Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might want to know about Scopo before you try it.
- What is Scopo?
- Scopo is a macOS window manager built around switching. It replaces Cmd+Tab with a switcher that shows windows, not apps, complete with live previews and search. It adds window tiling, tabbed windows, and a command bar. Everything is scoped to the Space you are working in, so you only see the windows for the work in front of you.
- How is Scopo different from the built-in macOS Cmd+Tab?
- The native Cmd+Tab is app-centric: it shows every running app across every Space and cannot switch to a specific window. Scopo is window-aware: it lists individual windows with live previews, sorted by most recently used, and lets you search them by title. It also scopes the list to your current Space, so it stays short and relevant even with dozens of windows open.
- Does Scopo work with multiple monitors?
- Yes. Scopo treats your current screen and Space as the project boundary, so the switcher stays tied to the display and Space you are working on, even across two or three monitors.
- Does Scopo replace Mission Control or Stage Manager?
- No, it works alongside them. Mission Control and Stage Manager are about arranging windows on screen. Scopo is about switching between the windows and projects you already organized with Spaces, from the keyboard, without a full-screen takeover.
- Does Scopo support window tiling or snapping?
- Yes. Scopo tiles windows into clean split layouts that you can build with a keystroke (Option+D to split, then pick a window) or by dragging the on-hover handle. Tiles can also hold multiple windows behind one tab strip (Tabbed Windows), and layouts survive restarts. Like everything in Scopo, tiling stays scoped to the Space you're working in, so each Space keeps its own layout across multiple monitors.
- Is Scopo a launcher like Raycast or Alfred?
- Scopo includes a command bar built into the switcher: type to jump to windows and exact browser tabs, launch apps, search the web, calculate and convert, and more. The difference is focus. Scopo is a window switcher first, so results lean toward taking you to something already open. Finding and going is free; power actions like AI prompts, semantic file search (find documents by what they're about, not just their name), snippets, and clipboard history are part of Pro.
- Which versions of macOS does Scopo support?
- Scopo requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
- What permissions does Scopo need?
- Scopo needs Accessibility permission to focus and move windows, and Screen Recording permission to show live window previews. You grant these once in System Settings the first time you run the app. Optional features ask just-in-time: browser tab search requests per-browser Automation consent only when you choose to enable it, never during onboarding.
- Is my data private?
- Yes. Scopo never saves window thumbnails or screenshots to disk; captured screen content stays in memory and is discarded when the app quits. Window titles are only ever written to disk encrypted, so your tiling layouts can survive a restart, and never in plaintext. Optional clipboard history is off by default and encrypted with a key in your Keychain. Nothing about your windows is sent anywhere.
- Is Scopo really free?
- Yes. The window switcher, its core navigation, and the command bar's find-and-go essentials are free forever, with no credit card required. Pro features like custom Space styling, profiles, tiling, tabbed windows, the shelf, moving windows between Spaces, and the command bar's power actions come with an optional 30-day Pro trial, and if you subscribe there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- How much does Scopo cost?
- Scopo is free forever — the window switcher and core navigation cost nothing. Pro unlocks the power features and starts at $1.25 per month billed annually, or $1.99 per month.
Still curious? It's free.
The window switcher is free forever. Pro features come with an optional 30-day trial.