Using Ctrl + Alt + TabĬtrl + Alt + Tab opens the task switcher and keeps it open, even if you let go of the keys.
If you overshoot a thumbnail, simply press Shift while still in the switcher to go back. Using Shift + Alt + Tabįor switching tasks in reverse, from right to left, press Shift + Alt + Tab. And, if you tap these keys quickly, you’ll switch between the current and last used app. If you change your mind, press Esc to exit without selecting any app. Letting go of the Alt key will select the highlighted app. To move through them from left to right, press Tab while keeping Alt pressed. Pressing Alt + Tab shows thumbnails of all open apps. Everyone should know these, whether you’re just starting or you’re an expert. Let’s look at easy-to-use keyboard shortcuts for task switching. Read more Simple Keyboard Shortcuts for Task Switching Useful tips and tools to help you automate tasks like deleting old files, emptying recycle bin and making. Millions of dollars retraining all their employees.Guide to Automating Repetitive Tasks on Windows 10 When the user interface changes, because it forces them to spend It turns out that corporations with 10,000 employees don't like it This does highlight the effort we take to try to allow people whoĭon't like the new way of doing something to go back to the old way. Removed entirely and the setting now has no effect.
Turns out nobody complained, so the old slow way of task switching was SPI_SETFASTTASKSWITCH that lets you change it programmatically.) It Prefer the old way, so there was a switch in the control panel to set When the newĪlt+Tab was added to Windows 3.1, we were concerned that people might Was automatically opened if it had been minimized. The old way of switching via Alt+Tab (Windows 3.0 andĮarlier) was just like Alt+Esc, except that the window you switched to Term used to describe the precursor to the current Alt+Tab switching You may have run across the term "fast task switching". Just goes as high as it can without getting on top of any "always on Indicate that a "not always on top" window comes to the top, it really The basic rule is that an "always on top" window alwaysĪppears on top of a "not always on top" window. The presence of "always on top" windows makes this a little moreĬomplicated. It to the top, but does not open the window if it is minimized. Know that hotkey even existed) takes the bottom-most window and brings The Alt+Shift+Esc hotkey (I bet you didn't Window and sends it to the bottom of the Z-order (and the window next Hotkey (gosh, does anybody still use Alt+Esc?) takes the current top Minimize a window, it goes to the bottom of the Z-order. Switch to a window, then it comes to the top of the Z-order. The icons appear in the same order as the window Z-order. Rest of them are shown in alphabetical order to make it easier to pick Shown in Z-order order, but if you have a lot of windows open, the Of interactive task switching in Windows Vista:Ĭlassic Alt+Tab: This is the same one that's been around since Windowsįlip (new for Windows Vista): This shows a grid of thumbnails.įlip3D (also new for Windows Vista): This shows a stack of windows inĬlassic Alt+Tab continues to show the icons in Z-order order, but theĭeveloper who wrote Flip told me that Flip changed it up a bit based Windows Vista changed the Alt+Tab order slightlyįor decades, the Alt+Tab order was the same as the Z-order, but thatĬhanges in Windows Vista if you use the enhanced Alt+Tab feature knownĪs Flip, which is on by default on most systems. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows. Use Arrow keys, Tab, or Shift + Tab to navigate and Enter or Space to activate. Winkey + Ctrl + Tab Cycles through parts of the desktop and taskbar. Vista: Cycles through open windows using Windows Flip3D. Winkey + Tab Cycles through Taskbar buttons, Press Enter or Space to activate a window. This is same as Winkey + Tab in older versions. Vista: Cycles through Taskbar buttons, Press Enter or Space to activate a window. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows.Ĭtrl + Alt + Tab Vista: Starts Windows Coolswitch. Pressing Escape cancels switching windows.Īlt + Shift + Tab Cycles backwards through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released. Alt + Esc Switches to the next open windowĪlt + Shift + Esc Switches to the previous open windowĪlt + Tab Cycles through open windows, and switches to the window when the Alt key is released.