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Windows-like alt-tab window switcher

AltTab — Official Website
AltTab stands out as an indispensable utility for macOS users seeking a truly efficient window-switching experience. Its ability to display live thumbnail previews of all open windows, coupled with deep customization and direct window control, makes it a superior alternative to the native Command+Tab. The fact that it's free, open-source, and remarkably lightweight further solidifies its position as a top-tier productivity tool. While initial permission grants might give some pause, its transparency and community support alleviate concerns. For anyone looking to streamline multitasking and regain a Windows-like control over their workspace, AltTab is an essential install.
brew install --cask alt-tabAltTab is a powerful and free open-source macOS utility designed to bring the intuitive, window-centric application switching experience of Windows to Apple's desktop operating system. Traditionally, macOS's native Command+Tab switcher cycles between applications, often hiding individual windows within an app. AltTab remedies this by displaying clear, resizable thumbnail previews of all open windows across all applications, allowing users to effortlessly navigate and switch directly to the exact window they need. Developed by lwouis and actively maintained, AltTab has become an essential tool for power users, developers, designers, and anyone engaging in heavy multitasking workflows in 2026. Its key differentiators lie in its visual clarity, deep customization options, and remarkably lightweight performance, which ensures it enhances productivity without imposing system overhead. The application fills a critical gap for users migrating from Windows or those who simply desire a more efficient way to manage numerous open documents, browser tabs, and coding environments. As of 2026, AltTab remains a top recommendation for streamlining macOS window management, seamlessly integrating familiar functionality while respecting Apple's aesthetic.
Unlike macOS's default Command+Tab, which only shows application icons, AltTab presents a grid or list of live thumbnail previews for every open window, even multiple windows from the same application. For instance, if you have three Safari windows, two Photoshop documents, and a Terminal window open, AltTab will display distinct, real-time miniatures of all six, allowing for immediate visual identification and direct switching. This eliminates guesswork and significantly speeds up context switching during complex workflows. Users can adjust the size and arrangement of these previews for optimal readability.
Beyond mere switching, AltTab empowers users with direct control over their windows and applications right from the switcher interface. While hovering over a window's thumbnail, users can perform actions like minimizing, maximizing to fullscreen, or closing that specific window. Similarly, entire applications can be hidden or quit. For example, instead of manually clicking the red 'close' button on a Safari window you're done with, you can simply highlight its thumbnail in AltTab and press a configured hotkey to instantly dismiss it, streamlining desktop hygiene.
AltTab offers extensive flexibility in defining the keyboard shortcuts that invoke the switcher. While the default `Option + Tab` (mimicking Windows' Alt+Tab) is popular, users can remap it to almost any key combination, including `Command + Tab` to completely replace the native switcher. This customization extends to defining separate shortcuts for different behaviors, such as one shortcut to show all windows and another to only show windows from the current Space, adapting to diverse user preferences and muscle memory.
To maintain focus and avoid clutter, AltTab includes a powerful blacklisting feature. Users can specify applications whose windows should never appear in the switcher. For instance, if you frequently have utility apps or background processes running (like a menu bar utility or a monitoring tool) that you rarely need to switch to, you can add them to the blacklist. This ensures that when you invoke AltTab, your view remains uncluttered, presenting only the relevant windows for your active tasks.
AltTab allows for deep visual customization, offering various styles to match user preferences or system aesthetics. Users can choose between a macOS-like theme, a classic Windows 10 theme, or a more compact app-icon-only view. Further customization includes adjusting thumbnail size, title visibility, displaying app badges, and showing Space numbers for multi-monitor setups. For example, a user transitioning from Windows might prefer the 'Windows 10' theme to maintain familiarity, while a macOS enthusiast might tweak the default theme to align perfectly with their Dark Mode settings and overall desktop aesthetic.
Sarah, a full-stack developer, constantly juggles multiple applications: VS Code with several project windows, a browser with documentation and API references, several Terminal instances, and Slack for team communication. macOS's native Command+Tab struggles to differentiate between her numerous VS Code windows or browser tabs, forcing her to click through them. With AltTab, she presses `Option + Tab` and immediately sees all her active windows – her API documentation in Chrome, the front-end VS Code project, the back-end VS Code project, and her database terminal – as distinct thumbnails. She quickly selects the specific terminal window she needs to check a log, then seamlessly switches back to her front-end code with another `Option + Tab`, maintaining her flow without friction or visual hunting.
Mark, a graphic designer, works with a complex array of tools: Photoshop with multiple artboard files open, Illustrator for vector graphics, Figma for UI/UX mockups, and Safari for client feedback and inspiration. Each design application often has several project files open simultaneously. When a client calls to discuss a specific Photoshop file, Mark would traditionally have to cycle through his Photoshop app instances or use Mission Control, which can be disorienting. With AltTab, he triggers the switcher and instantly sees clear previews of all his Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma windows. He quickly identifies the exact Photoshop file the client is referencing, clicks it, and is ready for the discussion in seconds, making his workflow much more responsive and professional.
Emily, a project manager, relies on a diverse set of apps: Notion for tasks, Outlook for email, Excel for budgeting, and multiple Safari windows for research. Her day involves frequent switching between these, often needing to reference specific emails or research papers while updating project plans. The default Command+Tab on macOS often frustrates her as she has to switch to Outlook and then manually select the specific email window she needs. AltTab provides a unified visual overview of all her open windows, including individual email drafts, specific spreadsheet tabs, and distinct browser windows, allowing her to rapidly jump between a research tab in Safari, her budget spreadsheet, and a specific Notion project page with swift `Option + Tab` presses, significantly reducing cognitive load and saving precious seconds.
Installing AltTab on your Mac is straightforward, with the recommended method utilizing Homebrew, the popular macOS package manager. This ensures a smooth and up-to-date installation process.
If you don't already have Homebrew installed, open your Terminal application (found in Applications/Utilities) and paste the following command, then press Enter: `/bin/bash -c '$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)'`. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. You might need to enter your user password.
Once Homebrew is successfully installed, return to your Terminal. Now, execute the following command to install AltTab: `brew install --cask alt-tab`. Homebrew will download and install the latest stable version of AltTab onto your system.
After installation, open AltTab from your Applications folder or Launchpad. The first time it runs, macOS will prompt you to grant 'Screen Recording' and 'Accessibility' permissions. Navigate to 'System Settings' > 'Privacy & Security' > 'Screen Recording' and 'Accessibility', then enable AltTab in both sections. You will likely need to quit and relaunch AltTab for these permissions to take full effect and for visual previews to function correctly.
The default shortcut for AltTab is `Option + Tab`. However, many users prefer to remap this to `Command + Tab` to completely replace the native macOS switcher, offering a more familiar experience for those transitioning from Windows. You can change this in AltTab's Preferences under the 'Controls' tab. Experiment with different modifier keys (Option, Control, Command, Shift) to find the most comfortable and efficient combination for your workflow.
Personalize AltTab's visual style by navigating to the 'Appearance' tab in its preferences. You can switch between a 'macOS' theme and a 'Windows 10' theme, or even a compact 'App Icons' view. Further refine the look by adjusting thumbnail size, padding, and the information displayed (e.g., app badges, Space numbers). For instance, setting the theme to 'Windows 10' provides a more direct visual familiarity for former Windows users.
To prevent certain applications from appearing in your AltTab switcher, utilize the 'Blacklist' tab in the preferences. This is particularly useful for background utilities, menubar apps, or specific development tools whose windows you rarely need to switch to directly. Adding an app to the blacklist helps keep your AltTab interface clean and focused, presenting only the windows relevant to your active tasks.
While AltTab is highly regarded for its Windows-like window switching, several other macOS applications offer alternative approaches to enhanced multitasking and window management.
DockDoor offers a dock-centric approach to window switching, providing live window previews when hovering over an app icon in the Dock. It caters to users who prefer mouse and trackpad-driven workflows over keyboard shortcuts, making window management more discoverable. While it offers an optional window switcher, its primary strength lies in visual context directly from the Dock, differing from AltTab's keyboard-first, full-screen overlay paradigm.
TabTab is a native macOS app focused on switching not just between windows, but also individual tabs within applications like Chrome, VSCode, and Figma. It allows users to quickly search for any window or tab with ease, providing a granular level of control that goes beyond AltTab's window-level previews. TabTab is ideal for users whose workflows heavily rely on navigating numerous browser or IDE tabs in addition to application windows.
Contexts is a more comprehensive window switcher that allows searching and switching between apps and windows using a sidebar, keyboard shortcuts, or gestures. It provides a powerful search function and can categorize windows by application or project, offering a different organizational philosophy than AltTab's flat window preview. While AltTab excels at a familiar Alt+Tab experience, Contexts aims for a deeper, more organized window management system.
AltTab is entirely free and open-source software, licensed under GPL-3.0. This means users can download, use, modify, and distribute the application without any cost or licensing fees. Its development is community-driven and supported through voluntary contributions via platforms like Patreon and PayPal, or direct sponsorship on GitHub. In 2026, it remains a testament to the power of open-source development, providing a premium-quality utility without a subscription model, one-time purchase, or freemium tiers. This commitment to being completely free makes it an accessible and highly attractive option for all Mac users.
AltTab boasts a vibrant and active open-source community, primarily centered around its GitHub repository (lwouis/alt-tab-macos). This is the hub for bug reporting, feature requests, and general discussions among users and contributors. The developer, lwouis, is responsive to issues and actively integrates community feedback. Users can contribute not only through code but also by localizing the app into new languages, ensuring its accessibility worldwide. Support is largely peer-to-peer through GitHub discussions, but the project is also financially supported by community sponsorships via Patreon, PayPal, and GitHub Sponsors, highlighting a strong collective commitment to its continued development and maintenance in 2026. This robust community ensures ongoing improvements and a responsive environment for assistance.
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AltTab stands out as an indispensable utility for macOS users seeking a truly efficient window-switching experience. Its ability to display live thumbnail previews of all open windows, coupled with deep customization and direct window control, makes it a superior alternative to the native Command+Tab. The fact that it's free, open-source, and remarkably lightweight further solidifies its position as a top-tier productivity tool. While initial permission grants might give some pause, its transparency and community support alleviate concerns. For anyone looking to streamline multitasking and regain a Windows-like control over their workspace, AltTab is an essential install.
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Applications designed to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows on Apple's desktop operating system.
Utilities that provide advanced methods for navigating and managing open application windows.
Free and community-driven applications available for macOS, emphasizing transparency and user control.
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