Alt+Tab shortcut: cycle through your open windows
Hold Alt and tap Tab to flip between your open windows on Windows. Keep Alt held and tap Tab again to cycle; release to land on the highlighted window. On Mac the equivalent is ⌘Tab.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switch to next window | ⌘Tab | Alt+Tab | |
| Cycle backwards | ⌘⇧Tab | Alt+Shift+Tab | |
| Keep the switcher open (release Alt) | — (⌘Tab is hold-only) | Ctrl+Alt+Tab | |
| Switch windows of the same app | ⌘` (backtick) | Alt+Tab (lists all windows) | |
| Open full overview / Task View | Ctrl+↑ (Mission Control) | Win+Tab | |
| Switch between virtual desktops | Ctrl+→ / Ctrl+← | Win+Ctrl+→ / ← |
How Alt+Tab works on Windows
Hold Alt and press Tab. A row of thumbnails of every open window appears. Keep Alt held down and tap Tab repeatedly to move the highlight to the right; let go of Alt to switch to the highlighted window. To move left through the list, add Shift — Alt+Shift+Tab.
A lesser-known variant is Ctrl+Alt+Tab: it opens the same switcher but stays on screen after you release the keys, so you can pick a window with the arrow keys and Enter at your own pace.
The Mac equivalent: ⌘Tab
macOS has no Alt+Tab. The equivalent is ⌘Tab (Command+Tab). Hold ⌘ and tap Tab to move through the app switcher, or ⌘⇧Tab to go backwards. One important difference: ⌘Tab switches between applications, not individual windows. To cycle windows within the current app, use ⌘` (the backtick key just above Tab). For a full visual overview, use Ctrl+↑ (Mission Control) — the Mac counterpart to Windows Win+Tab Task View.
When Alt+Tab is not working
If Alt+Tab only shows a blank box or does nothing, the usual causes are: a game or app running in exclusive full-screen (try windowed/borderless mode), a stuck Alt key from a remote-desktop session (tap both Alt keys once), or the Peek/thumbnail setting disabled. On Windows 11 you can also press Win+Tab for Task View as a reliable fallback. See also switch between apps, switch windows of one app and minimize all windows.
FAQ
What does Alt+Tab do?
Alt+Tab switches between your open windows on Windows. Hold Alt and tap Tab to cycle through the thumbnails, then release Alt to jump to the highlighted window.
What is the Mac equivalent of Alt+Tab?
⌘Tab (Command+Tab). It switches between applications rather than windows; use ⌘` to move between windows of the same app.
How do I Alt+Tab backwards?
Add Shift: press Alt+Shift+Tab on Windows or ⌘⇧Tab on Mac to cycle in the reverse direction.
How do I keep the Alt+Tab switcher open?
Use Ctrl+Alt+Tab on Windows. The switcher stays on screen after you release the keys, so you can select a window with the arrow keys and Enter.
Why is Alt+Tab not working?
Common causes are exclusive full-screen apps or games (switch to windowed/borderless), a stuck Alt key from a remote session, or disabled thumbnail peek. Win+Tab Task View is a reliable fallback.