Cmd-Tab won’t switch between windows on Mac
Why it happens, the partial workaround, and the real fix.
You press Command-Tab expecting it to move through your open windows one by one, the way Alt+Tab does on Windows. Instead it jumps between apps, and the windows you have minimized never show up. This is not a bug. On macOS, Command-Tab is an app switcher by design. Here is what is happening, the one built-in workaround, and how to get a switcher that moves through every window.
❌ Why Command-Tab switches apps, not windows
macOS organizes work around applications, not individual windows. Command-Tab reflects that: it shows one icon per running app and switches between apps. When you select an app, macOS brings its most recent window forward. If that app has a single window, this feels like window switching. If it has five, Command-Tab still shows one icon, and there is no way to choose which of the five you land on.
❌ Why minimized and hidden windows don’t appear
Because Command-Tab lists apps rather than windows, a window that is minimized to the Dock, or that belongs to a hidden app, is not represented in the list at all. Selecting the app often leaves the minimized window sitting in the Dock instead of restoring it. So if you rely on minimizing windows, Command-Tab quietly skips exactly the ones you are trying to reach.
❌ The Command-Backtick workaround
macOS does have a partial answer. Command-Backtick (the key above Tab) cycles through the windows of the app you are currently in. It is genuinely useful for flipping between two documents in the same app. But it is limited: it only covers the frontmost app, only on the current Space, and it skips minimized windows by default. It is not a general window switcher.
✅ The fix: switch every window with AltTab
AltTab adds the per-window switcher macOS leaves out. AltTab is our app: free, open source under GPL-3.0, and developed for over eight years. Press Option-Tab and you get a row of live thumbnails of every window, including minimized and hidden ones, across all Spaces and monitors. Hold the key and tap Tab to move along the row, then release to switch. If you want the exact Windows feel, you can remap the shortcut to Command-Tab, so Command-Tab finally cycles windows instead of apps.
Because you see a preview of each window, you land on the right one without guessing. To compare this with the built-in tools in more depth, read AltTab vs built-in window switching. For paid alternatives, see AltTab vs Contexts or our overview of Mac window switchers.
Set up AltTab
- Download AltTab: Download 7.8M downloads
- Open AltTab. The first time, macOS asks for Accessibility and Screen Recording permissions in System Settings under Privacy & Security. Accessibility lets AltTab switch windows; Screen Recording lets it show thumbnails. Grant both.
- Press Option-Tab, the default shortcut, to bring up the switcher. Hold Option and tap Tab to move through windows, then release to switch. You can remap the shortcut to Command-Tab in AltTab’s settings if you prefer.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn’t Command-Tab switch between windows on a Mac?
Because Command-Tab is an app switcher. It shows one icon per app and switches between apps, not individual windows. To switch between windows, use Command-Backtick for the current app, or install AltTab to cycle every window.
How do I cycle through windows of the same app?
Press Command-Backtick (the key above Tab). It cycles the frontmost app’s windows on the current Space, but it skips minimized windows. AltTab shows all of them, including minimized and hidden.
How do I switch to a minimized window with the keyboard?
Command-Tab and Command-Backtick both skip minimized windows. AltTab includes minimized and hidden windows in its switcher, so you can reach any of them from the keyboard.
Can I make Command-Tab show windows instead of apps?
Not with the built-in switcher. Install AltTab and remap its shortcut to Command-Tab; it will then show a thumbnail of every window instead of one icon per app.
AltTab is free and open source. There is also AltTab Pro, with a 14-day free trial for everyone.
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