GlazeWM: The Tiling Window Manager Windows Users Have Been Waiting For

If you've ever used i3 on Linux, you know the feeling. That moment when you realize your windows can actually organize themselves without you dragging them around like some kind of digital furniture mover. Then you switch back to Windows for work, and it's back to the dark ages of overlapping windows and manual resizing.

GlazeWM is here to fix that. It's a tiling window manager for Windows that borrows heavily from i3's keybinding philosophy, and honestly, it's about time someone did this properly.

What It Does

GlazeWM is a lightweight, configurable tiling window manager that runs on Windows 10 and 11. Instead of the default Windows snap layouts, it gives you true tiling behavior. You hit a keybinding, windows automatically arrange themselves into non-overlapping layouts. No more manual resizing, no more fighting with window edges.

The keybindings are heavily inspired by i3wm, so if you've used i3 on Linux, you'll feel right at home. Alt+Enter to open a terminal, Alt+H/J/K/L to move focus between windows, Alt+Shift+Q to close. It's all there, and it's configurable.

Why It's Cool

The obvious appeal is for developers who live in terminals and editors. But there's more here than just "i3 on Windows."

First, it's fast. Like, genuinely fast. Window management operations feel instant, and because it runs natively as a Windows app (not a wrapper around something else), it doesn't feel janky.

Second, configuration is clean. You configure it with a YAML file. If you've ever used i3's config format, you'll appreciate how much more readable YAML is. No more deciphering what set $mod Mod4 means to a newcomer.

Third, it handles multiple monitors well. If you're running a multi-display setup, GlazeWM treats each monitor as a workspace. You can have different layouts on different screens, and moving windows between them is a keybinding away.

There's also the stacking mode, which is a nice touch. Sometimes you don't want tiling for a particular window (like a modal dialog). GlazeWM handles these edge cases without dumping you back into chaos.

How to Try It

Getting started is straightforward:

1. Head over to the GitHub releases page and grab the latest .exe installer.
2. Run it. GlazeWM will start automatically and take over window management.
3. Open a terminal and try Alt+Enter to launch a new one. That's your first tiling window.

The README has a quickstart guide and a full list of default keybindings. If you want to customize, the config file lives at ~/.glazewm/config.yaml on Windows.

One tip: before you dive in, rebind the keybindings to something that doesn't conflict with your existing muscle memory. The defaults use Alt as the modifier, and you'll likely run into conflicts with apps that use Alt shortcuts. I changed mine to CapsLock for a dedicated modifier key, and it feels way more natural.

Final Thoughts

GlazeWM isn't perfect. It's still under active development, so you might hit the occasional rough edge. But for developers who miss i3 or just want a more keyboard-driven Windows experience, it's incredibly refreshing.

The best way to use this is to pair it with a terminal-heavy workflow. If you're already using WSL or a Windows terminal with tmux, GlazeWM makes the whole experience feel cohesive. It's not going to replace everything, but it'll make the parts of your workflow that should be keyboard-driven feel effortless.

Give it a shot. Worst case, you uninstall it and go back to the old way. Best case, you wonder how you ever worked without it.

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