How to turn off window tiling when dragging on a Mac

2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 4 October 2026

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS Tahoe 26

App

System Settings

Path

System Settings › Desktop & Dock

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

macOS tiles a window when you drag it to the left or right edge of the screen, and fills the screen when you drag it to the menu bar. That is handy when you want it and annoying when you only meant to move a window. Each behaviour has its own switch.

The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.

Step by step

1. 

   Open System Settings

   Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.

   Done

2. 

   Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar

   It is below Appearance. You may need to scroll down in the sidebar.

   Done

3. 

   Scroll to Windows and switch off the edge tiling

   Drag windows to left or right edge of screen to tile is on in the picture.

   Done

4. 

   Switch off filling the screen from the menu bar

   Drag windows to menu bar to fill screen is the next row.

   Done

5. 

   Decide about the Option key

   Hold Option key while dragging windows to tile: press the Option key to accelerate tiling when you drag windows to the edge of the screen. Tiled windows have margins leaves some space around each tiled window.

   Done

Good to know

Spaces and Mission Control settings are further down the same page: how to stop Spaces rearranging themselves on a Mac.

In short: System Settings, Desktop & Dock, Windows: switch off the two Drag windows switches.