How to Switch Between Windows on Mac (Not Just Apps)
Cmd-Tab jumps between apps, not windows. Here's every way to switch between windows on a Mac — the built-in shortcuts, the free apps, and the all-in-one. Updated August 2026.
You press ⌘ Tab expecting to land on a window, and macOS jumps to an app instead. That's not a bug — Cmd-Tab is an app switcher, not a window switcher — but it's a real gap when you keep several windows of the same app open. Here's every way to move between windows on a Mac, from the built-in shortcuts most people never find to the free and paid apps that give you a proper per-window switcher. Full disclosure: I make DockApp, one of the paid options — so I'll be straight about the free ones, which are genuinely good.
Why Cmd-Tab only switches apps
macOS ⌘ Tab cycles your open apps in most-recently-used order; choosing one brings that app's frontmost window forward, but you can't pick a specific window. Apple's answer is a separate shortcut for windows — which most people never discover. So if you run, say, three Finder windows or a dozen browser windows, Cmd-Tab alone can't step between them.
What macOS gives you for free
Before installing anything, learn the built-ins — they cost nothing and cover a lot:
- ⌘ ` (Command–Grave accent). In Apple's words, "to switch between the windows of the app you're using, use Command–Grave accent (`)." Add Shift to go backwards. It works, with limits Apple doesn't spell out: it only cycles the front app's windows, only on the current Space, and it usually skips minimized windows. And because it's bound to the physical key above Tab, it lands somewhere else on many non-US keyboards — a big reason people say "⌘ ` doesn't work for me."
- App Exposé (⌃ ↓, or a three-finger swipe down). Shows all of the front app's windows as thumbnails so you can click the one you want — the visual version of ⌘ `.
- Mission Control (⌃ ↑). Spreads out every open window across your desktop. Great for a glance, but it's a pointer move, not a quick keyboard switch.
If those are enough, you're done — no purchase needed. If you'd rather have a single, Windows-style switcher that steps through every window with previews, here are the apps people use.
Built-ins vs. the switchers, at a glance
| Tool | Switches between | Window previews | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS ⌘ Tab | Apps (not windows) | — | Built-in |
| macOS ⌘ ` + App Exposé | The front app's windows | App Exposé thumbnails | Built-in |
| AltTab | Every window, all apps | Yes — thumbnails + live | Free, open source |
| Witch | Apps, windows & browser tabs | Text list | $14 once |
| DockApp | Every window (real ⌘Tab) | Yes — live previews | $9.99 once |
AltTab: the free window switcher most people pick
Best for: a free, Windows-style per-window switcher.AltTab (free and open source, under the GPL) replaces the app-only Cmd-Tab with a per-window switcher: high-quality thumbnails, live window previews, search by title, and appearance options. It's actively maintained (latest release August 2026) and runs on current macOS. If you want a dedicated, no-cost window switcher and nothing else, AltTab is the one to get, and this page won't talk you out of it. (There's an optional paid "Pro" tier for power-user extras, but the core switcher is free.)
Paid switchers: Witch (and a note on Contexts)
If you'd rather buy a polished, supported tool, Witch by Many Tricks ($14 one-time) is the current pick — it moves between apps, individual windows, and even browser tabs, and it's actively maintained (a late-2025 release tuned for macOS 26's look). Contexts ($9.99) was a long-time favorite, but it looks stale — its last real update was in 2022 and it doesn't list macOS 26 support, so treat it as buy-at-your-own-risk until it's refreshed.
DockApp: a real Cmd-Tab, plus previews and a better Dock
Best for: a per-window switcher that's part of a fuller Dock upgrade.DockApp includes a real ⌘Tab switcher that steps through every window, not just apps — and hands ⌘Tab back to macOS the moment you turn it off. It shows live window previews, and unlike a single-purpose switcher it comes bundled with the rest of DockApp: hover previews on the Dock, window snapping with saved layouts, widgets, and a Dock you can reshape. If all you want is switching, AltTab (free) or Witch ($14) may be all you need. If you want the switcher as part of one app that also upgrades previews, snapping, and the Dock, that's DockApp — $9.99 one-time, up to three Macs, 14-day refund, on macOS 26+.
Which should you use?
- You just want the built-ins → learn ⌘ ` and App Exposé (free).
- You want a free, dedicated per-window switcher with previews → AltTab (free).
- You want a polished, supported paid switcher for apps, windows, and tabs → Witch ($14).
- You want a real ⌘Tab plus previews, snapping, saved layouts, and a better Dock in one app → DockApp ($9.99).
Related reading: the best Mac window managers, the best Mac Dock apps, and the DockApp vs DockDoor head-to-head (another take on Dock previews and switching).
Switch every window — and upgrade your whole Dock
A real ⌘Tab switcher across every window, live window previews, snapping with saved layouts, and a Dock you can reshape. One-time $9.99, up to 3 Macs, 14-day refund.
Get DockApp