10 ms·

AltTab – Windows alt-tab on macOS

106 points by DerekBickerton 4y ago

pazimzadeh 4y ago
This is nice. However, once Alt-Tab is activated, it would be nice to be able to hold Alt and use the ` key to cycle through windows from right to left, instead of left to right (same behavior as Command-Tab on MacOS).
- Starmina 4y ago
  Press shift !:)
sarahdellysse 4y ago
Oh wow, this is great! I have tried other window-based application switchers but never really liked how they worked. I understand that macOS has a app-centric model but I find that switching between windows works so much better for me.
chrstphrknwtn 4y ago
What's wrong with Command + Tab?
- mmerlin 4y ago
  It's inefficient after a decade or more of AltTabbing in Windows becomes a muscle memory that is thought-flow breaking when having to un-train that automatic keyboard reflex.
- nomel 4y ago
  It switches between applications, not windows.
- maztaim 4y ago
  Nothing's wrong with it, unless you prefer alt-tab to switch windows. I personally prefer to choose my own adventure.
- randomluck040 4y ago
  Imagine you’re on a German keyboard and want to switch between Firefox windows. In that case I need to do cmd + shift + ` which need two hands since ` is in the upper right corner. That’s the only use for me: switch between windows of the same app easier.
- therealmarv 4y ago
  you mean ⌘ Command + `
gms7777 4y ago
Some feedback from a mac user (if this is your project): The only description of the functionality on the page is "brings the power of Windows’s “alt-tab” window switcher to macOS." As someone that hasn't used Windows in years, this doesn't actually tell me anything. What does this do that command-tab and command-` don't already do in mac?
- SOTGO 4y ago
  It eliminates the hierarchy of windows being necessarily part of an application. Alt-Tab on windows shows only open windows ordered by last time as the focused window with no grouping by application.
  - jeffbee 4y ago
    It doesn't really eliminate it because you are still going to have to switch modes to navigate a tabbed interface within a window.
- SparkyMcUnicorn 4y ago
  I started using this to provide customization rather than being Windows-like. It's pretty customizable, so everyone's experience and preferences will be different but here are some of mine. 1. Command + Tab > Cycle all windows, within all spaces, on active screen (rather than all screens). 2. Command + ` > Same as above, but only for the focused/active application. 3. Customized size of thumbnail, font, items per row, and overall screen real estate. 4. Mouse location = active screen 5. Hidden windows show at the end of the cycle
  - jasonlotito 4y ago
    Pretty sure this also doesn't bring windows to the front when selected, either.
- mort96 4y ago
  One absolutely huge limitation of macOS (IMO) is that cmd-` doesn't let you switch to windows on other workspaces. That means, if you have, say, one terminal window on one workspace and one on the other, there's no easy way to switch to the terminal window on the other workspace.
jaimehrubiks 4y ago
I use a keyboard mapper (better touch tool in my case) to configure Option+Tab to switch between windows of the same app. So I am constantly using Command+Tab and Option+Tab all the time, I think I could never come back. I also did not understand what this app brings, is it a preview of those windows?
- xenadu02 4y ago
  Command-` does this natively: cycle through windows of the active application. Note that on an ANSI keyboard backtick is right above Tab so it makes sense from a layout perspective.
  - jaimehrubiks 4y ago
    Lol you are right. Didn't know. I'll stick to my solution though now that I got so used to. I also have a few other nice shortcuts like: option+< and option+> to resize window to left and right, and option+p to maximize. And also control+j and control+k to switch tabs in browsers and terminals. Probably there are also native shortcuts for that, but I like how I can make mines consistent across all apps.
  - dmart 4y ago
    However, Command-` does not work across desktops, while this app does. That’s my main reason for using it.
- yodon 4y ago
  This app is designed to give you Windows-style switching. MacOS is app-centric, so you have to switch to an app and then switch through the windows of the app. Windows has a unified window stack so Alt-Tab always takes you to the previous window, regardless of what app is responsible for that window. Repeated uses Alt-Tab takes you back through your most recently used windows, regardless of the Apps involved.
- nuccy 4y ago
  Thanks for the advice, I frequently struggle with cmd+` since I have to use both MacOS and Linux regularly. Actually to remap cmd+` to option+tab there is no need to use any third-party apps, the settings (at least in Monterey) are available under System Settings->Keyboard->Shortcuts->Keyboard->"Move focus to next window".
vosper 4y ago
I recently found an old app called Snap which automatically assigns apps to Cmd + number depending on their order in the dock (or you can manually assign them). I have Chrome as the first app in the dock, so it's Cmd+1. Slack is second and is Cmd+2. It's so simple. I love it. I tried to achieve the same with Automator but it was unreliable. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snap/id418073146?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snap/id418073146?mt=12
- lelandfe 4y ago
  Wow, this was last updated in 2012. That's pretty incredible if it still works – the dev won the "no breaking changes in a decade" jackpot in API pachinko.
chadlavi 4y ago
> Built-in ⌘ command + ⇥ tab: Only shows apps, not windows (note: can press down to see window of selected app) I've never actually needed to use it, but that sounds like the default can do this without taking your hands off the keyboard?
- randomluck040 4y ago
  That’s right but it’s not possible without taking your hand from the mouse since you need to put your fingers on the arrow keys. I know that everyone is rather keyboard-centric on HN but some tasks require mouse usage. Also it’s a simple left hand task on windows, I’d need both hands to reach the same result.
nomel 4y ago
I use HyperSwitch, by the creator of HyperDock, for this purpose. I switched to Mac for my job.
- SparkyMcUnicorn 4y ago
  I used to use HyperSwitch, but it has bugs and doesn't work on all applications for some reason. It also doesn't work on M1 macs if I'm recalling correctly. Made the switch to alt-tab, and glad I did.
alin23 4y ago
I use this in combination with my rcmd app (https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd) and I can finally say I’ve reached the perfect app/window switching setup on macOS. Instant app switching with rcmd + visual window switching for multi-window apps like Xcode, Sublime Text etc. It’s similar to what I had on Windows with WinKey+number and their integrated AltTab thumbnails but better since I don’t have to count the apps in the taskbar to know which number to press, and I can AltTab only through the current app windows if I want.
- lelandfe 4y ago
  Woah, rebinding the right command key. I'll need to retrain my brain to get used to it, but this is really, really cool. Thanks!
  - alin23 4y ago
    It was a pretty much useless key for me at first, but seeing how highly accessible it is for my right thumb, I prototyped rcmd in a day. I got used to it very fast. My colleague also got used to it in the same day, so we thought to share it. Most people trying out rcmd tell me that in less than a day it has become something they can’t go back from so it feels pretty nice to know I’ve improved at least a few workflows ^_^
- behnamoh 4y ago
  I wish something similar to Autohotkey was available for mac. Karabiner comes cloes, but it's not quite the same thing.
  - PainfullyNormal 4y ago
  - alin23 4y ago
    How about skhd? https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd I use it to simply bind hotkeys to shell commands in a single config file. Given the full power of the shell, you can even use AppleScript (through osascript) if you want to automate the UI/system like AutoHotkey does. It can also send key events using the -k flag so you can remap keys to other key combinations.
yodon 4y ago
For Mac users asking "how is this different from the keystrokes I already have", this app is designed to give you Windows-style switching which is subtlety but fundamentally different from OSX-style window switching. MacOS is app-centric, so you have a keystroke to switch between apps and a keystroke to switch through the windows of the app. Windows is window-centric rather than app-centric, with a unified window stack so a single keystroke (Alt-Tab) always takes you to the previous window, regardless of what app is responsible for that window. Repeated Alt-Tab's take you back through your most recently used windows, regardless of the Apps involved. OSX users generally can't imagine not knowing what apps their windows are associated with, and Windows users generally can't imagine being expected to care what apps their windows are associated with. The difference is largely a historical artifact of the Macintosh operating system not originally supporting "multitasking." When the Mac first came out, it could only run one application at a time. If you wanted to switch between a spreadsheet and a word processor you had to close one application and open the other. Then the concept of a "switcher" was invented, which gave you the sense that the Mac was running multiple applications because it could do app-to-app context switching behind the scenes to make it feel like you were running multiple applications simultaneously. All of this meant there was no OS-level concept of "the window stack" there was only an app-level concept of window history, and a separate OS-level concept of app history. Windows launched after the Mac, into an era of slightly more powerful processors and better understanding of user behavior on truly multi-application devices. These differences led Microsoft to adopt an OS-level unified window history model. Apple undoubtedly discussed the idea, but even by the time Windows launched Mac users were fully accustomed to the Mac's windowing model and would have complained mightily at the conceptual switch had it been attempted then or at any other point in time. The more time you spend in one ecosystem, the more natural its approach feels to you, because you adapt to your environment over time.
- 40four 4y ago
  I appreciate your detailed explanation, I came to the comments for exactly this reason. “How is Windows ‘Alt-tab’ any different”. I hate to say, I’m still not following you :) I have spent plenty of time developing of both Mac & Windows systems. I still can’t think of any difference in behavior. What you said In Windows ”with a unified window stack so a single keystroke (Alt-Tab) always takes you to the previous window”, this is the same on Mac. A single press of “Cmd-tab” always goes to the previous window. So if you press it, release & repeat, you will just keep toggling the same two windows. Same behavior. Mac, as you mentioned gives you an extra layer, where you can cycle windows of the same App ‘type’ with “Cmd - `”. Which I find very useful, and actually miss when I’m on Windows. What am I missing? “Alt - tab” & “Cmd - tab” have the same behavior, no? Then Mac gives you the extra “Cmd - `”. Why would I want them Windows behavior? Maybe I should just download it and try for myself haha.
lloydatkinson 4y ago
Wait what, macOS doesn't have any built in equivalent?
- silon42 4y ago
  Yup... I tried macOS for a few months... first thing I went looking for (well, second after switching command/alt or whatever it is).
  - nsonha 4y ago
    as I'm using mac fulltime I have to do it the other way, in my window any linux machine I map their Ctrls to the Meta key. There is a program called kinto that does it.
- krferriter 4y ago
  No. There is no way to get MacOS to be able to switch between open windows on a desktop via a keyboard shortcut without installing 3rd party software that adds this basic functionality.
  - therealmarv 4y ago
    not true: ⌘ Command + `
    - bragh 4y ago
      This only switches between windows of the same app. On Windows, with Alt+Tab you switch between all of the currently open windows of all applications.
    - wccrawford 4y ago
      Not quite. That will switch between windows of a single app. The AltTab thing here will switch between all windows of all apps. I actually like having them separate like OSX does it, even though I'm generally a Windows guy.
    - 4y ago
jolux 4y ago
A recommendation, apropos of this discussion on window management: three finger swipe up on the trackpad for Mission Control/Exposé if you need a specific window. I know trackpads are below most programmers but I’ve found this is faster than hammering alt-tab on Windows if you have a lot of stuff open. Still use Cmd-tab and Cmd-` most of the time though.
- jaywalk 4y ago
  You know you can click on the window you want while holding Alt+Tab, right?
  - jolux 4y ago
    Yes, but I still prefer Mission Control. Possibly because I think in terms of apps, not windows.
monksy 4y ago
The more I use macs, which I'm forced to at work, the less I like them and the more I feel like Apple just really hates their users. They want to dictate how you use these and what it looks like. (I.e. smart quotes.. as a dev that fucks up everything, alt tab, annoying normal user interactions alternatives)
arusahni 4y ago
I paid for Witch and have been pretty happy with it [1]. Only issue is very occasionally the MacOS switcher and the Witch switcher both appear and fight for control. [1] https://manytricks.com/witch/ https://manytricks.com/witch/
- js2 4y ago
  I assign them different activation keys. I use option-tab for Witch and cmd-tab for the built-in switcher.
mr_november 4y ago
This is cool but as a long time macOS user who is now on Windows at least half time, I really miss Cmd + Tab application switching when on Windows. Anyone know of a way to get that behaviour in Windows?
- ComputerGuru 4y ago
  Context: Cmd-Tab in macOS switches between the foremost windows of open applications (i.e. never between windows of the same app). I don’t have a solution for you, but if you used the complement feature cmd-` (switch between open windows of the currently focused app) I did implement that for Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/
- abdusco 4y ago
  If you pin (you don't have to) an app to the taskbar, you can hit [Win] + [index num] on the keyboard and it switches to app at that index. Keep hitting the num key and you switch between the windows of that app. Pinning the app will assign it an index (the icon won't change position) so you can switch to windows of your editor with Win+2 and windows of file explorer with Win+1 without even looking at the taskbar, for example. Here's a detailed description from HowToGeek[0]: > Press the Windows key along with a number key to launch the corresponding app. On the taskbar above, for example, Windows+3 would launch Google Chrome, Windows+4 would launch Slack, and so on all the way up through Windows+0 for Outlook. Using these keyboard shortcuts on an app that’s already running will toggle the app between a minimized and maximized state. > You can also hold down Shift while using those shortcuts to launch a new instance of an app that’s already running. In our example, pressing Shift+Windows+3 would open a new window for Chrome, even if Chrome is already open. > Using the Ctrl key with those shortcuts displays the most recently launched instance of an app. For example, say you had three File Explorer windows open on your PC, and File Explorer was in the first position on your taskbar. Pressing Ctrl+Windows+1 would show you the File Explorer window you most recently opened. [0]: https://www.howtogeek.com/276982/the-most-useful-keyboard-shortcuts-for-the-windows-taskbar/ https://www.howtogeek.com/276982/the-most-useful-keyboard-sh...
  - 4y ago
stu_k 4y ago
Looks great! I've currently use https://contexts.co/ https://contexts.co/ but might switch over for the thumbnails
therealmarv 4y ago
Seems many people don't know: ⌘ Command + ` to switch between windows of same program
- balfirevic 4y ago
  That's not comparable to what this utility does (and it also supports Cmd + ` and does it better than built in MacOS behaviour).
- ComputerGuru 4y ago
  I already posted this in response to another comment but you might be interested to now that I ported that functionality to Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/
azca 4y ago
Have been using this for a few years and the most amazing usecase is being able to switch between multiple chrome windows, just like windows used to let me do "same app, different window instances", with a preview! The other thing that works well with this for a life upgrade on a mac is finicky (GitHub.com/johnste/finicky )
beepbooptheory 4y ago
Am I huge fan of i3wm, but have to use Windows for my job (which is not a tech job in any way). At a certain point I realized that Alt-Tab for switching and Meta-Left/Right for the half screen tiling is totally fine and pretty much all I need to get a sufficiently familiar flow. I still keep i3wm on my personal laptop because its a much smaller screen.
lsiunsuex 4y ago
hold command press tab press the up arrow let go of command press tab to cycle through windows in their size as they originally appeared, preview and all
markvaneijk 4y ago
What about the F3 key on a Mac, this let's you see all Windows and choose one..
- oneeyedpigeon 4y ago
  Last time I tried doing that, it didn't even keep windows in the same place, breaking spatial memory. Is that still the case?
  - markvaneijk 4y ago
    You're right.. That seems to be the biggest difference with this Alt-Tab solution.
billyhoffman 4y ago
I switched to the Mac about 10 years ago. The biggest pain point I haven't really been able to solve (before this app) is switching between 2 specific windows in 2 different applications. On Windows this was as easy as ALT+tab Perfect example, I'm looking in Safari, and entering some numbers in Excel. I have multiple windows open for each app. I'm in Excel, and CMD+tab to switch to Safari, and all the Safari windows come forward, coving up my Excel window. CMD +` only cycles the windows of the current app. There is no easy way to bounce back and forth between a specific Excel window and a specific Safari window. Instead I have to Hide or rearrange my windows so that switch apps doesn't complete cover the windows I want to see
viraatdas 4y ago
How is this different from Contexts? https://contexts.co/ https://contexts.co/
ars 4y ago
Anyone know how get Focus-follows-mouse to work in MacOS? It kind of works in the terminal, but only partially, and not in any other application.
ComputerGuru 4y ago
I wrote the opposite: an implementation of macOS’ cmd-` (switch between open windows of the same application) for Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/
cfn 4y ago
This is great! Coming from Windows I am always annoyed when cmd-tab does not restore a minimized window in MacOS. I don't really understand the logic of it. If the app window is minimized it is obvious (to me) that it should be restored when I cmd-tab to it. Why doesn't it do this?
- akubera 4y ago
  cmd-tab to the minimized window then hold option(alt) before removing your finger from cmd will restore a window (or create a new window if none are available). I don't know if it's documented somewhere, which is a real shame because it's not obvious, but I guess that's been the behavior since Leopard (10.5).
coutego 4y ago
Thanks so, so, SO, much for creating this!

This is nice. However, once Alt-Tab is activated, it would be nice to be able to hold Alt and use the ` key to cycle through windows from right to left, instead of left to right (same behavior as Command-Tab on MacOS).

Starmina 4y ago
Press shift !:)

sarahdellysse 4y ago

Oh wow, this is great! I have tried other window-based application switchers but never really liked how they worked. I understand that macOS has a app-centric model but I find that switching between windows works so much better for me.

chrstphrknwtn 4y ago

What's wrong with Command + Tab?

mmerlin 4y ago
It's inefficient after a decade or more of AltTabbing in Windows becomes a muscle memory that is thought-flow breaking when having to un-train that automatic keyboard reflex.
nomel 4y ago
It switches between applications, not windows.
maztaim 4y ago
Nothing's wrong with it, unless you prefer alt-tab to switch windows. I personally prefer to choose my own adventure.
randomluck040 4y ago
Imagine you’re on a German keyboard and want to switch between Firefox windows. In that case I need to do cmd + shift + ` which need two hands since ` is in the upper right corner. That’s the only use for me: switch between windows of the same app easier.
therealmarv 4y ago
you mean ⌘ Command + `

gms7777 4y ago

Some feedback from a mac user (if this is your project): The only description of the functionality on the page is "brings the power of Windows’s “alt-tab” window switcher to macOS." As someone that hasn't used Windows in years, this doesn't actually tell me anything. What does this do that command-tab and command-` don't already do in mac?

SOTGO 4y ago
It eliminates the hierarchy of windows being necessarily part of an application. Alt-Tab on windows shows only open windows ordered by last time as the focused window with no grouping by application.
- jeffbee 4y ago
  It doesn't really eliminate it because you are still going to have to switch modes to navigate a tabbed interface within a window.
SparkyMcUnicorn 4y ago
I started using this to provide customization rather than being Windows-like. It's pretty customizable, so everyone's experience and preferences will be different but here are some of mine. 1. Command + Tab > Cycle all windows, within all spaces, on active screen (rather than all screens). 2. Command + ` > Same as above, but only for the focused/active application. 3. Customized size of thumbnail, font, items per row, and overall screen real estate. 4. Mouse location = active screen 5. Hidden windows show at the end of the cycle
- jasonlotito 4y ago
  Pretty sure this also doesn't bring windows to the front when selected, either.
mort96 4y ago
One absolutely huge limitation of macOS (IMO) is that cmd-` doesn't let you switch to windows on other workspaces. That means, if you have, say, one terminal window on one workspace and one on the other, there's no easy way to switch to the terminal window on the other workspace.

jaimehrubiks 4y ago

I use a keyboard mapper (better touch tool in my case) to configure Option+Tab to switch between windows of the same app. So I am constantly using Command+Tab and Option+Tab all the time, I think I could never come back. I also did not understand what this app brings, is it a preview of those windows?

xenadu02 4y ago
Command-` does this natively: cycle through windows of the active application. Note that on an ANSI keyboard backtick is right above Tab so it makes sense from a layout perspective.
- jaimehrubiks 4y ago
  Lol you are right. Didn't know. I'll stick to my solution though now that I got so used to. I also have a few other nice shortcuts like: option+< and option+> to resize window to left and right, and option+p to maximize. And also control+j and control+k to switch tabs in browsers and terminals. Probably there are also native shortcuts for that, but I like how I can make mines consistent across all apps.
- dmart 4y ago
  However, Command-` does not work across desktops, while this app does. That’s my main reason for using it.
yodon 4y ago
This app is designed to give you Windows-style switching. MacOS is app-centric, so you have to switch to an app and then switch through the windows of the app. Windows has a unified window stack so Alt-Tab always takes you to the previous window, regardless of what app is responsible for that window. Repeated uses Alt-Tab takes you back through your most recently used windows, regardless of the Apps involved.
nuccy 4y ago
Thanks for the advice, I frequently struggle with cmd+` since I have to use both MacOS and Linux regularly. Actually to remap cmd+` to option+tab there is no need to use any third-party apps, the settings (at least in Monterey) are available under System Settings->Keyboard->Shortcuts->Keyboard->"Move focus to next window".

vosper 4y ago

I recently found an old app called Snap which automatically assigns apps to Cmd + number depending on their order in the dock (or you can manually assign them). I have Chrome as the first app in the dock, so it's Cmd+1. Slack is second and is Cmd+2. It's so simple. I love it. I tried to achieve the same with Automator but it was unreliable. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snap/id418073146?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snap/id418073146?mt=12

lelandfe 4y ago
Wow, this was last updated in 2012. That's pretty incredible if it still works – the dev won the "no breaking changes in a decade" jackpot in API pachinko.

chadlavi 4y ago

> Built-in ⌘ command + ⇥ tab: Only shows apps, not windows (note: can press down to see window of selected app) I've never actually needed to use it, but that sounds like the default can do this without taking your hands off the keyboard?

randomluck040 4y ago
That’s right but it’s not possible without taking your hand from the mouse since you need to put your fingers on the arrow keys. I know that everyone is rather keyboard-centric on HN but some tasks require mouse usage. Also it’s a simple left hand task on windows, I’d need both hands to reach the same result.

nomel 4y ago

I use HyperSwitch, by the creator of HyperDock, for this purpose. I switched to Mac for my job.

SparkyMcUnicorn 4y ago
I used to use HyperSwitch, but it has bugs and doesn't work on all applications for some reason. It also doesn't work on M1 macs if I'm recalling correctly. Made the switch to alt-tab, and glad I did.

alin23 4y ago

I use this in combination with my rcmd app (https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd) and I can finally say I’ve reached the perfect app/window switching setup on macOS. Instant app switching with rcmd + visual window switching for multi-window apps like Xcode, Sublime Text etc. It’s similar to what I had on Windows with WinKey+number and their integrated AltTab thumbnails but better since I don’t have to count the apps in the taskbar to know which number to press, and I can AltTab only through the current app windows if I want.

lelandfe 4y ago
Woah, rebinding the right command key. I'll need to retrain my brain to get used to it, but this is really, really cool. Thanks!
- alin23 4y ago
  It was a pretty much useless key for me at first, but seeing how highly accessible it is for my right thumb, I prototyped rcmd in a day. I got used to it very fast. My colleague also got used to it in the same day, so we thought to share it. Most people trying out rcmd tell me that in less than a day it has become something they can’t go back from so it feels pretty nice to know I’ve improved at least a few workflows ^_^
behnamoh 4y ago
I wish something similar to Autohotkey was available for mac. Karabiner comes cloes, but it's not quite the same thing.
- PainfullyNormal 4y ago
- alin23 4y ago
  How about skhd? https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd I use it to simply bind hotkeys to shell commands in a single config file. Given the full power of the shell, you can even use AppleScript (through osascript) if you want to automate the UI/system like AutoHotkey does. It can also send key events using the -k flag so you can remap keys to other key combinations.

yodon 4y ago

For Mac users asking "how is this different from the keystrokes I already have", this app is designed to give you Windows-style switching which is subtlety but fundamentally different from OSX-style window switching. MacOS is app-centric, so you have a keystroke to switch between apps and a keystroke to switch through the windows of the app. Windows is window-centric rather than app-centric, with a unified window stack so a single keystroke (Alt-Tab) always takes you to the previous window, regardless of what app is responsible for that window. Repeated Alt-Tab's take you back through your most recently used windows, regardless of the Apps involved. OSX users generally can't imagine not knowing what apps their windows are associated with, and Windows users generally can't imagine being expected to care what apps their windows are associated with. The difference is largely a historical artifact of the Macintosh operating system not originally supporting "multitasking." When the Mac first came out, it could only run one application at a time. If you wanted to switch between a spreadsheet and a word processor you had to close one application and open the other. Then the concept of a "switcher" was invented, which gave you the sense that the Mac was running multiple applications because it could do app-to-app context switching behind the scenes to make it feel like you were running multiple applications simultaneously. All of this meant there was no OS-level concept of "the window stack" there was only an app-level concept of window history, and a separate OS-level concept of app history. Windows launched after the Mac, into an era of slightly more powerful processors and better understanding of user behavior on truly multi-application devices. These differences led Microsoft to adopt an OS-level unified window history model. Apple undoubtedly discussed the idea, but even by the time Windows launched Mac users were fully accustomed to the Mac's windowing model and would have complained mightily at the conceptual switch had it been attempted then or at any other point in time. The more time you spend in one ecosystem, the more natural its approach feels to you, because you adapt to your environment over time.

40four 4y ago
I appreciate your detailed explanation, I came to the comments for exactly this reason. “How is Windows ‘Alt-tab’ any different”. I hate to say, I’m still not following you :) I have spent plenty of time developing of both Mac & Windows systems. I still can’t think of any difference in behavior. What you said In Windows ”with a unified window stack so a single keystroke (Alt-Tab) always takes you to the previous window”, this is the same on Mac. A single press of “Cmd-tab” always goes to the previous window. So if you press it, release & repeat, you will just keep toggling the same two windows. Same behavior. Mac, as you mentioned gives you an extra layer, where you can cycle windows of the same App ‘type’ with “Cmd - `”. Which I find very useful, and actually miss when I’m on Windows. What am I missing? “Alt - tab” & “Cmd - tab” have the same behavior, no? Then Mac gives you the extra “Cmd - `”. Why would I want them Windows behavior? Maybe I should just download it and try for myself haha.

lloydatkinson 4y ago

Wait what, macOS doesn't have any built in equivalent?

silon42 4y ago
Yup... I tried macOS for a few months... first thing I went looking for (well, second after switching command/alt or whatever it is).
- nsonha 4y ago
  as I'm using mac fulltime I have to do it the other way, in my window any linux machine I map their Ctrls to the Meta key. There is a program called kinto that does it.
krferriter 4y ago
No. There is no way to get MacOS to be able to switch between open windows on a desktop via a keyboard shortcut without installing 3rd party software that adds this basic functionality.
- therealmarv 4y ago
  not true: ⌘ Command + `
  - bragh 4y ago
    This only switches between windows of the same app. On Windows, with Alt+Tab you switch between all of the currently open windows of all applications.
  - wccrawford 4y ago
    Not quite. That will switch between windows of a single app. The AltTab thing here will switch between all windows of all apps. I actually like having them separate like OSX does it, even though I'm generally a Windows guy.
  - 4y ago

jolux 4y ago

A recommendation, apropos of this discussion on window management: three finger swipe up on the trackpad for Mission Control/Exposé if you need a specific window. I know trackpads are below most programmers but I’ve found this is faster than hammering alt-tab on Windows if you have a lot of stuff open. Still use Cmd-tab and Cmd-` most of the time though.

jaywalk 4y ago
You know you can click on the window you want while holding Alt+Tab, right?
- jolux 4y ago
  Yes, but I still prefer Mission Control. Possibly because I think in terms of apps, not windows.

monksy 4y ago

The more I use macs, which I'm forced to at work, the less I like them and the more I feel like Apple just really hates their users. They want to dictate how you use these and what it looks like. (I.e. smart quotes.. as a dev that fucks up everything, alt tab, annoying normal user interactions alternatives)

arusahni 4y ago

I paid for Witch and have been pretty happy with it [1]. Only issue is very occasionally the MacOS switcher and the Witch switcher both appear and fight for control. [1] https://manytricks.com/witch/ https://manytricks.com/witch/

js2 4y ago
I assign them different activation keys. I use option-tab for Witch and cmd-tab for the built-in switcher.

mr_november 4y ago

This is cool but as a long time macOS user who is now on Windows at least half time, I really miss Cmd + Tab application switching when on Windows. Anyone know of a way to get that behaviour in Windows?

ComputerGuru 4y ago
Context: Cmd-Tab in macOS switches between the foremost windows of open applications (i.e. never between windows of the same app). I don’t have a solution for you, but if you used the complement feature cmd-` (switch between open windows of the currently focused app) I did implement that for Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/
abdusco 4y ago
If you pin (you don't have to) an app to the taskbar, you can hit [Win] + [index num] on the keyboard and it switches to app at that index. Keep hitting the num key and you switch between the windows of that app. Pinning the app will assign it an index (the icon won't change position) so you can switch to windows of your editor with Win+2 and windows of file explorer with Win+1 without even looking at the taskbar, for example. Here's a detailed description from HowToGeek[0]: > Press the Windows key along with a number key to launch the corresponding app. On the taskbar above, for example, Windows+3 would launch Google Chrome, Windows+4 would launch Slack, and so on all the way up through Windows+0 for Outlook. Using these keyboard shortcuts on an app that’s already running will toggle the app between a minimized and maximized state. > You can also hold down Shift while using those shortcuts to launch a new instance of an app that’s already running. In our example, pressing Shift+Windows+3 would open a new window for Chrome, even if Chrome is already open. > Using the Ctrl key with those shortcuts displays the most recently launched instance of an app. For example, say you had three File Explorer windows open on your PC, and File Explorer was in the first position on your taskbar. Pressing Ctrl+Windows+1 would show you the File Explorer window you most recently opened. [0]: https://www.howtogeek.com/276982/the-most-useful-keyboard-shortcuts-for-the-windows-taskbar/ https://www.howtogeek.com/276982/the-most-useful-keyboard-sh...
- 4y ago

stu_k 4y ago

Looks great! I've currently use https://contexts.co/ https://contexts.co/ but might switch over for the thumbnails

therealmarv 4y ago

Seems many people don't know: ⌘ Command + ` to switch between windows of same program

balfirevic 4y ago
That's not comparable to what this utility does (and it also supports Cmd + ` and does it better than built in MacOS behaviour).
ComputerGuru 4y ago
I already posted this in response to another comment but you might be interested to now that I ported that functionality to Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/

azca 4y ago

Have been using this for a few years and the most amazing usecase is being able to switch between multiple chrome windows, just like windows used to let me do "same app, different window instances", with a preview! The other thing that works well with this for a life upgrade on a mac is finicky (GitHub.com/johnste/finicky )

beepbooptheory 4y ago

Am I huge fan of i3wm, but have to use Windows for my job (which is not a tech job in any way). At a certain point I realized that Alt-Tab for switching and Meta-Left/Right for the half screen tiling is totally fine and pretty much all I need to get a sufficiently familiar flow. I still keep i3wm on my personal laptop because its a much smaller screen.

lsiunsuex 4y ago

hold command press tab press the up arrow let go of command press tab to cycle through windows in their size as they originally appeared, preview and all

markvaneijk 4y ago

What about the F3 key on a Mac, this let's you see all Windows and choose one..

oneeyedpigeon 4y ago
Last time I tried doing that, it didn't even keep windows in the same place, breaking spatial memory. Is that still the case?
- markvaneijk 4y ago
  You're right.. That seems to be the biggest difference with this Alt-Tab solution.

billyhoffman 4y ago

I switched to the Mac about 10 years ago. The biggest pain point I haven't really been able to solve (before this app) is switching between 2 specific windows in 2 different applications. On Windows this was as easy as ALT+tab Perfect example, I'm looking in Safari, and entering some numbers in Excel. I have multiple windows open for each app. I'm in Excel, and CMD+tab to switch to Safari, and all the Safari windows come forward, coving up my Excel window. CMD +` only cycles the windows of the current app. There is no easy way to bounce back and forth between a specific Excel window and a specific Safari window. Instead I have to Hide or rearrange my windows so that switch apps doesn't complete cover the windows I want to see

viraatdas 4y ago

How is this different from Contexts? https://contexts.co/ https://contexts.co/

ars 4y ago

Anyone know how get Focus-follows-mouse to work in MacOS? It kind of works in the terminal, but only partially, and not in any other application.

ComputerGuru 4y ago

I wrote the opposite: an implementation of macOS’ cmd-` (switch between open windows of the same application) for Windows: https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/ https://neosmart.net/blog/2017/easy-window-switcher/

cfn 4y ago

This is great! Coming from Windows I am always annoyed when cmd-tab does not restore a minimized window in MacOS. I don't really understand the logic of it. If the app window is minimized it is obvious (to me) that it should be restored when I cmd-tab to it. Why doesn't it do this?

akubera 4y ago
cmd-tab to the minimized window then hold option(alt) before removing your finger from cmd will restore a window (or create a new window if none are available). I don't know if it's documented somewhere, which is a real shame because it's not obvious, but I guess that's been the behavior since Leopard (10.5).

coutego 4y ago

Thanks so, so, SO, much for creating this!