RibbonAlt-Tab on a Mac: switching windows the Windows way
The Mac version of Alt-Tab is ⌘Tab, but it switches between apps, not windows, and it doesn't show minimized windows. For the window you want inside an app, use ⌘`. If you want the Windows behaviour exactly, the free AltTab app adds a switcher with a thumbnail of every window.
How the Mac switcher differs
| Windows Alt-Tab | Mac Command-Tab | |
|---|---|---|
| Lists | Every window | Every running app (menu bar-only apps aren't listed) |
| Two Chrome windows | Two entries | One entry |
| Minimized windows | Included | The app is listed, but choosing it doesn't restore a minimized window |
| Thumbnails | Yes | App icons only |
| Modifier position | Alt, next to the space bar | Command, next to the space bar |
The modifier sits in the same place, so muscle memory transfers. The behaviour doesn't.
The built-in pieces
- ⌘Tab: switch app. Keep holding ⌘ and tap Tab to go further, ⇧ to go back.
- ⌘`: next window of the current app. This is the half of Alt-Tab that ⌘Tab doesn't do. See switch between windows of the same app.
- ⌘Tab then ↓: shows the highlighted app's windows, including minimized ones. Pick one with the arrows and Return.
- ⌘Tab then Q or H: while an app is highlighted, quit or hide it without switching to it.
Get a real window switcher
AltTab is free and open source, and it's the closest thing to Windows' Alt-Tab on a Mac: one row of window thumbnails, minimized and hidden windows included, windows from every desktop if you want them.
- Install it:
brew install --cask alt-tab, or download it from its site. - Give it the Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions it asks for (Screen Recording is for the thumbnails).
- It uses ⌥Tab by default, which is physically where Alt-Tab is on a Windows keyboard. You can move it to ⌘Tab in its settings.
Plenty of long-time Mac users install it too.
Switching less
Alt-Tab is how Windows users dig out a window that's hidden behind another. On a Mac you can avoid much of the digging. macOS 15 Sequoia and later snaps windows to halves with Fn⌃ plus an arrow, much like Windows' Win plus an arrow; see Windows Snap on a Mac.
Or go further with a scrolling window manager, where windows never overlap at all. Ribbon lines up every window as a column on a horizontal strip. ⌃⌥← and → move to the neighbouring window whatever app it belongs to, ⌃⌥1–9 jumps to a window by position, and the strip indicator shows an icon for every window, in order. It's a window-level switcher that's always on screen. You can try it in the live demo; pricing is $9.99 once.
FAQ
What is Alt-Tab on a Mac?
⌘Tab. It switches between apps rather than windows. Use ⌘` to switch windows within an app.
How do I make Command-Tab show all windows?
Install the free AltTab app and set its shortcut to ⌘Tab. macOS's own switcher always shows apps.
Why doesn't Command-Tab restore a minimized window?
The Mac switcher brings the app forward, not a particular window. Press ↓ while the app is highlighted in the switcher to pick its minimized window, or click it in the Dock.