Workflo

Workflo is a macOS menu-bar app that stages your workspace before meetings and focus blocks, and restores window layouts when your display setup changes. It helps Mac users automate app opening, window arrangement, and screen-share cleanup without requiring an account or cloud sync.

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Workspace automation for macOS

Workflo is a macOS menu-bar app that stages your workspace before meetings and focus blocks. It uses calendar, clock, and display-change triggers to open the right apps and arrange windows ahead of time.

It also restores layouts when your display setup changes, such as docking, undocking, or connecting a monitor. A cancelable countdown runs before automation starts, and Scenes can also be launched manually with a hotkey.

Core features

Calendar and time-based triggers

Apply a Scene at a set time or in the minutes before a calendar event with a video link. The app checks before it acts, giving you a chance to cancel.

Scenes for named workspace presets

Create presets for different tasks or desks, such as writing, review, or monitoring. A Scene can open missing apps, hide the rest, and close apps you do not need.

Scene Studio for layout design

Build your own Scenes on a drag-and-resize canvas, including support for dual-monitor setups. Nothing changes until you choose to apply the Scene.

Display-aware window restoration

When displays change, Workflo returns every window to its exact position in under a second. It is built to recognize the desk you are on after docking or undocking.

Stash for clearing the screen

Use the ⌥⇧S shortcut to hide every window, then press it again to bring the Desk back exactly as it was. This is aimed at screen shares and short focus sessions.

Local rules and privacy controls

Set per-app rules to ignore an app or always restore its size. The site says Workflo only needs Accessibility permission, does not use Screen Recording, and keeps data as plain JSON on your Mac.

Practical ways to use Workflo

Prepare for meetings automatically
Set a trigger so the right apps and windows are staged a few minutes before a call. This is useful when you want to join with the correct tabs, docs, and windows already open.
Restore a desk after changing displays
If you dock, undock, or plug in an external monitor, Workflo brings windows back to their stored positions. This helps people who move between laptop-only and multi-display setups.
Clear the screen for presenting or focus
Use Stash to hide everything before a screen share or deep-work block, then restore the same layout afterward. The shortcut is meant to make temporary cleanup quick.
Maintain different setups for different tasks
Create separate Scenes for activities such as writing, review, or monitoring. Each Scene can open the needed apps while keeping the rest out of the way.
Control specific apps more precisely
Apply per-app rules for software that should not be moved, should be ignored, or should always return at a fixed size. This is useful when one app needs special handling across layouts.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Works from the menu bar and focuses on automation before you need to act.
Supports both calendar/time triggers and display-change recovery.
Lets you design custom Scenes, including dual-monitor layouts.
Includes a quick hide-and-restore shortcut for temporary cleanup.
Emphasizes local storage and no account or cloud requirement.

Cons

The source only covers macOS, so it is not presented as a cross-platform tool.
Advanced setup depends on building Scenes and triggers, so it may take some configuration before it fits a workflow.
Calendar access is requested only when adding a calendar trigger, which means that trigger type is optional rather than automatic.

FAQ

What does Workflo do?

Workflo stages your Mac workspace before meetings or focus blocks and restores window layouts when your display setup changes.

Does Workflo need an account?

No. The site says there is no account and no cloud, and that Desks, Scenes, and rules are stored locally as plain JSON.

Can Workflo be triggered manually?

Yes. The site says you can summon a Scene yourself with a hotkey, and Stash has its own shortcut for hiding windows.

What permissions does Workflo use?

The site says Workflo only needs Accessibility permission and does not rely on Screen Recording to show previews.

Does Workflo support calendar-based automation?

Yes, but only if you add a calendar trigger. The site says access is requested at that moment, and events are read on your Mac to time the action.

Quick Facts

Category: Productivity
Platform: macOS
Form factor: Menu-bar app
Primary use: Workspace automation and window layout restoration
Domain: getworkflo.app
Pricing model: One-time purchase with 7-day free trial