SnapState

A macOS menu bar application for saving and restoring workspace layouts. Capture your perfect desktop setup and restore it instantly with a single click.

Screenshots

Features

• Quick Capture - Save your current workspace with a single click from the menu bar
• Window Position Restore - Automatically restores app window positions using Accessibility APIs
• App Launch Management - Specify which apps to launch and which to close for each workspace
• URL Preservation - Saves browser URLs (Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Arc) so you can resume exactly where you left off
• Monitor Auto-Restore - Automatically restores a workspace when you connect/disconnect external displays
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Press ⌘1-6 when the popup is open, or ⌃⌘1-6 globally to instantly restore workspaces
• Menu Bar Only - Runs entirely from the menu bar with no dock icon

Requirements

• macOS 12.0 or later
• Accessibility Permission - Required for reading and restoring window positions

Installation

Using Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install soulsniper-v2/tap/snapstate

From DMG

1. Download SnapState.dmg from the Releases
2. Open the DMG and drag SnapState to Applications
3. Grant Accessibility permission when prompted (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility)

Building from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/SoulSniper-V2/SnapState.git
cd SnapState

# Open in Xcode
open SnapState.xcodeproj

# Build and run (Cmd+R)

Usage

1. Launch the app - SnapState appears in your menu bar (no dock icon)
2. Capture a workspace:
   • Click the menu bar icon
   • Click the + button
   • Give your workspace a name
   • Click the camera icon to capture
3. Restore a workspace - Click any saved workspace card
4. Manage workspaces:
   • Click "Settings" to open the full management window
   • Edit workspace names, icons, and colors
   • Delete workspaces
   • Set up auto-restore for monitor changes

Permissions

Accessibility (Required)

SnapState needs Accessibility permission to:

• Read current window positions
• Restore window positions after launching apps

Grant permission in: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility

How It Works

1. Capture - When you save a workspace, SnapState records:

   • Running applications
   • Browser URLs (Safari/Chrome)
   • Window positions and sizes
   • Display configuration

2. Restore - When restoring a workspace:

   • Launches specified apps (with URLs if saved)
   • Closes apps that should not be running
   • Waits for apps to launch
   • Restores window positions using Accessibility APIs

Tech Stack

• SwiftUI - Modern declarative UI
• AppKit - System integration
• ApplicationServices - Accessibility APIs for window management
• Combine/Observable - Reactive state management

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details