What's the Alt+Tab Equivalent on a Mac?
Quick answer: The Alt+Tab equivalent on a Mac is ⌘Tab (hold Command, tap Tab). One difference matters: ⌘Tab switches between applications, not individual windows. To cycle the windows of the app you are already in, use ⌘` (backtick).
Why ⌘Tab feels different
Windows treats every window as a separate entry in Alt+Tab. macOS groups windows by application. So if you have three Excel workbooks and a browser open, Windows Alt+Tab shows four thumbnails; Mac ⌘Tab shows two app icons — Excel and the browser.
That is by design, and once you know the second shortcut it is quick to work with.
| You want to | Mac shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Switch between apps | ⌘Tab | Hold ⌘, tap Tab to move forward |
| Move backward through apps | ⌘⇧Tab | While holding ⌘ |
| Switch windows of the current app | ⌘` (backtick) | Same key as ~, above Tab |
| See every window at once | ⌃↑ (Mission Control) | Or a three-finger swipe up |
| Quit an app from the switcher | Hold ⌘Tab, press Q | Releases and quits the highlighted app |
| Hide the current app | ⌘H | Faster than minimising |
Working with the ⌘Tab switcher
Hold ⌘ the whole time. Release it to jump to the highlighted app.
Tap Tab repeatedly to move forward, ⇧Tab to move back.
Point with the mouse while the switcher is open to pick an app directly.
Press Q (still holding ⌘) to quit the highlighted app, or H to hide it.
Switching between Excel workbooks
Inside Excel for Mac, ⌘` cycles open workbooks, and the Window menu lists them all. If you keep a source workbook and a working file side by side, this is the shortcut you will use most. A fuller set is in the Complete Mac Excel shortcut cheat sheet.
If you miss per-window switching
macOS does not offer a built-in one-shortcut window switcher across all apps. Mission Control (⌃↑) is the native answer. Some people add a third-party switcher; if your reason for wanting it is Excel and Windows muscle memory in general, it is worth reading Just want Windows shortcut keys to work on Mac in Excel? first, since a keyboard layer inside Excel often solves the real problem.
Windows Alt+Tab vs Mac ⌘Tab: what actually differs
Apple describes ⌘Tab as switching to "the next most recently used app among your open apps". Windows Alt+Tab, by contrast, lists individual windows. Three practical consequences follow:
The quick toggle still works. Tap ⌘Tab once and release to jump to the app you used just before this one, then tap it again to jump back. That is the two-app flip most people use Alt+Tab for.
Holding the shortcut opens the full list. Keep ⌘ held and tap Tab to move through the apps in most-recently-used order.
Extra windows are not extra entries. Five Safari windows show up as a single Safari icon. Use the window-switching shortcut from the table above to move between them.
Quick reference: switch, close, hide and minimize
Apple documents these Mac window and app shortcuts, which together replace most of what Alt+Tab, Alt+F4 and the Windows taskbar do:
⌘W: close the front window.
⌥⌘W: close all windows of the app.
⌘M: minimize the front window to the Dock.
⌥⌘M: minimize all windows of the front app.
⌘H: hide the windows of the front app.
⌥⌘H: view the front app but hide all other apps.
⌃↓: show all windows of the front app.
⌃↑: open Mission Control.
The last two are the closest thing to a per-window picker. Mission Control shows every window and desktop; ⌃↓ narrows the view to the windows of the app you are in.
Using a Windows keyboard on a Mac
On a Windows or external keyboard connected to a Mac, the Alt key acts as Option and the Windows key acts as Command. That means the physical Alt+Tab keys do not switch apps, but Windows+Tab does. If the key positions feel wrong, you can swap Option and Command in System Settings. The full walkthrough is in Alt Key on a Windows or External Keyboard on Mac.
When ⌘Tab seems to skip the app you want
The switcher is ordered by recent use, so an app you have not touched in a while sits further along the list. Keep ⌘ held and keep tapping Tab, or use the arrow keys or the mouse to pick it directly. If you often juggle many apps, Mission Control (⌃↑) is easier to scan than a long row of icons.
FAQs
What is Alt+Shift+Tab on a Mac?
⌘⇧Tab — it moves backward through the app switcher.
The ⌘` shortcut does nothing. Why?
It only cycles windows that are open and not minimised, and only for the current app. On some non-US keyboard layouts the key is different; check System Settings ▸ Keyboard ▸ Keyboard Shortcuts ▸ Keyboard for "Move focus to next window".
How do I switch to a specific window with the keyboard?
Use the app’s Window menu, or Mission Control. Excel also numbers open workbooks in its Window menu.
Why does ⌘Tab not show my second Excel workbook?
Because it lists applications, not windows. Use the window-switching shortcut for the current app, or pick the workbook from Excel's Window menu.
Is there a shortcut that shows every open window?
Yes. ⌃↑ opens Mission Control, which shows all your windows and desktops. ⌃↓ shows only the windows of the front app.
Can I use the Windows key instead of Command?
On a Windows keyboard connected to a Mac, yes: the Windows key works as Command, so Windows+Tab is the app switcher.