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Since upgrading to 12.04, my alt-tab occasionally does not work. I cannot determine the symptoms that lead to it, but there are some windows that just decide not to show. What happens is I alt-tab to a given window, say the terminal, and instead of showing it, I just see it wobble like a notification in the list of programs down the left. Is this a bug?

Braiam
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steprobe
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3 Answers3

45

Yes, I noticed that too! I'm surprised they forgot something as important as that.

Install CompizConfig Settings Manager:

To open terminal hit Alt+Ctrl+T and run following commands:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Or search for compizconfig-settings-manager in Software Center and install from there.

Then go to System Tools > Preferences > CompizConfig, if you can't find System Tools, look for CompizConfig Settings Manager in Unity Dash.

Go at the very bottom where it says Windows Management

Put a check-mark in Application Switcher

That should fix it.

Go to System Tools > Preferences > CompizConfig or search forCompizConfig Settings Manager in Unity Dash. Then, Windows Manager-Application Switcher. click on Next window-alt-tab click it. click on ''Grab key Combination'', here actually use alt+tab, & it will grab it. OK

shashankj
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user63274
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    Work great! But it is totally crazy! How could I have figured it out from nowhere?... – Mike Aski Jun 13 '12 at 08:47
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    Unfortunately this didn't work for me, not even in conjunction with disabling the Unity Switcher, but Gordon's suggestion did. – Matthew Read Jul 13 '12 at 18:07
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    @Matthew Finally got it to work: in ccsm > Ubuntu Unity Plugin > Switcher, ensure Tab is set for "Key to start the switcher", then "Back", then click the checkbox (to get it checked) near Ubuntu Unity Plugin - after a few warnings and key conflicts resolution, that should work! – Déjà vu Oct 15 '12 at 05:31
  • Better yet for gnome classic users: when log in, just ensure (click the foot icon) to start Gnome classic No effects. The no-effect version seems to have Alt-tab working. – Déjà vu Oct 15 '12 at 05:49
  • compiz crashes every time on my office computer, so i decided to not install it on my laptop. But I have some problems with alt+tab. sometimes some programs do not appear there or simply disappear – Ricardo Martins Oct 17 '12 at 13:54
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    In case de Application Switcher is not present, also run "sudo apt-get install compiz-plugins-extra" – Francisco Luz Sep 26 '14 at 19:13
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I have Ubuntu 12.04 with gnome-classic (without effects, so no Compiz) and the above doesn't work.

The fix, from here is actually easier than you'd expect:

  • Go to 'Applications','System Tools','System Settings'
  • Click 'Keyboard'
  • Click the 'Shortcuts Tab'
  • Click 'Navigation' on the left
  • In the right-hand pane click on 'Switch applications' and press Alt-Tab to assign that as the accelerator.
Community
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Gordon Williams
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In case Application switcher, doesnt work (like the 1st answer), check the static application switcher in CCSM. It works fine for me.

Shrijit
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