A coding session and a video call use the same Mac in different ways. While coding, you might keep an editor on the main display, a browser on the second, and a terminal underneath. For a call, you want the meeting window and your notes close together. A saved layout lets you return to either arrangement without placing every window again.
Start with a workspace you already use
Open the apps and windows you need. Put them where you want them and choose Save Current Layout from LayoutLock’s menu bar menu. Give the layout a short name that describes the task: “Coding”, “Meetings”, or “Writing”. Open the dashboard preview to check what was saved.
Keep the first arrangement practical. An editor, a terminal, and one browser window are enough to find out whether the workflow suits you. You can update the layout as your setup changes or remove individual windows you no longer want to restore.
Save the next arrangement when you need it
When it is time for a meeting, move your notes beside the call window and save that arrangement under a different name. Later, restore “Coding” from the dashboard, menu bar, or a global shortcut assigned to that layout. Saved apps that are no longer running are relaunched when possible.
LayoutLock can also capture and restore Safari and Chrome tabs when browser integration is enabled. macOS asks separately for Automation permission for that feature. Saved opening targets can help reopen supported documents, folders, and URLs; the result depends on the information each app exposes.
Give each display setup its own layout
If you move between an external monitor and the laptop screen, save an arrangement for each. “Coding — Desk” and “Coding — Laptop” tell you both the task and the setup. You do not have to squeeze the desk arrangement onto the smaller screen every time you leave it.
LayoutLock stores positions relative to their displays and can use a fallback when a saved display is missing. See the monitor reconnection guide for the steps and limitations.
What a saved workspace includes
The layout records windows and their arrangement. It does not save the contents of unsaved documents, recreate your entire running session, or combine several macOS Spaces into one snapshot. Save your work in each app as usual. If you use multiple desktops, save and restore their layouts individually.
Try three layouts before adding more
Free lets you keep up to three layouts, with no trial deadline. That is enough for a desk setup, a laptop setup, and a meeting arrangement. Pro adds unlimited layouts, display-change restore suggestions, and custom restore order for a one-time $14.99 purchase.
Download LayoutLock, save the arrangement in front of you, and restore it the next time your windows need putting back.