If you recently moved from Windows to macOS, window management probably threw you off. Here’s how to take full control — without touching the Dock.
One of the first frustrations when switching from Windows to Mac is figuring out how to move between open windows quickly. On Windows, Alt + Tab does pretty much everything you need. On Mac, the story is a little different — and once you learn it, it’s actually more powerful.
This post walks you through two essential keyboard shortcuts: one for switching between applications, and one that most people don’t know about — for switching between windows within the same application.
Switching Between Applications
The Mac equivalent of Alt + Tab is ⌘ Command + Tab. Pressing it once jumps you to the last active application. Hold ⌘ Command and keep tapping Tab to cycle through all open apps in a horizontal switcher that appears in the middle of your screen.
Switch Between Applications
Hold ⌘ Command and press Tab to open the app switcher. Keep tapping Tab to move right, or press Shift + Tab to move left. Release ⌘ Command to jump to the selected app.
For example: you’re working in Chrome and need to quickly check a Word document, run a calculation, and come back. Hold ⌘, tap Tab a couple of times to land on the Calculator, do your thing, then ⌘ + Tab again to get back to Word. It’s fast once it becomes muscle memory.
The One Most People Don’t Know
“The biggest challenge I had was switching windows within the same application — especially in Google Chrome.”
Here’s the scenario: you’re logged into multiple Google accounts, each in a separate Chrome window. Or you have two Word documents open side by side. ⌘ + Tab won’t help you here — it only cycles between apps, not between windows of the same app.
The fix is a shortcut most Mac users have never heard of:
Switch Between Windows of the Same App
Hold ⌘ Command and press the ` backtick key (top-left of your keyboard, below Esc, or next to the left shift key on EU macbook’s). Each press cycles through all open windows of the current application.
Switch Between Windows of the Same App
Hold ⌘ Command and press the ` backtick key (top-left of your keyboard, below Esc). Each press cycles through all open windows of the current application.
This works across any Mac app that supports multiple windows — Chrome, Safari, Word, Finder, and more. No more clicking the Dock, no more hunting through menus. Just ⌘ + ` and you’re there.
Step-by-Step Summary
- To switch to a different application, press ⌘ + Tab. Hold ⌘ and keep pressing Tab to keep cycling.
- Once you’re in the right app, release both keys to switch to it.
- To switch between windows of the same app (e.g., two Chrome windows), press ⌘ + ` (backtick).
- Keep pressing ` while holding ⌘ to cycle through all windows of that application.
Quick Reference
| Shortcut | What it does | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| ⌘ + Tab | Switch between different applications | System-wide |
| ⌘ + ` | Switch between windows of the same app | Chrome, Safari, Word, Finder, etc. |
| ⌘ + Shift + Tab | Cycle backwards through applications | System-wide |
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Final Thoughts
Window management on Mac doesn’t have to be a pain. Once ⌘ + Tab and ⌘ + ` become instinct, you’ll move around your desktop faster than you ever did on Windows. The second shortcut in particular is one of those small discoveries that makes a big difference in your daily workflow.
If you’re still finding your feet on macOS after switching from Windows, stay tuned — there are plenty more shortcuts worth knowing.