Issue with Yabai Rules Not Working (WhatsApp or TextEdit)

[marcwilly]

I am having trouble with Yabai recognizing the rules I have set for specific applications. Despite my efforts, Yabai continues to manage the windows for these applications. Here are the commands I am using:

yabai -m rule --add app="^WhatsApp$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add app="^TextEdit$" manage=off

I have verified that Yabai is running and other rules are being applied correctly.
Any ideas on how I can fix this issue?

[Bellavene]

Run this. You have two seconds to switch the window.
sleep 2;yabai -m query --windows --window
Look at the output and play with the rule

yabai -m rule --add app="^MyApp.*$" \
         role="AXLayoutArea" \
         subrole="AXFloatingWindow" \
         manage=on \
         display=^1 \
         grid=1:1:0:0:1:1

[turingzhi]

Have you finished this problem? I have the same problem.

[ChrisGVE]

Same here, I've tried what @Bellavene suggested but none of the keys allow me to progress with WhatsApp

[Bellavene]

Anyway, something is wrong with your setup. I had and have zero problems with whatsapp and textedit. While I don't see a reason for using them anyway : )
Have you added yabai -m rule --apply to the end of your .yabairc?

[ChrisGVE]

@Bellavene, thanks for coming back to us. Let me share my yabairc config below:

#!/usr/bin/env sh

#
# for this to work you must configure sudo such that
# it will be able to run the command without password
#
# see this wiki page for information:
#  - https://github.com/koekeishiya/yabai/wiki/Installing-yabai-(latest-release)#configure-scripting-addition
#
yabai -m signal --add event=dock_did_restart action="sudo yabai --load-sa"
sudo yabai --load-sa
#

# global settings
yabai -m config \
	active_window_opacity 1.0 \
	auto_balance off \
	bottom_padding 12 \
	left_padding 12 \
	right_padding 18 \
	top_padding 12 \
	window_gap 12 \
	debug_output on \
	display_arrangement_order default \
	external_bar off:40:0 \
	focus_follows_mouse off \
	insert_feedback_color 0xffd75f5f \
	layout bsp \
	menubar_opacity 1.0 \
	mouse_action1 move \
	mouse_action2 resize \
	mouse_drop_action swap \
	mouse_follows_focus on \
	mouse_modifier fn \
	normal_window_opacity 0.90 \
	split_ratio 0.50 \
	split_type auto \
	window_animation_duration 0.0 \
	window_animation_easing ease_out_circ \
	window_opacity off \
	window_opacity_duration 0.0 \
	window_origin_display default \
	window_placement second_child \
	window_shadow on \
	window_zoom_persist on

yabai -m rule --add label="1Password" app='^1Password$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Activity Monitor" app="^Activity Monitor$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Alfred" app="^Alfred Preferences$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="AnyBox" app="^Anybox$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Apple TV" app="^TV$" manage=off # Problem
yabai -m rule --add label="Audio MIDI Setup" app="^Audio MIDI Setup$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Calculator" app="^Calculator$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Cardhop" app="^Cardhop$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Chronosync" app="^ChronoSync$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="CitrixV" app='^Citrix Viewer$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="CitrixWS" app='^Citrix Workspace$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="CleanMyMac" app="^CleanMyMac$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Coin Stats" app="^Coin Stats$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Console" app="^Console$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Contacts" app="^Contacts$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="DEVONagent Pro" app="^DEVONagent Pro$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Daisy Disk" app="^DaisyDisk$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Dictionary" app="^Dictionary$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Disk Utility" app="^Disk Utility$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Docker Desktop" app="^Docker Desktop$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="FaceTime" app="^FaceTime$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Find My" app="^Find My$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Finder" app='^Finder$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Folder Marker" app="^FolderMarker$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Font Book" app="^Font Book$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Habits" app="^Habits$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Ice" app="^Ice$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Karabiner-Elements" app="^Karabiner-Elements$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Karabiner-EventViewer" app="^Karabiner-EventViewer$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Keyboard Maestro" app="^Keyboard Maestro$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="LuLu" app="^LuLu$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Mail" app="^Mail$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Messages" app="^Messages$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Notes" app="^Notes$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="OnlySwitch" app="^OnlySwitch$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="PCalc" app="^PCalc$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Parallels Desktop" app="^Parallels Desktop$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Passwords" app="^Passwords$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="PathFinder" app='^Path Finder$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Photo Booth" app="^Photo Booth$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Podcasts" app="^Podcasts$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Preview" app="^Preview$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="QMK Toolbox" app="^QMK Toolbox$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="RealVNC" app="^VNC Viewer$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Reminders" app="^Reminders$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="SF Symbols" app="^SF Symbols$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Setapp" app="^Setapp$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Settings" app='^System Settings$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Shortcuts" app="^Shortcuts$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Tot" app="^Tot$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="TradingView" app='^TradingView$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="Transmission" app='^Transmission$' manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="VLC" app="^VLC$" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="WhatsApp" app="^WhatsApp$" title="^WhatsApp$" \
	role="AXWindow" subrole="AXStandardWindow" manage=off # Problem
yabai -m rule --apply

echo "yabai configuration loaded.."

Using your method, I have also checked the record for Whatsapp:

{
        "id":9724,
        "pid":38622,
        "app":"WhatsApp",
        "title":"WhatsApp",
        "scratchpad":"",
        "frame":{
                "x":12.0000,
                "y":738.0000,
                "w":1259.0000,
                "h":689.0000
        },
        "role":"AXWindow",
        "subrole":"AXStandardWindow",
        "root-window":true,
        "display":1,
        "space":1,
        "level":0,
        "sub-level":0,
        "layer":"normal",
        "sub-layer":"normal",
        "opacity":1.0000,
        "split-type":"horizontal",
        "split-child":"second_child",
        "stack-index":0,
        "can-move":true,
        "can-resize":true,
        "has-focus":true,
        "has-shadow":true,
        "has-parent-zoom":false,
        "has-fullscreen-zoom":false,
        "has-ax-reference":true,
        "is-native-fullscreen":false,
        "is-visible":true,
        "is-minimized":false,
        "is-hidden":false,
        "is-floating":false,
        "is-sticky":false,
        "is-grabbed":false
}

I have had success with all the other apps, but WhatsApp is the only one that is unrecognized. Note that I am using Yabai with SIP on, as I don't want to remove my moat.

[Bellavene]

yabai -m rule --add label="WhatsApp" app="WhatsApp" manage=off
yabai -m rule --add label="TV" app="^TV$" manage=off

Both works. I have suggested checking role and subrole as most times when it does not work, then it is a non-standard window. But whatsapp and tv app are usual ones, so no need to add anything, only app name.

[ChrisGVE]

Cool, removing the ^ and $ was the trick; thanks a lot! Appreciated!