A scrolling window manager for Mac, inspired by Niri
Pivot’s Infinity Layout groups your windows into horizontal zones on one display. You scroll sideways between them instead of shrinking everything to fit.
Infinity Layout is in beta and is free: it keeps working after the 5-day Pro trial ends. Pivot requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later.
What a scrolling window manager is
Most tiling tools divide one screen among all your windows, so each new window makes the others smaller. A scrolling window manager lets the workspace extend sideways past the edge of the display.
The idea comes from Linux. PaperWM is a GNOME Shell extension that provides scrollable tiling of windows. Niri describes itself as a scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor and says it is heavily inspired by PaperWM. In Niri, windows sit in columns on an infinite strip going to the right, and opening a new window never causes existing windows to resize. Neither project is built for macOS.
How Infinity Layout works on a Mac
- Zones on one display. Infinity Layout groups windows into horizontal zones. A zone can hold more than one window.
- Scroll or use shortcuts. Move between zones by scrolling, or set previous and next zone shortcuts in Pivot’s Dashboard. Option + Tab and Option + Shift + Tab select a window in the active zone.
- Arrange inside a zone. Auto Layout and Smart Dot work in the active zone. Both are Pro features.
- Exit when you are done. Leaving Infinity Layout restores your original window positions.
Infinity Layout is a beta feature. Small utility windows stay floating, and a window that refuses to move can detach from the session without ending it.
See the Infinity Layout demo on the Pivot page.
Niri and Pivot’s Infinity Layout side by side
| Feature | Niri | Pivot Infinity Layout |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor | A mode inside Pivot, a macOS window manager app |
| Runs on | Wayland | macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon |
| Layout model | Columns on an infinite strip going to the right | Horizontal zones on one display |
| Displays | Each monitor has its own strip of windows | Zones on one display |
| Status and price | Open source (GPL-3.0) | Beta, free to use after the Pro trial |
When another tool is the better choice
- You run Linux. Use Niri or PaperWM. Both are open source projects built for it.
- You want the scrolling model across your whole desktop. Niri is a compositor, so the layout is the desktop. Infinity Layout is a mode you enter and exit inside a macOS app, on one display.
- You use an Intel Mac or macOS 13 or earlier. Pivot will not run. Niri’s README mentions community projects that bring scrollable tiling to macOS, which may be worth checking.
- You need finished software. Infinity Layout is still in beta.
What else is in Pivot
Pivot is a free download, and every installation starts with a 5-day Pro trial that needs no payment card. After the trial, Grid, unlimited Saved Layouts, layout restore shortcuts, display-aware auto-restore, and Infinity Layout stay free. Pro adds Auto Layout and Smart Dot. It is a one-time purchase at a beta price of $4.99 (listed at $9.99), with one Mac per license. See what is free and what is Pro.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Niri or PaperWM for Mac?
Niri is a Wayland compositor and PaperWM is a GNOME Shell extension, so neither is built for macOS. Pivot’s Infinity Layout is inspired by Niri and brings horizontal scrolling zones to one Mac display.
Is Infinity Layout free?
Yes. Infinity Layout stays free after the 5-day Pro trial ends. Auto Layout and Smart Dot, which you can use inside the active zone, are Pro features.
Does Infinity Layout record my screen?
Infinity Layout uses optional Screen Recording access for smooth transitions and adjacent window previews. Captures stay in memory, are never saved, and are released when you exit. Without access, it uses native window movement.
Try Infinity Layout
Open a handful of windows, turn on Infinity Layout, and scroll. Exit at any time to put your windows back where they were.
Download Pivot for macOS ↓Free download. Requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later. No card needed for the trial. Prefer to look first? See the demos on the Pivot page.