keyboard shortcut to switch between windows within an application

Question

Is there a keyboard shortcut, or can I somehow bind a shortcut, to switch between windows within an application (similar to opt+~ on macOS)?

Ideally, I'd like Alt+Tab to be unaffected or to be rebound to switch between applications (not between windows).

In Windows, this key is CTRL + F6 (FYI for context on what is being asked). — CJBS, May 16 '19 at 05:36

score 340 · Accepted Answer · edited May 17 '17 at 20:43

340

The existing shortcut is Alt + key above TAB

Depending on your keyboard key above TAB could be §, `, º, ^, ², etc.

edited May 17 '17 at 20:43

Pablo Bianchi

15,657

answered Nov 07 '13 at 09:32

user0x0

3,516

10

On other keyboards the key is also known as '~' or '`' key. – elomage Nov 07 '13 at 09:36
Awesome, that works. On my uk laptop, it's printed with backtic"`", (not sign?)"¬" and broken bar, but works as described. – Andrew M Nov 07 '13 at 09:47
3

On my azerty french keyboards, the key above the Tab key is a small "2" and it works. – Deleplace Jun 17 '14 at 13:31
3

This is nice when you're already in the app of the window. If you're in another window, you need to to use the regular alt+tab and wait on the multiple window app to see the multiple windows of that app. – AlikElzin-kilaka Nov 14 '14 at 10:29
3

Needless to say that what I wrote above is a slow way of switching between windows. Don't know why Ubuntu copied this bad behavior from Apple :( – AlikElzin-kilaka Nov 14 '14 at 10:30
I'm talking about Ubuntu 14.04 but this behavior goes back quite a long time now. Sadly. IMO. – AlikElzin-kilaka Nov 14 '14 at 10:32
2

In german layout it is ALT + ^ which is right above the TAB key – rubo77 Dec 19 '15 at 17:13
May differ for Xubuntu, where IIRC default key combo didn't work and I had to set it in Window Manager. – LAFK says Reinstate Monica Aug 28 '16 at 19:37
In Spanish layout it is Alt+º, and as @rubo77 said, it's above the Tab key. – PhoneixS May 02 '17 at 07:19
Since last month I am working using mouse, Today I strike and searched it. Unfortunately that key is just above on TAB. I just love you man. <3 – Pratik Butani Mar 14 '19 at 09:29
Can this be modified? – apg Nov 26 '19 at 06:23
Yes it can be modified, use compiz > Ubuntu Unity Plugin > Switcher > Key to flip windows in the switcher. It worked on Ubuntu 16.04 – sugab Feb 03 '20 at 03:15
I find it no longer works this way (Ubuntu 20.10). It seems now only to switch to the file explorer. – user643722 Jun 07 '21 at 11:50

PhoneixS · Answer 2 · 2019-12-16T10:51:14.933

15

You should press Alt and the key just above the Tab key.

From comments, this is the key you should be pressed by keyboard layout:

Spanish ALT + º.
German ALT + ^.
Azerty french ALT + ².

In others may be ALT + § o ALT + ` (I don't know from where they come)

edited Dec 16 '19 at 10:51

answered May 08 '17 at 14:25

PhoneixS

642

score 7 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 29 '20 at 08:04

7

If someone looking to bind to a different key combination, It can be done in settings. On Ubuntu 18.04.3, go to

settings > Devices > Keyboard >

Under Keyboard Shortcuts scroll to Navigation and click on Switch windows of an application change the key combination and set it. I have changed mine to Ctrl+` (the key above Tab)

edited Apr 29 '20 at 08:04

Kulfy

17,696

answered Nov 30 '19 at 03:01

sagar buddhi

171

In my case the shortcut was set to Super+\``, butAlt+`` was also working. But I had the \`` symbol also mapped for another key, not that one above tab, and the shortcuts didn't work with this key. I just manually remapped the binding in settings toSuper+`` (the same as default) and the another key started working too – Dany Mar 29 '21 at 08:09

score 6 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 26 '18 at 06:52

6

To go to the active application: ALT+TAB
If multiple instance of the selected applications are opened and you want to navigate among them use : ALT+`

answered Feb 26 '18 at 06:52

Aks

629
5
6

same as accepted answer – Félicien Feb 26 '18 at 09:25
What's nice here is how the two work together. Want a specific window of a different application? Press alt and keep it down, tab until that application is highlighted, then press [key above tab] until it gets the right window, then release alt and you're there – user56reinstatemonica8 Jul 08 '20 at 10:06

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 29 '20 at 09:19

1

Ctrl+PageUp and Ctrl+PageDown switches between panes or windows in Ubuntu applications, such as Nautilus.

Ctrl+TAB will also sometimes switch between windows (or tabs), for example in Google Chrome.

edited Apr 29 '20 at 09:19

AEM

1,166

answered Nov 07 '13 at 09:31

elomage

1,400

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 03 '15 at 04:38

1

Opt + Tab will switch between windows of different applications running. CTRL + Tab will switch between windows within the same application.

At least this is how it is running Ubuntu on my Macbook.

answered Aug 03 '15 at 04:38

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 26 '18 at 16:10

0

Another way is to hover over the icon of the program in the sidenav/side bar of ubuntu and scroll using the scroll wheel of the mouse, this way will make you go through all the open instances of the program, it would be ideal if you have only two, helpful if you have more than two. I use it with vscode usually because I always have more than one open.

answered Mar 26 '18 at 16:10

Rodwan Bakkar

101
1

when someone is asking about a keyboard shortcut, it's because they don't want to move their hands off of the keyboard, not because they don't know of another way to achieve what they want to do. at least that's why I would ask about a keyboard shortcut (and why my googling led me to this page) – Phil Dec 04 '18 at 00:33

score 0 · Answer 8 · edited Apr 29 '20 at 09:20

0

This differs in various keyboard layouts, but usually it is the key right above the TAB key.

In the german and spanish layout it is ALT+°

This is quite handy, this way you can easily access both switches.

edited Apr 29 '20 at 09:20

AEM

1,166

answered May 02 '17 at 08:41

rubo77

32,486

keyboard shortcut to switch between windows within an application

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