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Windows & DockWindow Switcher

Mac Alt-Tab that switches between windows

On a Mac, the Alt-Tab shortcut is ⌘Tab, but it switches between apps, not windows, and ⌘` cycles through the windows of the app you're in. Window Switcher adds Windows-style Alt-Tab: hold ⌥ and press Tab to see the open windows on your desktop with a preview of each, then let go to switch.
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One of 68 fixes in MrFixable. Lifetime license, no subscription. Updated October 22, 2026. Works on macOS 14.2 Sonoma and later. Checked on macOS 26 Tahoe.

What Window Switcher does

The problem
⌘Tab switches between apps, not windows. With three Chrome windows and two Word documents open, it shows one Chrome icon and one Word icon, and takes you to whichever window you used last. ⌘` switches windows within one app, and Mission Control shows them all, but none of these lets you move through every window with the keyboard.
With Window Switcher
Hold ⌥ and press Tab to see your open windows, with a preview of each. Keep pressing Tab to move along, and let go of ⌥ to switch to that window.
  • Every window, not every app
    Each window gets its own place in the list, front to back, so two windows of the same app are two choices. It starts on the window behind the one you're in, so a quick ⌥Tab takes you back.
  • Keys you already know
    Tab or the arrow keys move along, ⇧Tab goes back, and letting go of ⌥ or pressing ↩ switches. ⎋ closes it without switching. ⌥⇧Tab opens it starting from the end.
  • Previews or a compact list
    Show window previews is on by default. Turn it off, or skip Screen Recording, and the switcher shows app icons and window titles instead.

Good to know

  • Needs Accessibility access, which macOS requires for an app that reads your keys and brings other apps' windows forward. Previews also need Screen Recording.

  • Windows that are minimized or on other desktops aren't listed.

  • ⌘Tab keeps working as before. On a Windows keyboard, Alt is the ⌥ key, so Alt-Tab is where you expect it.

  • Switch it off and ⌥Tab reaches your apps as it did before.

Questions

  • How do I Alt-Tab on a Mac?

    Press ⌘Tab (Command-Tab) to switch apps: hold ⌘, tap Tab to move along the row of icons, and let go to switch. To switch between windows instead, turn on Window Switcher in MrFixable. Then hold ⌥ (Option), press Tab to step through your open windows, and let go of ⌥ to jump to the one you picked.

  • How do I switch between windows on a Mac?

    Press ⌘` (Command-Grave accent) to cycle through the windows of the app you're in, or ⌃↓ to spread them out in App Exposé. Press ⌃↑ for Mission Control to see every window at once. With Window Switcher, hold ⌥ and press Tab to step through every window on your desktop, from every app.

  • What is Alt-Tab on a Mac?

    Alt-Tab is the Windows shortcut for switching between open windows. On a Mac, the closest built-in shortcut is ⌘Tab, which switches between apps instead. You can get closer three ways: ⌘` cycles one app's windows, ⌃↓ shows them in App Exposé, and Window Switcher adds a real window switcher on ⌥Tab.

  • Does Alt-Tab work on a Mac?

    No, not by itself. On a Mac, Alt is the ⌥ (Option) key, and macOS has no window switcher on ⌥Tab. ⌘Tab is the built-in switcher, and it switches apps, not windows. With Window Switcher turned on, ⌥Tab works like Alt-Tab on Windows: hold ⌥, press Tab to pick a window, and let go.

  • How do I Alt-Tab on a Mac with a Windows keyboard?

    Use the same keys as on Windows. With a Windows keyboard, macOS treats Alt as ⌥ (Option) and the Windows key as ⌘ (Command), so Windows-Tab switches apps. Turn on Window Switcher, then hold Alt, tap Tab to step through your windows, and let go of Alt to switch to the one you picked.

  • How do I make Mac Alt-Tab work like Windows?

    Turn on Window Switcher in MrFixable and allow Accessibility when macOS asks. Then hold ⌥, press Tab, and let go to switch windows, just like Alt-Tab on Windows. To see a picture of each window, keep Show window previews on and allow Screen Recording. Without it, you see app icons and window titles.

  • How do I Alt-Tab between Chrome windows on a Mac?

    Press ⌘` while Chrome is in front to jump to its next window, or ⌃↓ to see all its windows at once. With Window Switcher, hold ⌥ and press Tab: each Chrome window on your desktop gets its own preview, so you can pick the exact one. Minimized Chrome windows aren't listed.

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