I have used FancyZones from Microsoft PowerToys for quite some time, and it served me well for basic window organization. The zone-based snapping worked fine for keeping my browser and notes side by side, and I didn’t think much about it.
But after watching a few videos about tiling window managers on Linux, I realized FancyZones was only scratching the surface. I wanted windows to tile automatically, fully keyboard-driven controls, and proper workspace management — things FancyZones doesn’t really offer. That’s when I found komorebi, a source-available tiling window manager built specifically for Windows. It’s not a casual tool, and setting it up takes effort, but it fills the gaps that FancyZones left open.
GlazeWM is a tiny open-source app that manages windows better than Windows does
Transform Windows multitasking with GlazeWM’s fast, keyboard-driven tiling workflow.
Komorebi’s keyboard-first approach changed how I use Windows
Every window action is just a keystroke away
With FancyZones, I was still reaching for my mouse. Drag a window here, resize it there, click to switch focus; it never felt efficient. Komorebi flips that because every window action is mapped to a keyboard shortcut, and once you learn them, the mouse becomes optional for window management.
Komorebi itself handles the tiling logic, but it doesn’t process keybindings on its own. You need a companion tool for that. Whkd is the recommended option, though AutoHotkey works too, and I’ve previously remapped Caps Lock to a Hyper Key and doubled my shortcuts with it. Whkd reads a simple config file where you define shortcuts that trigger komorebic commands. For example, I press Alt + H to move focus left, Alt + L to move right, and Alt + Shift + Enter to swap the focused window with the main area.
Komorebi is the window manager itself — it runs in the background and handles all the tiling logic. On the other hand, Komorebic is the command-line tool you use to communicate with it.
The efficiency comes from stacking these shortcuts into muscle memory. I can resize windows with Alt + plus or minus, move a window to workspace 3 with Alt + Shift + 3, or toggle a floating mode for a specific app with a single keystroke. None of this requires lifting my hands from the keyboard.
It took a few days before I stopped thinking about which key to press. But after that adjustment period, managing windows became almost zero effort.
The setup process isn’t exactly beginner-friendly
You’ll spend time configuring before you see results
I won’t sugarcoat this — komorebi requires more effort to set up than most Windows software. There’s no installer wizard or graphical interface. You’ll work with the terminal, edit configuration files, and troubleshoot issues that might not have obvious solutions. If you’ve never touched a command line, expect a learning curve.
That said, the documentation on the GitHub repository is solid, and once your configuration is in place, you rarely need to revisit it.
Installing komorebi and whkd
The easiest way to install komorebi is through WinGet, which comes pre-installed on Windows 11. You’ll also want whkd for handling keyboard shortcuts, and it’s built by the same developer and integrates easily.
- Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal as an administrator.
-
Run
winget install LGUG2Z.komorebiand wait for the installation to complete. -
Run
winget install LGUG2Z.whkdto install the hotkey daemon. -
Verify both are installed correctly by typing
komorebic --versionandwhkd --version.
If you prefer Scoop as your package manager, that works too. Just run scoop install komorebi and scoop install whkd after adding the extras bucket.
Generating a quickstart configuration
Komorebi doesn’t run out of the box, so it needs configuration files to know how you want it to behave. The fastest way to get started is with the built-in quickstart command, which generates working defaults.
-
Open PowerShell and run
komorebic quickstart. -
This creates two files in your home directory:
komorebi.jsonfor komorebi’s settings andwhkdrcfor your keybindings. - Open both files in a text editor to review the defaults. The JSON file controls features such as gaps between windows, workspace rules, and monitor settings. The whkdrc file maps keyboard shortcuts to komorebic commands.
You can use these defaults as-is or tweak them to match your workflow. I’d recommend starting with the quickstart config and adjusting things gradually rather than writing everything from scratch.
Starting komorebi for the first time
With configuration files in place, you’re ready to launch. This part is straightforward, but you need to start both komorebi and whkd separately.
-
Run
komorebic startin PowerShell. Your windows will snap into a tiled layout — don’t panic if things look chaotic at first. -
In a new terminal window, run
whkdto activate your keybindings. - Test a few shortcuts from your whkdrc file. Try moving focus between windows or swapping their positions.
If something breaks, or you want to reset, run komorebic stop to turn off komorebi and restore normal window behavior. You can also run komorebic reload-configuration after editing your JSON file to apply changes without restarting.
Making komorebi start automatically
Running two commands every time you boot your PC gets old fast. You’ll want both programs to launch at startup, and Windows Task Scheduler handles this well.
- Open Task Scheduler and create a new task for komorebi.
-
Set the trigger to “At log on” and the action to run
komorebic start --whkd(the flag starts whkd automatically alongside komorebi). - Under conditions, uncheck “Start the task only if the computer is on AC power” if you’re on a laptop.
Alternatively, you can add shortcuts to your shell startup profile or use the Windows startup folder. The Task Scheduler method gives you more control, but any approach works as long as both processes run at login.
Automatic tiling and workspaces make multitasking easy
New windows just fall into place without any dragging
The moment I opened my first window with komorebi running, it snapped into place without any input from me. That’s the fundamental difference from FancyZones. In komorebi, when you open new windows, the layout automatically redistributes using a tiling algorithm, rather than relying on manual dragging or snapping to predefined zones.
Komorebi uses a BSP (binary space partitioning) layout by default. Each new window splits the available space, creating a tree-like structure in which each application gets its own section. This might sound chaotic, but it works surprisingly well in practice. The layout stays balanced, and you always know where a new window will appear. You’re not stuck with BSP, though. Komorebi supports several layout modes, such as VerticalStack, HorizontalStack, Columns, Rows, and UltrawideVerticalStack for wide monitors. Switching between them is a single keybinding away.
I keep BSP for general work and switch to VerticalStack when I need a main window with smaller references on the side.
Workspaces are where komorebi pulls ahead of anything Windows offers natively. Yes, Windows has virtual desktops, but managing them with a keyboard is clunky at best. Komorebi gives you up to eight workspaces per monitor, each with instant keyboard access. I use eight of them, so I can press Alt + 3 to jump to workspace three, and Alt + Shift + 3 to move the focused window there.
Each monitor can have its own set of workspaces. If you’re running multiple displays, you can configure independent workspace layouts for each one through the komorebi.json file.
The initial effort pays off once everything clicks
Komorebi isn’t for everyone, but it might be for you
If you’re satisfied with FancyZones, there’s no pressing reason to switch. It handles basic window organization fine, and it requires zero configuration. But if you’ve ever watched someone use i3 or bspwm on Linux and wished Windows had something similar, komorebi is the closest you’ll get.
The configuration demands patience, not expertise. Once your keybindings feel natural, and they will after a week or so, you stop thinking about window management entirely. That’s the whole point.
