Alt Tab force Option key

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Level 1

16 points

Alt Tab force Option key

I love using Alt Tab to switch between applications, but many applications when closing them don't allow for switching back to the application with Alt Tab unless I also use the Option key as the application is in a closed state. This only happens with some applications which makes it very inconsistent and super super annoying.

Yes, I know I can hide the window instead of closing it, but breaks my work flow and I am looking for an alternative solution. I have tried other Alt Tab applications and they all have their own issues.

I would really love a setting that always forces any closed windows to be focused on when using Alt Tab without having to use the Option key. This seems like a simple setting to add and wouldn't be an issue adding it as the default would be off.

Another possible solution would be a setting that allows me to set the state of a window/application when closing it. By default it is Close, but I could set it to Hide which would then allow Alt Tab to always work.

Has anyone found a permanent solution to this?

Is there some sort of script I can run within the terminal to add this as a permanent solution?

Thanks

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Oct 27, 2023 9:12 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 27, 2023 11:31 AM in response to ggedde

An application is not "closed". You may close its windows.

Take an application like Safari, for example. If you close all its windows, Safari will continue to run. That is why it still appears in the application switcher, by the way. If you Command-Q in Safari, or choose Safari->Quit, it will no longer appear in the application switcher.

If you Command-tab to Safari, you bring it to the front - which is witnessed by seeing Safari in the menu bar, next to the Apple menu. If there were no open windows in Safari, well... there continue to be no open windows.

That is how it has always been.

macOS is different from MSWindows, in that it is application-centric, not window-centric. The concept of an application being open without having any windows may be confusing to some more accustomed to the other side. On the Mac it's normal, although there are exceptions. When an application has multiple windows, like Safari, it works as I described. Single-window applications will actually quit when their only window is closed (example: System Settings).

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Answer 2

ggedde Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 27, 2023 12:38 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E wrote:

Holding command and option shouldn't do anything, they are two modifier keys. It needs another key.

Sorry, my description was a bit short.

If you Cmd + Tab to an open application with closed windows (While still holding Cmd) then also hold Option then let go of Cmd. It will force open a new window for that application. This has been my go to solution, but is awkward and not user friendly.

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,036 points

Oct 27, 2023 11:12 AM in response to ggedde

What is Alt-tab. Did you reassign a shortcut?

Cmd-Tab is the Application Switcher which switches between open applications. If you Quit them, it doesn't switch to them because that would be absolutely awful. I have about a hundred apps that are not running at any give time. I don't want to switch through a hundred applications.

Cmd-` switches document windows within an app.

A lot of us do not have any key labeled, "Alt." We do have an Option key which might be labeled "alt" on your keyboard. Opt-Tab does nothing.

Can you please explain?

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Answer 4

ggedde Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 27, 2023 12:51 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks Luis for your clarification. While I am aware of all this, I do think your clarification will help many others understand what is going on, but I am still searching for a permanent solution.

The issue for me, is that for the life of me, I don't understand why the application will not open a new window when all are closed for that running application. Maybe this is useful for some power users for some reason that I am not ware or, but If you close all the windows for a running application and click on the dock icon for the application it will open a new window. If you use spotlight it will do the same. ONLY when using Cmd + Tab does it not force open a new window. The developers understood that there is a need for this and that is why they added the Option key as a work around, but that has been their only solution for many years. Ideally, there should be another workaround or a setting to change this behavior.

Thanks

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Answer 5

ggedde Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 27, 2023 11:19 AM in response to Barney-15E

Wow, my bad, I mean Cmd + Tab.

Sorry, just got use to saying Alt Tab for some reason.

Unfortunately, it seems that I cannot edit the Thread, Sorry!

If you Cmd + Tab to an application you previously closed it does nothing. The application is still present in the Cmd + Tab previews, but when you Cmd + Tab to it, it does nothing. You have to do a Cmd + Tab to it then Cmd + Option to force open it. This is annoying and I wish I didn't have to add the Cmd + Option. Instead I would just like to force open the Application even if it was closed.

Fully closed Applications (Quit) do not show in the Cmd + Tab list, so that is not what I am referring to.

Thanks

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,036 points

Oct 27, 2023 11:28 AM in response to ggedde

ggedde wrote:

Wow, my bad, I mean Cmd + Tab.

Sorry, just got use to saying Alt Tab for some reason.

Unfortunately, it seems that I cannot edit the Thread, Sorry!

If you Cmd + Tab to an application you previously closed it does nothing.

It should bring the app to the front with the menu bar set for that app. If you had previously closed the last window of that app, the menu bar is all you will see. Is that not happening?

Closing a document window does not necessarily quit the app. The only ones it does quit are those that have no reason to exist without a window open, like System Settings.

The application is still present in the Cmd + Tab previews, but when you Cmd + Tab to it, it does nothing. You have to do a Cmd + Tab to it then Cmd + Option to force open it.

Holding command and option shouldn't do anything, they are two modifier keys. It needs another key.

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,036 points

Oct 27, 2023 12:44 PM in response to ggedde

On Pages, at least, it will open the next minimized window. Never knew it could do that.

If there are no minimized documents, it opens the New File dialog.

For apps that don't use that kind of document chooser, it opens a new untitled document.

Learn new tricks every day.

That part works similarly to clicking the Dock icon with no document windows open.

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Answer 8

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,036 points

Oct 27, 2023 1:22 PM in response to ggedde

I guess the reasoning might be something like, maybe they don't want a new window but want to open a document. The Option key makes that decision. You would like it to work the other way.

Feedback - macOS - Apple

I would guess over my life I've been about 50/50 on which I want. I guess I wish it really was a "new document" switch such that if there is a document already open, Option would start a new document.

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Answer 9

Oct 27, 2023 11:34 AM in response to Barney-15E

Barney, you beat me to it 😎

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