What snapping does, and where it stops
Snapping — native or via Magnet and Rectangle — resolves a window to a predefined zone: a half, a quarter, a corner. That's exactly what you want when the goal is a tidy two- or four-pane layout you reach for by reflex. It's a placement tool, and a good one.
What it doesn't do is move a window across distance. To send a window from one side of an ultrawide or onto a second monitor, you still grab the title bar and drag the cursor the whole way, then release. Snapping only kicks in once you reach an edge; the long traverse in between is still a continuous manual drag. That gap — covering distance, not parking in a slot — is the one flingdows is built for.
How flingdows moves a window instead
When you release a drag with speed, flingdows reads how fast you were moving and launches the window at that velocity. A friction model then slows it smoothly, the way a puck slides on ice, so it coasts to a stop rather than halting the instant you let go. Release gently and it travels a little; release hard and it covers the whole display.
Reach a screen edge and the window overshoots slightly, then an elastic spring pulls it back into view, so a hard throw never sails off-screen. Because the throw distance scales with release speed, a soft flick nudges a window a few inches and a firm one sends it across a monitor — one gesture covers the range that snapping plus dragging needs two for.
The whole window, not a grab handle
Snapping and resizing both depend on hitting a target — drag to the exact edge, grab the precise corner. flingdows works on the whole window: the throw is just a drag you release with speed, anywhere on the title bar, so there's no narrow zone to aim at. You flick from wherever you already have hold of the window.
The four physics sliders — fling strength, friction, edge stiffness, elasticity — let you set how that feels, from a calm, low-drift throw that lands close to where you aim, to a slidey one that coasts far and bounces at the edge. It's the same gesture either way; the sliders just decide how much distance a given flick buys.
frequently asked
Does flingdows replace macOS's native snapping features?
flingdows provides an alternative interaction model for moving and positioning windows. While it doesn't disable macOS's native snapping, its fluid, momentum-based approach offers a distinct and often preferred method for users seeking more dynamic control.
Is flingdows difficult to learn compared to traditional snapping?
Many users find flingdows' physics-based interaction highly intuitive, as it mimics real-world physics. A quick flick is all it takes, and you can tune the physics to match your personal preference, making the learning curve very gentle. It's designed to feel natural, reducing the 'friction' often associated with window arrangement.
Last updated June 7, 2026