How to Switch Tabs on Mac with Keyboard
Introduction
Switching between open applications and tabs on a Mac is a basic yet essential functionality. It’s easy to forget that you can do it with just a few keys on your keyboard. In this article, we’ll show you how to switch between open applications and tabs on your Mac with keyboard shortcuts.
Basic Keyboard Shortcuts
Here are the basic keyboard shortcuts to switch between open applications and tabs on a Mac:
- Minimize and Maximize Apps: Press Command (⌘) + Period (.) to minimize an application or Command (⌘) + Shift + Period (.) to maximize an application.
- Show/Hide Finder: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + > to show the Finder, and Command (⌘) + Shift + < to hide the Finder.
- Show/Hide Dock: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + > to show the Dock, and Command (⌘) + Shift + < to hide the Dock.
- Show/Hide Notification Center: Press Command (⌘) + Shift + > to show the Notification Center, and Command (⌘) + Shift + < to hide the Notification Center.
Navigating Through Open Applications
Once you’ve minimized an application, you can navigate through it using the following shortcuts:
- Tab: Press Tab to move to the next application in the tab list.
- Delete: Press Delete to delete the next application in the tab list.
- Shift + Tab: Press Shift + Tab to move between applications and switch between open tabs.
- Insert: Press Insert to insert a new tab at the end of the current open application.
Navigating Through Open Tabs
To navigate through open tabs, you can use the following shortcuts:
- Tab: Press Tab to move to the next tab.
- Shift + Tab: Press Shift + Tab to move between tabs and switch between open applications.
- Delete: Press Delete to delete the next tab.
- Command + T: Press Command + T to switch to the current tab.
Advanced Shortcuts
Here are some advanced shortcuts that can help you switch between open applications and tabs more efficiently:
- Command + Up Arrow: Press Command + Up Arrow to move to the top of the current open application.
- Command + Down Arrow: Press Command + Down Arrow to move to the bottom of the current open application.
- Command + Home: Press Command + Home to move to the top of the current open application and switch to the first open tab.
- Command + End: Press Command + End to move to the bottom of the current open application and switch to the last open tab.
Table: Keyboard Shortcuts for Switching Between Open Applications and Tabs
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Command (⌘) + Period (.) | Minimize an application |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + Period (.) | Maximize an application |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + > | Show the Finder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + < | Hide the Finder |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + > | Show the Dock |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + < | Hide the Dock |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + > | Show the Notification Center |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + < | Hide the Notification Center |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + Tab | Move between applications and switch between open tabs |
| Command (⌘) + Shift + Tab | Move between tabs and switch between open applications |
| Command + T | Switch to the current tab |
Conclusion
Switching between open applications and tabs on a Mac is a straightforward process that can be done using keyboard shortcuts. By following the shortcuts and tips outlined in this article, you’ll be able to navigate through your applications and tabs more efficiently.