{"id":89452,"date":"2024-03-19T15:47:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T20:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=89452"},"modified":"2024-03-19T15:47:43","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T20:47:43","slug":"alttab-brings-one-of-the-best-windows-features-to-the-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/89452-alttab-brings-one-of-the-best-windows-features-to-the-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"AltTab Brings One of the Best Windows Features to the Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As operating systems mature, they tend to adopt features often found in their competitors. Apple and Microsoft have both “borrowed” from each other over the years, even if there is often disagreement between who borrowed from who. As Mac and Windows OS’s both continue to grow and develop, I have no doubt that the “borrowing” will continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s nothing really wrong with that, in my view. Useful features on one platform may be of similar benefit to another. It’s all in the spirit of competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there is one<\/em> feature, found on Microsoft’s Windows OS, which remains sorely absent in macOS, even after all these years. And that feature is Alt-Tab functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me explain<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Windows, invoking the aforementioned command lets users cycle through all of the open applications and<\/em> open windows with ease. (Bonus: If you’re an Edge user on Windows 11, your open browser tabs are included in this selection which can be a huge time saver.) At a glance you can see and switch between whatever you are currently working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The venerable Command-Tab keyboard shortcut has been around since the very first commercial version of Mac OS X.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apple aficionados will rightfully point out that macOS has Command-Tab<\/strong>, which lets users cycle through all open applications. Apple’s Expose and Mission control are Apple’s version of Alt-Tab. (Expose will show all windows in a current app, while Mission Control shows all open windows, desktop spaces, and more.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, in my view, it’s not really the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially true if you’re coming over from Windows to macOS. Alt-Tab on Windows is fast, because it does not require you to lift your hands off the keyboard. This makes switching between apps and open application windows a breeze. While Expose and Mission Control have keyboard shortcuts and gestures to invoke them, there is undoubtedly more cognitive overload to contend with, as all open application windows are scattered across your entire display. Furthermore, Mission Control offers no keyboard support. Apple’s implementation of Expose and Mission Control both feature fancy animations, which look great in a tech demo, but get tiresome after some familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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AltTab lets you see and switch between all of your Mac’s open Finder windows and app windows.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So that brings us to AltTab<\/a> (no hyphen), a macOS implementation of the Alt-Tab keyboard shortcut. AltTab is a keyboard-based window switcher that brings “alt-tab” to Mac users. Best of all, this program is available for free under the GPL-3.0 license. With that said, let’s take a closer look at what AltTab can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to switching between open applications and application windows, AltTab<\/a> also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n