How to easily switch between open windows of the same program

Windows doesn’t have a built-in way to switch between open windows of the same program. This small third-party utility helps fix that.

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Switching between multiple open windows of the same program is a problem we try to solve in several ways. Sometimes you have applications that use tabs to view multiple files in one window. For those that don’t, users often turn to Windows’ Snap function or multiple monitors.

Today’s tip uses a different solution by importing a longtime keyboard shortcut from the Mac, Alt + ` (backtick). (The Mac version uses Cmd instead of Alt.) This simple keyboard shortcut, which you can easily hit with the same hand, automatically switches between multiple windows in the same program.

You can accomplish something similar with Windows’ tried-and-true Alt + Tab, but that shortcut switches between every open window on your desktop.

There are several programs that offer the backtick solution, but the one we’ll cover today is relatively new: Easy Windows Switcher from NeoSmart Technologies.

It’s a simple, behind-the-scenes program that’s only purpose is to allow you to hit Alt + ` to switch between windows from the same desktop application.

To install it, head over to the company’s site (link above) and download the EXE file. The site asks for your name and email before downloading, but handing that information over is not a requirement. Just hit the Download! button and you’ll be ready to go.

Now click on the EXE file, and a properties window will open asking if you want to run Easy Windows Switcher for the current user session or to always have it run for the current user account. Choose whichever you prefer and that’s it. Open a program, hit Alt + ` and you’ll be switching between open windows in no time.

If Easy Windows Switcher isn’t for you, there’s also VistaSwitcher, a program we haven’t looked at since 2009 (it still works), but offers the backtick shortcut among other features.

Ian is an independent writer based in Israel who has never met a tech subject he didn’t like. He primarily covers Windows, PC and gaming hardware, video and music streaming services, social networks, and browsers. When he’s not covering the news he’s working on how-to tips for PC users, or tuning his eGPU setup.

Windows Shortcut/Utility to switch between application windows

From using GNOME and MacOS, I’m accustomed to have Alt+` to switch between windows of one application and Alt+Tab to switch between applications.

I have not yet found any setting or utility which would yield the same functionality on Windows (8). Do you have any tips?

4 Answers 4

There’s no built-in way to switch between the windows of the same application. All top-level windows are displayed in Alt + Tab list. I mean if you have two instances of Notepad running, you’ll see two windows of Notepad in Alt + Tab window list.

If you activate two windows of the same application in row, you can switch between them with single Alt + Tab press.

Additionally you can press Alt + Ctrl + Tab to display the list of windows, and then use arrow keys to select the required window; press Enter to switch to the window.
You can also use mouse to select a window from this list.

As an alternative way you can use Windows + T : each press activates the next button on the Taskbar (including the pinned, not started, applications). When you reach the required application, press Enter or Up and then use Left and Right arrows to select the required window and press Enter to switch to it.

Definitely Windows + T is slower than Alt + Tab .

There actually is a way to do this and it’s probably the most often-used keyboard shortcut in my arsenal.

Simply type Windows + number , where number is a single digit, 1, 2, 3, . 9, 0. This allows you to access the first 10 applications that are currently sitting in your taskbar.
For example, I have Chrome pinned to the 1st location in my taskbar, so Windows + 1 always brings up Chrome. My favorite text editor (Vim will never die!) is tied to Windows + 2 . And on down the line. I have the first 10 locations in my taskbar pinned so that I always know what a given Windows + number combination will bring up.

But more to the point, since the OP asked how to switch between multiple windows of the same application, here’s where this keyboard shortcut gets really useful. To refine what I said earlier, Windows + number brings up the first instance of the application. But holding the Windows key brings up a list of windows of that application. (Similar to when you mouse over the grouped icons of an application in the taskbar.) Continuing to type Windows + number scrolls through that list.
For example, I earlier said I have Chrome tied to Windows + 1 . More specifically, I always make sure that my gmail and calendar are in the first window of Chrome, so that Windows + 1 always jumps right to my email. But if I want to cycle through any of my other Chrome windows, I just keep the Windows pressed down and keep typing Windows + 1 .

Another related and particularly useful variation of this is to add the Ctrl key. Windows + Ctrl + number brings up the last active window of the given application. This is very useful when you keep toggling back and forth between two different windows of the same application.

UPDATE Jan/2019: The above Windows + Ctrl + number shortcut appears to have been removed in Windows 10, starting from either version 1803 or 1809. I’ll update this answer if I figure out a way to re-enable this shortcut. See https://superuser.com/a/1388225/288800, where there seems to be consensus that this is a bug, not a feature removal. Hopefully that answer will contain useful information if I forget to come back and update this one.

Please note that this answer was originally written when I was using Windows 7, but these shortcuts are also applicable according to Windows 8 and 10. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts for an explanation of the shortcuts in all three of those versions of Windows. That link also explains Shift and Alt key variations which you may also find useful, so I recommend taking a look at it.

UPDATE Nov/2019: Microsoft appears to have restored the Windows + Ctrl + number shortcut in Windows 10 version 1903. Hooray!

Mac: Shortcut for switching between two windows of the same application

I want to switch between two different windows opened in the same desktop on Mac (El Capitan). I can’t do it with cmd+tab . Does anyone knows how to do it?

None of the following shortcuts work as well: cmd+` , cmd+shift+` , cmd+number

7 Answers 7

The shortcut is defined in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts

⌘` is the default, Check the shortcut and if it’s enabled at all

Using CMD + Shift + Backtick allows you to cycle through windows. To select a specific tab in a window you can use CMD + a number .

You may have this disabled in your settings. System Preference > Keyboard > Shortcuts

This is a common issue in all [currently released] versions of 10.12 [Sierra]. Although there isn’t a solid fix for it the quickest workaround is to go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard > Text and in the lower left corner first click the ‘+’ button then click the ‘-‘ button, close System Preferences and you should be good to go. You may need to do this after restarting each time but it only takes a second.

Using cmd+number you will switch the windows, starting in number 1 to the number of open windows

Had this problem too (MaxOS Mojave) I knew about this fix: System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Keyboard > Move focus to next window — but could not make it work The thing is. First just click on the right side of the «Move focus to the next window» you then see the area becomes editable with a line around the symbol to the right. Then you click the combination you want and voila! I noticed when done and then clicked «restore defaults» it went back to not working again. Followed the steps again and all good. Jonny

The solution by Johnny H works in my Mojave 10.14.2. You obviously cannot assign a key combination already in use in other shortcuts.

Had this problem too (MaxOS Mojave) I knew about this fix: System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Keyboard > Move focus to next window — but could not make it work The thing is. First just click on the right side of the «Move focus to the next window» you then see the area becomes editable with a line around the symbol to the right. Then you click the combination you want and voila! I noticed when done and then clicked «restore defaults» it went back to not working again. Followed the steps again and all good. Jonny

How can I switch between windows of the same application?

I often have more than ten windows open at the same time and some of them are of the same applications, notably gnome-terminal.

Often when I am currently on one terminal, I just want to get to another terminal. With Alt-Tab you have to choose from windows of all the applications, which is a pain. Even with Gnome3 which groups windows by applications and gives preview of windows with Alt-` it isn’t enough because it’s hard to distinguish terminal windows from previews. You can only tell which terminal does what when the full view is shown in most cases.

So is there an application/windowing system/gnome shortcut that shows you only other windows of the same application when you are switching?

5 Answers 5

If you install the CompizConfig Settings Manager then you can access and change the Compiz settings that can do this. Once installed launch it via System->Preferences.

If you normally use Alt + Tab then go the «Static Application Switcher». (This plugin shows quite small previews.)

If you normally use Windows/Super + Tab then go to «Shift Switcher Plugin». (This plugin shows quite large previews.)

In the settings for either of the plugins you can set the keyboard (or mouse) shortcut for Next Window (Group) and/or Previous Window (Group).

(Note: as well as the Static Application Switcher and Shift Switcher you may wish to experiment with the Application Switcher and Ring Switcher)

This is old question, but I had the same problem and found Alt + ` switches the windows of the same application. Thus, sharing the same for reference.

You write notably gnome-terminal, which leads me to believe you are unaware of the terminal multiplexers? Then you’re in for a treat!

A multiplexer sits like a layer between you and the terminal, making it possible to have multiple separate terminal sessions in a single terminal window. You can also easily have several windows within the same multiplexer session.

Another nice feature with these is that you can detach them from your terminal session, leaving them running in the background. Perfect when you want to start a long-running job, truly move it to the background and then be able to pull it back out later on.

The previous champ was GNU Screen but it is being replaced by tmux, which is my personal favorite. If you try tmux then be sure to also check out teamocil.

Shortcut for toggling between different windows of same app?

I opened two Google Chrome windows (because I am using multiple Gmails) and when I do the Cmd ⌘ Tab ⇥ shortcut it just shows me other applications that I opened but does not show me the other Chrome windows that are already opened.

How to switch to the other Google Chrome window that I opened using keyboard shortcut?

13 Answers 13

UK Keyboard
[see below for other languages]

Cmd ⌘ Shift ⇧ ` to go the other way.

Left of z on a UK keyboard [non-shifted

Note: This only works if all windows are in the same Space, not if they are spread over multiple Spaces, which includes fullscreen. To overcome this, use Cmd ⌘ Tab as usual and on the icon of the application you want to switch windows in press the down arrow key (with Cmd ⌘ still pressed). Then use left/right keys to navigate to the desired window across spaces and desktops.

You can also achieve this by clicking the app’s icon in the Dock — this method will also switch to fullscreen windows, which the other methods will not..

From comments — You can check which key command it is for your language by switching to Finder, then look at the Window menu for ‘Cycle through windows’.

BTW, specifically in Chrome, Safari & Firefox, but no other app I know of on Mac, Cmd ⌘ (number) will select individual tabs on the frontmost window.

It also would appear that Cmd ⌘ ` is yet another of those language-specific shortcuts; so if anyone finds any more variants, please specify for which language & keyboard type.

If anybody finds new combos for different languages, please check Keyboard layout here — Apple KB: How to identify keyboard localizations — & add that as well as which Input Source you use in System Prefs > Keyboard > Input Sources.
Add a keyboard picture from the KB page too, if that would help.
That will make it easier for future Googlers.

Further info:
You can change the keys in System Prefs > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Keyboard.
though it doesn’t list the reverse direction, it does still work when you add shift to that new combo. I tested by moving mine from ` (and

You can use the alternative of Ctrl ⌃ F4 [visible in the prefs window above] but that almost indiscriminately marches through every single open window on all Spaces, without switching to the correct Space each time. It’s really not too useful unless you use a single Space, just included here for completeness.