Installation
retro⊞spaces requires non-standard access to macOS. If we want to build something extraordinary, Apple doesn't really want to let us — so it takes a bit of self-help. On macOS 15 and 26 the app requires SIP disabled, yabai installed, and Accessibility and Screen Recording granted. On macOS 27, Accessibility and Screen Recording are enough. The app checks all of this itself on first launch and won't start until it's all in place. Installation isn't exactly simple — but then again, neither is living with Mission Control :-)
Requirements
1) tested on macOS 27
Universal binary. On macOS 27 no external apps or other system changes such as disabling SIP are needed.
2) accessibility permission
The app uses it to switch desktops, move windows, and add and remove desktops. retro⊞spaces' loading screen points you straight to the setting.
3) Screen Recording permission
Provides the live window thumbnails shown inside the grid. Without it, tiles fall back to app icons. retro⊞spaces' loading screen points you straight to the setting.
First launch
- 1
Open the DMG and drag retrospaces.app into Applications.
- 2
Launch retrospaces from Applications, or bring it up via Spotlight — Command (⌘) + Space.
- 3
The loading screen checks permissions itself (and SIP and yabai on macOS 15 and 26) and tells you exactly what's missing — the app starts once every check passes.
Why does the app need so many prerequisites?
The table below breaks down each user-facing feature and its dependency on a specific prerequisite. On macOS 27 the app needs neither SIP nor yabai at all. Features marked in the macOS native column work purely through native macOS APIs. We believe this is a temporary state, and we'll gradually manage to replace most of the prerequisites (though certainly not all).
| User-facing feature | macOS native | SIP off | yabai | Accessibility | Screen Rec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch to a desktop (click in the grid, ⌘+number, ⌘+arrows, hot corner) | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Move a window to another desktop (drag & drop in the grid) | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Move the active window via shortcut | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Add / remove a desktop (Settings → Layout; on macOS 27 Mission Control shows for a moment) | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Assign apps to desktops (Settings → Apps) | – | – | – | ✓ | – |
| Window thumbnails in tiles | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Window names | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Overlay/transition animation (cosmetic screen snapshot) | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| The grid itself, tile wallpapers, app icons | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Mini-grid with arrow | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Hot corners | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Renaming desktops, menu bar, Settings, circulation, updates | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Switch to a desktop (click in the grid, ⌘+number, ⌘+arrows, hot corner) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Move a window to another desktop (drag & drop in the grid) | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Move the active window via shortcut | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Add / remove a desktop (Settings → Layout; on macOS 27 Mission Control shows for a moment) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Assign apps to desktops (Settings → Apps) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Window thumbnails in tiles | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Window names | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Overlay/transition animation (cosmetic screen snapshot) | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| The grid itself, tile wallpapers, app icons | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Mini-grid with arrow | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Hot corners | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Renaming desktops, menu bar, Settings, circulation, updates | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Switch to a desktop (click in the grid, ⌘+number, ⌘+arrows, hot corner) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Move a window to another desktop (drag & drop in the grid) | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
| Move the active window via shortcut | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Add / remove a desktop (Settings → Layout; on macOS 27 Mission Control shows for a moment) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Assign apps to desktops (Settings → Apps) | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Window thumbnails in tiles | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Window names | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Overlay/transition animation (cosmetic screen snapshot) | – | – | – | – | ✓ |
| The grid itself, tile wallpapers, app icons | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Mini-grid with arrow | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Hot corners | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Renaming desktops, menu bar, Settings, circulation, updates | ✓ | – | – | – | – |