Create custom zone layouts in the grid editor
The layout editor builds any grid of zones for the screen selected in the main window. Open it with the Edit Layouts… link next to the Current Layout dropdown, or with Add when a screen has no layouts.
The editor has two views: Layouts (manage) and Edit Layout.
Layouts view
Section titled “Layouts view”A list of the screen’s saved layouts, each with a thumbnail, its name and the number of zones.
- Hover over a layout to show Edit and a red ✕. Clicking the row also opens Edit.
- ✕ deletes the layout immediately, without asking.
- Add starts a new layout (a 1×3 grid with no name).
- Restore Defaults adds back any built-in layouts you deleted. It is greyed out when none are missing.
- Close closes the editor. Esc does the same.
Edit Layout view
Section titled “Edit Layout view”From top to bottom:
Layout name
Section titled “Layout name”Required. Names can’t contain " \ { } [ or ]. Saving with a name that already exists replaces that layout.
Templates
Section titled “Templates”25/50/25, 50/50, 33/33/33 and 100% load the matching built-in geometry as a starting point.
Rows and Columns
Section titled “Rows and Columns”Use − and + to set a uniform grid from 1 to 6 rows and columns. Changing either one resets the grid.
Canvas: split and merge
Section titled “Canvas: split and merge”The canvas is shaped like the selected monitor. Hover to preview what a click will do.
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Click inside a zone | Split it in two, side by side (vertical divider) |
| Shift + click inside a zone | Split it in two, one above the other (horizontal divider) |
| Click a shared border between two zones | Merge them into one, if the result is a rectangle |
A zone can’t be split if either half would be smaller than 3% of the screen.
Zone table: exact sizes
Section titled “Zone table: exact sizes”One row per zone (numbered in reading order) with Width and Height fields and a % / px unit toggle.
- Type a value and press Enter or Tab. Only the zones after this one in the same row or column shrink or grow to make room.
- An invalid value (not a number, 0 or less, 100% or more, or leaving nothing for the other zones) snaps back.
Save / Cancel
Section titled “Save / Cancel”Save checks the name, saves and returns to the list. Cancel throws away your changes. Pressing Enter in the name field also saves.
What saving does
Section titled “What saving does”- The layout appears in the main dropdown and the tray Layout menu right away.
- Renaming the active layout keeps it active.
- Saving or deleting the active layout while confinement is running restarts confinement and closes any shared zones on that screen.
Editor keyboard
Section titled “Editor keyboard”| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc | Close the editor |
| Tab / Shift+Tab | Move between fields |
| Enter | Commit a number, or Save from the name field |
| Ctrl+A / C / X / V | Select all, copy, cut, paste in text fields |
Layout ideas
Section titled “Layout ideas”| Layout | How to build it |
|---|---|
| Quad (2×2) | Rows 2, Columns 2 |
| Big center with stacked side zones | Template 25/50/25, then Shift-click the left and right zones |
| 60/40 split | Template 50/50, then set zone 1 width to 60% |
| Focus column with a strip below | Columns 1, then Shift-click, then set zone 1 height to 75% |
Backing up or copying layouts
Section titled “Backing up or copying layouts”There is no import/export button. Layouts are stored in settings.json. See Files & data.