displayplacer

macOS command line utility to configure multi-display resolutions and arrangements. Essentially XRandR for macOS.

Install via Homebrew with brew tap jakehilborn/jakehilborn && brew install displayplacer or visit the releases tab.

Usage:

Show current screen info and possible resolutions: displayplacer list

Screen config (hz is optional): displayplacer "id:<screenId> res:<width>x<height> hz:<hz> scaling:<on/off> origin:(<x>,<y>) degree:<0/90/180/270>"

Screen config using mode: displayplacer "id:<screenId> mode:<modeNum> origin:(<x>,<y>) degree:<0/90/180/270>"

Set layout with a mirrored screen: displayplacer "id:<mainScreenId>+<mirrorScreenId>+<mirrorScreenId> res:<width>x<height> hz:<hz> scaling:<on/off> origin:(<x>,<y>) degree:<0/90/180/270>"

Example w/ all features: displayplacer "id:18173D22-3EC6-E735-EEB4-B003BF681F30+F466F621-B5FA-04A0-0800-CFA6C258DECD res:1440x900 scaling:on origin:(0,0) degree:0" "id:4C405A05-8798-553B-3550-F93E7A7722BB res:768x1360 hz:60 scaling:off origin:(1440,0) degree:90" "id:A46D2F5E-487B-CC69-C588-ECFD519016E5 mode:3 origin:(-1440,0) degree:270"

Instructions:

1. Manually set rotations 1st*, resolutions 2nd, and arrangement 3rd. For extra resolutions and rotations read 'Notes' below.
   • Open System Preferences -> Displays
   • Choose desired screen rotations (use displayplacer for rotating internal MacBook screen).
   • Choose desired resolutions (use displayplacer for extra resolutions).
   • Drag the white bar to your desired primary screen.
   • Arrange screens as desired and/or enable mirroring.
   • To enable partial mirroring hold the alt/option key and drag a display on top of another.
2. Use displayplacer list to print your current layout's args so you can create profiles for scripting/hotkeys with Automator, BetterTouchTool, etc.

Notes:

• *displayplacer list and system prefs only show resolutions for the screen's current rotation.
• Use an extra resolution shown in displayplacer list by executing displayplacer "id:<screenId> mode:<modeNum>"
• Rotate your internal MacBook screen by executing displayplacer "id:<screenId> degree:<0/90/180/270>"
• The screen set to origin (0,0) will be set as the primary screen (white bar in system prefs).
• The first screenId in a mirroring set will be the 'Optimize for' screen in the system prefs. You can only choose resolutions for the 'Optimize for' screen. If there is a mirroring resolution you need but cannot find, try making a different screenId the first of the set.

Feedback:

Please create a GitHub Issue for any feedback, feature requests, bugs, Homebrew issues, etc. Happy to accept pull requests too!