2 February 2026

A Complete Guide to Using Alt-Tab Mac App on macOS

Blog

Mac users love clean design, but sometimes macOS gets a little… too minimal. If you’ve ever missed the good ol’ Windows Alt-Tab app switching, you’re not alone. Enter AltTab for macOS — a powerful little app that brings a Windows-style task switcher to your Mac. It’s snappy, customizable, and really makes multitasking a breeze.

TL;DR:

AltTab is a free macOS app that brings Windows-style app switching to your Mac. It’s perfect if you want a better visual way to flip between open windows. It’s super easy to install, highly customizable, and makes multitasking way more fun. Great for both beginners and power users!

What Is AltTab?

AltTab is an open-source app that mimics the Alt-Tab behavior from Windows. On a Mac, the standard Command + Tab shows only your active apps. But what if you want to cycle through every single window? That’s where AltTab comes in. It gives you a clear, visual list of all open windows, not just apps.

You can think of it like this: It’s like giving your Mac super-powered vision for multitasking.

Why You’ll Love It

It’s Free – No hidden costs. Just download and go.
It’s Familiar – If you use Windows at work, switching becomes seamless.
It’s Visual – Thumbnails make it easy to spot the right window fast.
It’s Customizable – Tweak styles, sizes, shortcuts, and more.
Keyboard Ninja Friendly – Stays hands-on-keyboard and fast!

How to Install AltTab

Let’s get started. Installing AltTab is super easy:

Go to AltTab’s official website.
Download the latest version.
Open the DMG file and drag AltTab to your Applications folder.
Run it. The first time, macOS will ask for permissions.
Click Open System Preferences, then enable it under Accessibility.
You’re done! AltTab starts running as a tiny menu bar app.

Pro tip: Enable “Launch at Login” so it’s always ready when your Mac starts!

How to Use It

Now comes the fun part! Once AltTab is installed, you can start using it with a keyboard shortcut.

By default, it’s set to Option + Tab. But you can change that if you want to match Windows behavior — or anything else. Just open AltTab’s preferences from the menu bar icon.

Here’s how to use it:

Hold down Option (or whatever key you picked).
Tap Tab to cycle through windows.
Release the keys to jump to the one you want.

It’s that easy. And soooo satisfying.

Customizing It

One of the coolest things about AltTab is how much you can tweak it. Open the preferences window to see a ton of options.

Things you can customize:

Shortcut keys – Choose the keys that feel right for you.
Sort order – By most recently used, app name, or window title.
Appearance – Change styles, transparency, and icon sizes.
Thumbnails – Show previews of your windows or just icons.
Behavior – Choose whether to include hidden apps or minimized windows.

You can really rock your workflow when everything looks and acts just the way you want it.

Set Up Profiles (Advanced Tip)

Want to get super fancy? You can create profiles for different tasks or workflows.

For example:

Work profile: Include all open tabs with previews.
Focus profile: Only show the most recent 3 apps, no thumbnails.
Design profile: Show big previews, hide docked apps.

Combine AltTab with other automation tools like Hammerspoon or Alfred for next-level mastery.

Tips and Tricks

Press Q while AltTab is open to quit the selected app.
Press H to hide it.
Hover over a preview to see more window info.
Combine with macOS Mission Control for power multitasking.
Use multiple desktops? AltTab can show them all — or just the current one.

When Not to Use AltTab

AltTab is amazing — but not always perfect for every user or setup.

Here are a few cases where it might feel overkill:

If you only use a few apps at a time.
If you’re super happy with macOS’s default Command + Tab.
If you never use windowed apps (like full-screen all the time).

But honestly? Even then, give it a shot. You might be surprised how great it feels.

Uninstalling AltTab

If you ever want to remove it, it’s easy:

Quit AltTab from the menu bar icon.
Delete the app from your Applications folder.
Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Accessibility and remove its permissions.

That’s it. Clean and simple, just like the app.

Final Thoughts

AltTab is the little helper you didn’t know your Mac needed. It brings better window management with a clean, fast UI. No fluff, no clutter — just quick switching and total focus.

If you love efficiency, customization, or just cool tools, you owe it to yourself to give AltTab a test drive. You might never go back.

Happy switching!