How to quickly move from a window of an application to a specific window of another application

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Level 1

8 points

How to quickly move from a window of an application to a specific window of another application

I started using a macbook a few weeks ago and I'm wasting a lot of time to move from application to application. For my work I have many windows open of Chrome and Textedit. As a previous Windows user, I could very quickly move from window to window by using ALT-tab. This is not possible in my new mac, as ALT-tab only moves to a random window of the application I select, not to the exact window I need.

I have read that I could use command+backquote (the key above the left TAB) in an English keyboard to cycle through all the open windows of the current application. But this is apparently not possible with my Italian keyboard, as there is no backquote.

The only way I found to carefully select the window I need is to use CTRL+left/right arrow, but as I cannot see in advance if the window I need is before of after the current one, I have to keep scrolling all the way left and then all the way right, wasting a lot of time.

Is there a way to quickly move from a window of an application to a specific window of another application by using a keyboard shortcut even by using my Italian keyboard?

Thanks in advance

MacBook

Posted on Jan 3, 2020 1:11 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,590 points

Jan 3, 2020 2:50 AM in response to s_federici

Use Command- Tab to see the Application Switcher and select the Application you want to use. In System Preferences> Mouse you can set a button there to show you the Application switcher, this should also be possible in the Trackpad preferences too.

Also using Mission Control you can make several Desktops, and assign apps to certain Desktops.

For example Desktop 1 could be Safari, 2 could be Text Edit, 3 could be Mail etc etc.

Mission Control is in your Applications folder, open it and at the top of your screen to the right is a plus button.

Click on that and Desktop 2 will be created, etc etc.

To Assign an app to Desktop 1, lets try Safari, click on Desktop 1, open Safari, Control-click on the Safari icon in your Dock

a submenu will pop up, select Options and you will get the chance to Assign Safari to the Desktop of your choice.

See screenshot below, (I have three Displays attached, if you only have one you will see Desktop rather than Display).

The default keyboard shortcut to move between Desktops is either Control-1, Control-2 etc or Control and the left or right arrows on the keyboard. You can select your own in the System Preferences> Keyboard> Shortcuts> Mission Control

see below I have changed mine to Command- 1 or 2 or 3 etc.

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Answer 2

Jan 3, 2020 9:10 PM in response to s_federici

s_federici wrote:

I started using a macbook a few weeks ago and I'm wasting a lot of time to move from application to application.

Use Mission Control on your Mac - Apple Support

Work in multiple spaces on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

tboegel

Level 1

16 points

Jan 3, 2020 5:43 PM in response to s_federici

Try using the multitouch gestures on your trackpad. You can enable them in the trackpad portion of your system settings. There’s two different three finger swipe gestures, up and down. One will show all open windows of the current application, and the other will show all open windows of all applications. Click on the window you want and you’re in business.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,206 points

Jan 3, 2020 6:54 PM in response to s_federici

Open Keyboard System Prefs, Shortcuts tab and select Keyboard category.

See what is set for Move Focus to next window.

You could even change the shortcut to something more functional for you.

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How to quickly move from a window of an application to a specific window of another application

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