You Need This App if You've Just Switched From Windows to a Mac

To me, Windows outshines macOS successful the app and window-switching section acknowledgment to its much refined model switcher. As such, if you've switched to a Mac oregon usage Windows arsenic actively arsenic your Mac, you mightiness miss this functionality connected your Mac. A tiny app called AltTab ensures you don't.

What Is AltTab? And Why Do You Really Need It?

AltTab is simply a escaped and open-source app that enhances the app and window-switching acquisition connected your Mac. It works by emulating Windows' Alt+Tab functionality utilizing a customizable keyboard shortcut. Pressing this shortcut gives you an interactive model switcher with previews of each the presently unfastened apps and their respective windows connected your Mac truthful you tin power betwixt them easily.

Sure, you tin use the Command+Tab shortcut to power betwixt apps connected your Mac, but it has a immense limitation. The app switcher it brings up lone shows a enactment of static app icons successful the switcher. You don't get a preview model for each app—as you bash connected Windows—so you can't archer what's happening wrong them until you leap in.

Another occupation with this attack is that it doesn't archer you however galore windows are unfastened wrong each app. As a result, you can't power betwixt antithetic windows of the aforesaid app. Yes, there’s the Command+` shortcut, which offers akin functionality, but it lone works erstwhile you person that app successful focus. Plus, it, too, doesn't springiness you a preview of the windows, truthful you can't rhythm done and power betwixt them directly.

Unlike macOS' autochthonal app switcher, AltTab's model switcher is much visual. While Apple's mentation lone shows app icons, the AltTab switcher greets you with a preview of each the apps and windows up front, truthful you don't person to leap into them to spot their content; not to mention, this besides enables you to power betwixt antithetic windows unfastened wrong the aforesaid app.

Aside from simplifying switching betwixt app windows, the AltTab windows switcher lets you execute different actions, too. As such, you tin adjacent a window, unfastened it successful a full-screen view, minimize it, oregon adjacent fell oregon discontinue it close from the switcher.

How to Use AltTab connected Your Mac

AltTab isn't disposable connected the macOS App Store. To get it connected your Mac, caput to AltTab's website, download the latest release, and tally it.

Alternatively, if you person Homebrew installed connected your Mac, open the macOS Terminal app and tally the pursuing bid to instal AltTab:

brew instal --cask alt-tab

Once installed, motorboat AltTab. It'll present inquire you for the pursuing permissions:

• Accessibility: To fto you interact with app windows.
• Screen & System Audio Recording: To amusement thumbnails of each the unfastened apps oregon windows successful the AltTab model switcher.

Follow the on-screen instructions to assistance it entree to the requested permissions. Close the AltTab app model since we don't request it anymore.

With the setup finished, switching betwixt app windows with AltTab is easy. Simply property the Option+Tab shortcut to bring up the AltTab model switcher. Then, with the Option cardinal inactive pressed, usage the Tab cardinal oregon near and close arrow keys to rhythm done each the unfastened apps and windows connected your Mac.

Once you've selected the app model you privation to leap into, merchandise each the keys.

Aside from switching betwixt apps, AltTab besides lets you execute different operations connected the app windows successful the model switcher. For this, you archetypal request to prime the app utilizing the Option+Tab shortcut and, then, fto spell of the Tab cardinal and property immoderate of the pursuing keys based connected what you privation to do:

• F: Open successful full-screen view
• M: Minimize the window
• W: Close the window
• H: Hide oregon amusement the app
• Q: Quit the app

Alternatively, you tin execute these actions with your Mac's trackpad oregon an outer mouse. Simply hover implicit a model successful the model switcher portion pressing the Option+Tab shortcut and click connected the due icon.

How to Customize AltTab's Appearance and Behavior

AltTab is highly customizable, truthful you tin personalize its quality and behaviour arsenic per your liking. This includes everything from changing the trigger shortcut and customizing the controls to personalizing the quality and mounting up a blacklist to forestall apps from appearing successful the AltTab switcher.

You tin marque immoderate of these changes nether AltTab's preferences. To entree them, click the app's icon successful the paper barroom and prime "Preferences." Then, based connected what you privation to configure, caput to the due tab and configure the mounting arsenic desired.

Set Up a Shortcut to Show Windows From the Active App

By default, AltTab's model switcher shows windows for each apps presently unfastened connected your Mac, including aggregate windows unfastened wrong a azygous app. If you typically unfastened aggregate windows successful an app, this behaviour would necessitate a fewer other cardinal presses since you'll request to rhythm done each app windows to get to the 1 you want. AltTab saves you occupation by letting you acceptable up a shortcut to rhythm done and power betwixt aggregate windows of the aforesaid app.

Go to the "Controls" tab successful AltTab preferences and click the "Shortcut 2" tab astatine the top. Here, property the keys adjacent to "Trigger Shortcut" and make a shortcut you prefer. Next, click connected the up-down arrow cardinal adjacent to "Show Windows from Applications" and prime "Active App."

You tin present property this keyboard shortcut to rapidly power betwixt aggregate windows of the aforesaid app.

Hide Apps With No Open Windows to Declutter the Switcher

When you entree the AltTab model switcher, it adjacent shows apps that don't person immoderate unfastened windows. However, this isn't ideal, arsenic it lone ends up cluttering the model switcher. Luckily, you tin forestall this by hiding apps with nary unfastened window.

To bash this, successful the "Appearance" tab, click the "Customize XYZ Style" button, wherever XYZ is the sanction of your preferred style. Then, nether the "Show & Hide" tab, toggle connected the enactment for "Hide Apps With No Open Window," and deed "Done."

Customize the Preview Style

AltTab packs aggregate options to customize the preview benignant successful the model switcher. For instance, you tin summation oregon alteration the size of the thumbnail if the default mounting doesn't look good connected your screen, power betwixt airy and acheronian themes, and set the visibility, among different things.

Similarly, if you don't similar thumbnails successful the model switcher, you whitethorn adjacent take a antithetic benignant for the preview, though I suggest against doing truthful arsenic it benignant of defeats the intent of the app. But if you determine to bash so, your options see App Icons and Titles.

Based connected the benignant you choose, you tin past further customize it by clicking the "Customize XYZ Style" button, wherever XYZ is the sanction of the benignant you choose, and enabling/disabling the antithetic options AltTab offers according to what suits you best. For example, you tin fell presumption icons oregon app badges for a cleaner presumption oregon take however the windows are titled and positioned successful the switcher.

Exclude Apps, Change Animations, Customize Action Shortcuts, and More

Aside from creating a caller shortcut and customizing the preview style, you tin alteration a clump of different things successful AltTab according to your preference. For example, you tin alteration the keyboard shortcuts for model actions (quit, hide, and more), alteration oregon disable switcher animations, and summation oregon alteration the hold of the switcher. You tin adjacent exclude apps to forestall them from appearing successful the switcher.

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AltTab is surely much appealing to those who miss Windows' Alt+Tab switching connected their Macs, but it's arsenic beneficial to anyone who works with excessively galore apps astatine erstwhile and is looking to heighten their workflow. The ocular and interactive attack to model switching, combined with the easiness of switching betwixt them and performing different model actions that it facilitates, makes it a must-have Mac app for astir people.