Force alt + tab to switch only on current workspace in GNOME shell

Question

I am looking for a clean and fast method to force GNOME in Ubuntu 14.04 to switch between active apps only on the current workspace when pressing the shortcut alt + tab.

Solution 1

Here is the solution I came up with:

Very fast & easy, without any installations/extensions:

1. Install dconf-editor (already installed on current debian/ubuntu distributions):

   sudo apt-get install dconf-editor
   

2. Open dconf-editor (from the Dash or a Terminal)

3. Navigate to: org -> gnome -> shell -> app-switcher

4. Set "current-workspace-only" to true

   

..and you're done :)

Solution 2

Simply:

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-switcher current-workspace-only true

Solution 3

As an alternative to installing dconf-editor and having to fiddle around with your mouse so much, you can also do this from terminal.

To create the current-workspace-only value:

dconf write /org/gnome/shell/app-switcher/current-workspace-only 'true'

To erase it, going back to default settings:

dconf reset /org/gnome/shell/app-switcher/current-workspace-only

I would like dconf-editor more if it could search through paths, properties, and values.

Solution 4

Seems to be fixed with

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.window-switcher current-workspace-only true
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-switcher current-workspace-only true

Solution 5

An alternative for people who want to tab through open windows on current workspace but also want to be able to tab through all open apps (on any workspace) this can be achieved by changing the keyboard shortcuts.

Under Settings > Devices > Keyboard (on Ubuntu 17.10):

• Switch Windows: Alt+Tab
• Switch Applications: Super+Tab

View more solutions

Comments

[leo-the-manic]

Wish Gnome would just put this in their Settings applet

[Jamie-505]

super fast, no extra software necessary and does exactly what was asked for! +1

[Mihail Malostanidis]

Please add @austinmarton answer too, since while this is more generic, there's a gnome way that requires no extra installs.

[n1k31t4]

This isn't working for me on Ubuntu 16.04. I think it might be due to these settings being managed in several different apps. Any idea how to make this setting overrule the others?

[Esteban Filardi]

It worked for me on Ubuntu 17.04

[colan]

...and for me in 17.10.

[Rick-777]

That's tricky - Alt+Tab changes windows, even when changing the keyboard shortcuts. Is there a way to fix that?

[Clauds]

Yes, Alt+Tab will show the windows open on the current workspace whereas Super+Tab will show all open programs (on any workspace). What do you want to achieve, that Alt+Tab shows open programs on the current workspace instead of open windows?

[michael]

the (later) answer using gsettings is just a higher-level api that also sets the dconf values (and would probably be in general preferred over directly accessing dconf)

[kerner1000]

Looks like I need only the first one (.window-switcher)

[sobi3ch]

I've added feature issue to Gnome TWEAK project gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-tweaks/issues/123

[samb]

Wish this will become the default for future release!

[Biggybi]

Hi ! I'm trying to set this specific behavior, but I don't seem to be able to. Both commands always behave the same. I tried gsettings current-workspace-only for window and app switcher with no luck either. Any idea? Thanks :)

[Clauds]

I checked my gsettings and I have org.gnome.shell.app-switcher current-workspace-only false and org.gnome.shell.window-switcher current-workspace-only true

[Andrea Tulimiero]

It's working on Ubuntu 18.04. It's straightforward and you don't need to install anything

[rtindru]

This should be on Gnome Tweak! Agree @sobi3ch

[GuruBob]

As of Ubuntu 18.04 this setting can be found at /org/gnome/shell/window-switcher/current-workspace-only

[k_g]

Strangely, it doesn't work for me in 18.04, but this extension does: extensions.gnome.org/extension/310/alt-tab-workspace

[crafter]

Nice. How can I set this as a default for all users.

[crafter]

This does not answer the question but is a great tip nonetheless.

[EoghanM]

@GuruBob I've got both of these settings available in dconf in 18.04, however the shell/app-switcher one listed in the answer was the one that I needed to change.

[carlo.polisini]

WARNING: For me in Ubuntu 18.04 does not work, but the command line version worked: gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-switcher current-workspace-only true

[juliangonzalez]

This did the job. It only shows the apps currently in the workspace and, when an app has two instance each in a different workspace when pressing Alt+Tab it prevents from showing both of them. But you have to use both the commands in this answer. Awesome, thank you!

[Daniel Buckmaster]

This is great, thanks! Just did this in Ubuntu 18.04 and it's really helpful. It seems I didn't have Alt+Tab bound to anything originally (but it still performed the 'switch applications' action). After binding Alt+Tab to 'switch windows', I had to re-bind Super+Tab to 'switch applications' for some reason.

[wjandrea]

@crafter see How can I change default settings for new users?

[RichieHH]

Debian Buster : the first line did it for me.

[Dmitry Shevkoplyas]

This should be the accepted answer! Works on Ubuntu 18.04. thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[Tahlor]

If it doesn't work, you can try replacing gsettings with the fully qualified /usr/bin/gsettings. Package managers like Anaconda can muck with the default gsettings alias.

[Jong]

Works on 20.04 as well.

[Thiru VT]

Does not work for me on 18.04.

[M1ke]

Does anybody know if this is possible but for screens? I.e. alt tab between stuff on the screen I am currently interacting with, but not other screens. I like to have one screen with a fixed set of tools (email, slack etc) and then my main screen for active work, but alt tab will select slack or email rather than switching between two tools I am using on my primary screen

[Marc-François]

This worked for me on 21.10.

[KFO]

This solution work still on Ubuntu 21.10. Perfect.

[Kvothe]

Does this only work for "Switch Applications" or also for "Switch Windows"?

[Admin]

For keys that don't exist yet, dconf does not let you auto complete them, while gsettings does. f.e. dconf write /org/gnome/shell/app-sw then pressing tab does not complete to anything, but gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-sw then pressing tab completes to gsettings set org.gnome.shell.app-switcher