How to make the windows alt-tab task switcher appear on the screen the pointer is at

Question

I have a Windows 7 setup with two screens.

I often use alt+tab to switch between windows but the app switcher dialog always appears on the main screen, which may be a different screen from the one I’m currently working on.

Is it possible to instead have the app switcher dialog appear on the screen that currently contains my mouse pointer?

Solution 1

If you just need to switch to another application that is on the same screen you are currently focused on, then Win+Tab may be a better option, as it displays a switcher on each monitor that consists of the apps currently on that monitor (at least on Windows 10, according to comments this is not true for Windows 7 or 8).

The best method I have found to accomplish this on Windows is through 3rd party software DisplayFusion, which has options to handle if the Alt+Tab handler appears on the current monitor or on all monitors.

Additionally, while this question presents a few alternate solutions, though I cannot say which of those are still maintained.

Solution 2

Here is a FREE solution I just installed on Windows 10 to allow for the ALT+TAB combo to make the dialog appear on any monitor and a few other cool options.

https://www.ntwind.com/software/alttabter/old-vistaswitcher.html

Comments

[TheWanderer]

Make it your main screen?

[Orthogod]

@Zacharee1 I don’t think it’s possible to have the main screen follow my mouse pointer. That being said: this would be a very welcome feature (especially for the task bar), sort of like the menu button now appears on every screen on OSX.

[phuclv]

Win+Tab in Windows7 shows the Aero Flip 3D view but it's completely different in Windows 8 (which cycles between metro apps) and Windows 10 (show Task view)

[Scath]

Was sometimes hitting one and then the other didn't know the difference great answer thanks.

[Parth Devloper]

This thing worked for me, HERE are my configurations : preferences > behavior > show vista switcherON : active monitor (by cursor position) tick: enable mouse-over selection on task list tick: show task only from active monitor Exclude unwanted task which are showing when pressing ALT + TAB by preferences > exclusions NEW add task. Hope this will help users who use extended monitors

[José Roberto Araújo Júnior]

The compatibility with Windows 10 isn't great, it is showing all start menu live tiles as options alongside with a lot of junk