FazerInstallation & Setup
Start FazerWM on your Mac in a few minutes.
Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| macOS | 14.0 (Sonoma) or later |
| Architecture | Apple Silicon (M1 or later) |
| Permissions | Device Control and Data Access and Screen & System Audio Recording (Accessibility on macOS 26 and earlier) |
| Display | Turn off Mission Control (recommended) |
Installation
Download the latest release from fazerwm.app. Then drag FazerWM.app into your Applications folder.
The app is code-signed and notarized. macOS recognizes it as trusted. FazerWM needs the Device Control and Data Access permission and the Screen & System Audio Recording permission. On macOS 26 and earlier, the first permission is listed under Accessibility. These permissions work only with a signed app.
If macOS shows "FazerWM cannot be opened," follow these steps:
- Open the Applications folder.
- Right-click FazerWM.app.
- Choose Open.
- Click Open again in the confirmation dialog.
You only need to do this once.
Permissions
FazerWM needs two system permissions:
Device Control and Data Access
This permission lets FazerWM:
- Move and resize windows automatically
- Read the window titles and positions
- Capture global keyboard shortcuts through a CGEvent tap
- Detect when a window is created or removed
How to grant: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Device Control and Data Access → enable FazerWM. On macOS 26 and earlier, the list is called Accessibility.
macOS 27 renamed the Accessibility permissions pane to Device Control and Data Access. The permission itself did not change. On macOS 26 and earlier, grant it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility instead. The Setup Assistant and the app's dialogs use the name that matches your version of macOS, so you can follow either wording.
Screen & System Audio Recording
This permission lets FazerWM:
- Detect which windows are on each display
- Make live thumbnails for the overview and for parked windows
- Identify windows by their visual position
Despite the pane name, FazerWM uses only the screen part of this permission. It observes window content without recording it, and it never captures system audio.
How to grant: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording → enable FazerWM. Grant Device Control and Data Access first: the Setup Assistant requests the permissions in that order, and the Screen & System Audio Recording step unlocks only after it is granted.
On first launch, FazerWM shows a Setup Assistant. It configures the Hyper key, checks desktop and trackpad settings, and asks which keybinding preset you prefer: arrows, vi (HJKL), or emacs (BNPF). It then helps you grant both permissions. You do not have to open System Settings manually.
Launch at Login
To start FazerWM automatically:
- Open Settings → General from the menu bar
- Turn on Launch FazerWM at login and save
FazerWM registers itself as a macOS login item. You can also manage it under System Settings → General → Login Items. The setting lives in the config file (app.launchAtLogin), so it travels with your configuration to another Mac. While the key is unset, FazerWM leaves your login items untouched, so a copy you added by hand in System Settings stays as you put it.
FazerWM runs as a menu bar app (LSUIElement). It does not appear in the Dock. The menu bar icon shows the workspace name or number of the display under your mouse.