Hold Option and press Tab to show every open window across all apps as tiles, most recent first. Tap Tab again with Option held to step along, and release to switch. A quick tap flips between your last two windows, and Esc cancels. Minimised windows are included.
Before you start
Install Casement and allow Accessibility (see set up Casement). The window switcher is free.
Without Casement, you can use Command-` to cycle through windows of the same app, Mission Control for an overview, or App Exposé for the front app.
Steps
- Hold ⌥ (Option) and tap Tab. A row of window tiles appears.
- Keep ⌥ held and tap Tab again to step to the next tile. The arrow keys and the pointer also work.
- Let go to switch to the highlighted window.
- Press Esc instead if you change your mind.
- For a quick flip between two windows, tap ⌥ Tab once and release.
Check that it worked
Open three windows in different apps and minimise one. Press ⌥ Tab; all three should appear, including the minimised one.
Tap once and release; you should land on your previous window.
If something goes wrong
- The switcher does not appear. Check Accessibility permission and that the feature is switched on in Casement.
- Another app uses Option-Tab. Change the shortcut in either app.
- Tiles look blank. Some windows do not provide previews; the title still identifies them.
What to do next
Read the window switcher, Dock window lists and Alt-Tab for Mac.
Tips for faster switching
- Use the quick tap for the last two windows. It covers most of what you do, like flipping between a document and the page you are copying from.
- Hold Option and use the arrow keys to move through tiles if you prefer them to repeated Tab presses.
- Name windows meaningfully. Document titles and browser page titles appear on the tiles, so tidy names make the right one obvious.
- Use Esc freely. Opening the switcher costs nothing, and you can always cancel.
A worked example
Priya has eleven windows open: three browser windows, a spreadsheet, two documents, mail, chat and a terminal. With Command-Tab she reaches the right app and then has to find the right window. With Option-Tab she sees every window at once and picks the spreadsheet in a single motion. She also uses Dock window lists when she wants to pick by name instead of by recency.
Questions people ask
Does it replace Command-Tab?
No. Command-Tab still switches apps.
Does it show windows on other desktops?
It lists open windows; check the feature page for how it treats other Spaces.
Try Casement
Casement is a menu-bar app for Mac that puts each Chrome profile in the Dock as its own icon and adds snap layouts, hover-to-focus, a window switcher, Dock window lists, a drop shelf and display controls..