How to switch between windows on a Mac
Command Tab switches apps, not windows. Every built in way to get to the window you want, and a layout where the next window is always in the same place.
People coming from Windows are often surprised: ⌘ Tab on a Mac moves between apps, not windows. If an app has three windows, you need another way to pick one.
Built in
| To do this | Press |
|---|---|
| Next app | ⌘ Tab |
| Next window of the same app | ⌘ ` `` |
| All windows of this app | ⌃ ↓ (App Exposé) |
| Every window | ⌃ ↑ (Mission Control) |
While in ⌘ Tab, show that app's windows | Press ↓ before letting go |
Why it still feels slow
Each of these makes you look before you choose. The windows are in a different place every time, because they overlap in whatever order you last touched them.
Windows with a fixed place
On a strip, windows stay in order, left to right. ClutterFreeMac moves focus with ⌃ ⌥ and an arrow, jumps straight to the fifth window with ⌃ ⌥ 5, and goes to the first or last with ⌃ ⌥ ⌘ and an arrow. After a day, you know where everything is without looking.
The strip map at the top of the screen shows where you are, and a three or four finger swipe moves along the row.
Questions
How do I switch between two windows of the same app on a Mac?
Press `⌘` and the key above Tab (`` ` ``). On some keyboards it is the key left of Z.
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