Can I change or disable a shortcut?
Yes. Open Preferences > Shortcuts to record a new binding for a layout action, disable an action you do not need, or restore every action to its default. If a binding conflicts with a macOS system shortcut, KeyTiler reports the conflict instead of silently changing the system shortcut.
4.3. What are the default global shortcuts?
The complete default map is below. These bindings are reference values, not fixed requirements: every action can be changed in Preferences > Shortcuts.
Layout Panel
| Action | Default |
|---|---|
| Open Layout Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + X |
| Open Halves Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + Y |
| Open Quarters Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + U |
| Open Thirds Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + I |
| Open Sixths Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + O |
| Open Four Strips Panel | ⌃ + ⌥ + P |
Halves
| Action | Default |
|---|---|
| Left Half | ⌃ + ⌥ + ← |
| Right Half | ⌃ + ⌥ + → |
| Top Half | ⌃ + ⌥ + ↑ |
| Bottom Half | ⌃ + ⌥ + ↓ |
Quarters
| Action | Default |
|---|---|
| Top Left Quarter | ⌃ + ⌥ + H |
| Top Right Quarter | ⌃ + ⌥ + J |
| Bottom Left Quarter | ⌃ + ⌥ + N |
| Bottom Right Quarter | ⌃ + ⌥ + M |
General
| Action | Default |
|---|---|
| Maximize | ⌃ + ⌥ + Return |
| Center Window | ⌃ + ⌥ + C |
| Next Display | ⌃ + ⌥ + ⌘ + → |
| Previous Display | ⌃ + ⌥ + ⌘ + ← |
5. Preview, updates, privacy, and contact
5.1. What happens when a Preview expires?
Preview Expiration is the lifecycle deadline embedded in a Preview Release. After it expires, the normal global layout shortcut workflow is disabled until you install a current Preview or Stable Release. The menu bar, About, Preferences, update check, and migration entry points remain available so you can recover.
5.2. What is Preview Migration?
Preview Migration means moving from the Preview Release currently installed to a newer Preview Release or to the 1.0 Stable Release. It describes release availability and continuity; it is not a commercial upgrade, trial conversion, or pricing promise.
5.3. Does KeyTiler install updates automatically?
No. You can choose Never, Weekly, or Monthly background update checks, or start a check manually. A check only looks for a newer release; a user-confirmed update session is required before an update is installed. If the app’s update access expires, Manual DMG Migration through the website is the update-availability fallback.
5.4. Is Product Usage Analytics required?
No. Product Usage Analytics is off until you explicitly allow it in the first-launch consent window or General Preferences. When enabled, KeyTiler records coarse, aggregate layout-usage counts in a local ten-day rolling window; it does not intentionally send window titles or content, foreground app names, raw shortcuts, display names, coordinates, or hardware fingerprints.
5.5. Where can I send a contact request?
Use the contact page for compatibility issues, product suggestions, product support, privacy requests, or Terms and Preview License questions. Share what you expected, what happened, and the KeyTiler or macOS version if you know it. The contact flow does not require an email address and does not accept screenshots, logs, or attachments.