⌥⇥
How to switch apps on a Mac with the keyboard
Your hands never need to leave the keyboard. With Option, hold ⌥ and tap Tab to see your open apps on the display you’re working on, then let go to switch.
Free on the Mac App Store · macOS 14 or later · No permissions needed
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Switch apps in four steps
Hold ⌥ (Option).
Rest your thumb on the Option key beside the space bar and keep holding it.
Tap Tab.
The switcher appears with your open apps. The app you used before this one is already selected.
Move to the app you want.
Tap Tab again to move right, ⇧Tab to move left, or use the arrow keys. You can also click an app.
Let go.
Release ⌥ and the selected app comes forward. Press Esc instead to close the switcher without switching.
Why it feels right
- It opens on the display you’re using, not on the main one.
- It appears only when you pause, so a quick tap never flashes on screen.
- Choosing an app brings all of its windows forward.
- Your apps can follow the order you last used them.
Keyboard shortcuts
- ⌥⇥
- Open the switcher and move right
- ⌥⇧⇥
- Move left
- ←→
- Move along the row
- ↩
- Switch now
- esc
- Close without switching
Free or Pro?
This is part of Option’s free app switcher. No purchase, no permissions, nothing to set up.
Questions and answers
How do I go back to the previous app?
Tap ⌥⇥ quickly and let go. You’re back in the last app you used, and the switcher never appears.
What happens if the app has no open windows?
Option asks macOS to reopen it, exactly like clicking its icon in the Dock. Most apps restore a minimized window; some open a new one.
Can I switch between windows of the same app?
Option switches between apps and brings all of an app’s windows forward. To move between the windows of the app you’re in, use macOS’s built-in ⌘` shortcut.
More guides
How to Alt‑Tab on a Mac
The Alt key on a Mac is the Option key. Here’s how to make Alt‑Tab work the way your hands remember. Read the guide ⌥A–ZType to jump: switch to any app by typing its name
Keep holding ⌥ and type a few letters of an app’s name to go straight to it. Read the guide ⌥1–9Pinned apps: your favorite apps, one key away
Give your favorite apps a number. Press 1–9 in the switcher to go straight there. Read the guide ⌥⇥Switch apps on multiple displays
The switcher opens on the display you’re using. With This display only, it lists just that display’s apps. Read the guide ⌥⇧⇥Option keyboard shortcuts: every key in the switcher
Every key in the switcher, from ⌥⇥ to Esc, plus how to choose your own shortcut. Read the guide
Some things are worth getting back.
Hold ⌥. Tap Tab. You’re there.