Unity: How can I make Alt+TAB browse through all my windows without grouping them?

Question

When I use ALT+TAB to cycle through my apps I would like to have icons for all my open browsers. I use the ` (Grave or the key above TAB) but I really find that hard to use.

Anyway I can just use ALT+TAB only?

Solution 1

Here is my solution:

1. Install compizconfig-settings-manager and open it (type ccsm in terminal).

2. Go to Desktop > Ubuntu Unity Plugin.

3. Open Switcher tab and make key to start the switcher and key to start the switcher in reverse disabled.

4. Go back to CompizConfig Settings Manager.

5. Go to Window Management and enable Application Switcher.

6. Open Application Switcher and change key bindings of "Next Window (All windows)" to Alt-Tab and "Prev window (All windows)" to Shift-Alt-Tab.

Then you will start to use a different switcher instead of Unity's switcher.

Solution 2

The other option -which I'm testing out this week- is to have the ALT+TAB switch between apps, and ALT+| switch between windows of the same app. It sounds complicated but it works surprisingly well.

Use case A: You're on Firefox and want to switch to Thunderbird: ALT+TAB.

Use case B: You're on a Calc window and want to switch to another Calc window: ALT+|.

In B, you could use the old way of ALT+TAB, where it cycles through all your windows, but it can take a while to do that if you have more than a few windows open. With this thing, you always know where you want to go, and choose the quicker way to get there.

I choose | because it's just above TAB, so my brain and my finger don't need to move very far.

To enable this: System Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Navigation > Switch windows of an application (it's just underneath Switch applications, which is how I found it).

Easy to test, safe, easy to revert, no need to install anything.

Solution 3

Just thought I would share this since I tried to follow the accepted answer but couldn't find the Ubuntu Unity switcher. I'm running 18.04 and I was able to change the alt-tab behavior by:

1. going to settings->devices->keyboard
2. scroll down to the shortcut for "Switch Windows" (under the "Navigation" section)
3. change the shortcut for Switch Windows to alt-tab

This will overwrite the shortcut for "Switch Applications" which is the default behavior for alt-tab

Solution 4

Before installing anything, try these key combinations:

• alt + | (the key above Tab, may be `, º, |...) to switch between instances of the current application
• alt + ESC to direct switch to the next window
• alt + Tab, of course, to switch between different applications

You can see the three keys are neighbors.

Solution 5

Otuzbesli's answer works but for Ubunut 14.04 you need to install compiz-plugins in addition to compizconfig-settings-manager

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz-plugins

View more solutions

Comments

[rlemon]

if you hold on the browser it opens up to your open windows.

[Skippy le Grand Gourou]

possible duplicate of How do I revert Alt-tab behavior to switch between windows on the current workspace?

[titusfx]

I don't like to install things for little configurations, in this question there are some way to switch that makes this way of switching comfortable askubuntu.com/questions/123977/…

[JamShady]

The application switcher seems gone in Ubuntu 12.10.

[Dusty J]

Worked for me in 12.10

[Tom Mayfield]

You have to install compiz-plugins in Ubuntu 12.10

[Daniel Albuschat]

Worked for me on 13.04, too.

[joshbroton]

Window Management seems not present in 14.04

[Luke]

using 14.04 and can not do

[Alexander Rechsteiner]

@PierredeLESPINAY: See answer below: askubuntu.com/a/512640/216010

[Skippy le Grand Gourou]

The same behaviour seems enabled by default with ALT + the key between ESC and TAB (which is ² for AZERTY layout), at least in 14.04.

[RvanHeest]

Type ccsm in terminal to run compizconfig-settings-manager

[Maha]

I am frustrated by this, especially for browser. I usually have 4-5 browser windows open which I switch between pretty frequently. Here each time I have to switch I have to wait half a second on browser icon in switcher which then shows all browser windows which I can then switch between. Windows does this straight. And I am surprised I have to follow so many steps and in fact install another software for a basic feature which should have been properly implemented in OS itself.

[Kashyap]

@mmKALLL looks like a link to this question.

[mmKALLL]

I just hit this myself... For reference, here is an Ask Ubuntu answer documenting variations of the process required, along with more details; askubuntu.com/questions/17381/… (thanks @Kashyap)

[Jepzen]

The idea of the original question is not to use the "new" way of alt tabbing. I get cramp in my fingers when i do these combos.

[jdpipe]

On my system, the within-app switching key is Alt-`.

[Fábio Dias]

18.10, nothing like that. I wonder who thought this annoying, non standard behaviour would be a good idea...

[Fábio Dias]

non-standard, weird, not intuitive combos...

[pomsky]

That's because Ubuntu 18.04 uses GNOME instead of Unity. You need to follow this Q&A instead: askubuntu.com/q/747541/480481

[Pablo Bianchi]

The question is for Unity, your answer apply to GNOME Shell (Ubuntu 17.10+). The corresponding question is here.

[Alex Lamson]

@PabloBianchi Oh, I didn't notice that. This post is the first google result if you search for "ubuntu alt+tab", so I assumed it was the right place.

[element11]

This is what i needed for 18.04, thanks a million

[Kim]

Gnome 3.38.2 here. I'm glad I found this answer; I think it's now the best answer to the question. When you change it to use Switch Windows, it even pops up a dialog box warning you that this will disable the Switch Applications functionality. Which is precisely what we want it to do