melreusthe rectangle field manual
unofficial · 22 guides · macOS

Everything that goes wrong with Rectangle, and every setting that fixes it

A field manual assembled from issue trackers, forum threads and the hidden preference domain. Diagnostics that find the cause in minutes, and the two thirds of the app that never appears in the settings window.

Something is broken → Show me the hidden settings
22guides
10failure modes
60+terminal keys
134answered questions
melreusEditorDocsTerminal

Start here

What kind of problem is it?

Four entry points. Each leads to a diagnostic that ends with a cause, not a list of things to try.

01

Nothing works

No icon, dead shortcuts, or windows that refuse to move. Nine checks in resolution order.

02

Broken by an update

The permission database was rebuilt underneath the app. A specific four-step reset fixes it.

03

Menu greyed out

Two different causes behind one error message, separated by a five-second test.

04

Some keys dead

Another app claimed the combination. A systematic method for finding which one.

The deep end

The settings window shows about a third of the app

Everything else lives in the preference domain: sizes with no interface, snap regions addressed as a bit field, reserved sidebars, bulk window commands.

Terminal — zsh$ defaults write com.knollsoft.Rectangle \$ ignoredSnapAreas -int 1# disable the top maximise snap region$ defaults write com.knollsoft.Rectangle \$ centerHalfCycles -int 1# centre half now cycles 1/2 → 2/3 → 1/3$ killall Rectangle && open -a Rectangle# values are read at launch — always restart

Complete terminal reference →

Every hidden key, grouped by what you are trying to achieve rather than alphabetically.

Ninths, eighths and halving →

Whole families of sizing commands that exist in the app and appear nowhere in settings.

What a second press does →

Five modes behind one key. Choosing wrong is why people call the app unpredictable.

Latest

Recently published

Written from reproduction steps and primary sources, not from feature lists.

Mode 0 — size cycling1/2then 2/3then 1/3Mode 1 — display cycling1/2 herethen next screen
🔄 Config

What Happens on the Second Press: Cycling Modes Explained

Press the same shortcut twice and five different things can happen. All five cycling modes, what each suits, and how they intera…

23 Jul 2026

All fixes All configuration guides

Fast answers

The questions that come up most

Shortcuts stopped working after a macOS update. Why?

The privacy database was rebuilt and your permission grant no longer matches the app, even though the toggle still appears to be on. Disable it, remove the row, restart, then re-grant. Full walkthrough in the update guide.

Why are the menu items greyed out?

The frontmost window is not exposing an accessibility element. Click on Finder — if the menu enables, the fault belongs to the other application, not to Rectangle.

Why does a second press move my window to another screen?

Cycling mode. One preference decides whether repetition changes the size or moves between displays; there are five possible values.

Why does maximise not reach the screen edge?

Either the gap setting applies to maximise (it does by default) or Stage Manager is reserving a strip. Both are configurable.

Is it really free?

Yes. The standard build is free and open source, and everything documented on this site works in it. There is a separate paid tier that adds saved layouts.

All 134 questions →

Reference

Numbers you will need

Modifier values

Command 1048576 · Option 524288 · Control 262144 · Shift 131072 · Fn 8388608. Combinations are the sum: Control+Option+Shift is 917504.

Bundle identifiers

Free build: com.knollsoft.Rectangle. Pro: com.knollsoft.Hookshot. Using the wrong one is why a correct command silently does nothing.

Where things live

Preferences at ~/Library/Preferences/com.knollsoft.Rectangle.plist; the import file at ~/Library/Application Support/Rectangle/RectangleConfig.json, which is consumed and renamed after it is applied.