How to "unhide" apps/windows?

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Level 1

9 points

How to "unhide" apps/windows?

Just got a replacement Macbook after my 1st ever Mac died from RSD after 1 week or so of usage. I'm typing on my new 1-day replacement Macbook as a 2nd time newbie to OS X.

My question is, after apps "minimize" or "disappear" into the dock, why is it that using the Alt+Tab key doesn't bring up the app window?

I could see on the task bar that the active app has been switched to the one I am selecting, but its "app window" doesn't appear until I click on the app icon in the dock. Wh is this the case?

I noticed command+H is to minimize or hide the app, is there a shortcut key to "unhide" or bring out the app with its window fully intact?

Macbook Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz, Mac OS X (10.4.7), 2GB 667Mhz DDR2, 80GB SATA HD

Posted on Sep 7, 2006 11:11 AM

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Answer 1

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Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Sep 7, 2006 4:27 PM in response to macmeup

Hi, macmeup.

If you minimize all of an apps windows to the Dock, while you can switch to the app with Command-Tab ( ⌘-Tab), this will not bring the minimized windows forward. Only clicking the minimized windows in the Dock will bring them back. This is "working as designed" w.r.t. minimizing applications to the Dock.

If you Hide an app (Command-H) then Command Tab will bring all its opened, non-minimized windows back: windows that were minimized before you hid that app will continue to remain in the Dock until you click them. Again, this is "working as designed."

There's no keyboard shortcut to "un-minimize" or bring forward an app's window that has been minimized to the Dock: one must click the desired window in the Dock.

If you think Apple should change this, I suggest you submit a Mac OS X Feedback.

I almost never minimize windows to the Dock, instead relying on Hide or Exposé.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 2

Sep 7, 2006 12:00 PM in response to macmeup

It does for me. I assume by clicking "cmd-tab" you are seeing a bar across the screen and repeated tabbing moves the cursor to the hidden application. Yes, releasing the cmd key does restore the window for me. If it doesn't work for you I don't know why

Mac users dislike "tasks", so the "taskbar" is called a "Dock".

A "hidden app" is one whose windows are invisible AND not minimised AND the application is not in front. Keystrokes only operate on the front app, so no keystroke could unhide an application that is not in front because no hidden app could be in front.

I believe all apps have a "Show All" menu item in the menubar, under the application name. That should be better than a keystroke anyway.

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Answer 3

Sep 7, 2006 12:09 PM in response to macmeup

The key combination "Command-Tab" (or "Apple-Tab") should do what you want.

If you've hidden any application with command-H, hold command and keep using tab to find the application and bring back the app with the active window. (Also useful: "Command- tilde" to switch between windows in the current application).

These aren't quite as useful if you need to hide just one application window while still using other windows in the same application for something else. In that case your best choice is probably to minimize the window to the dock. I don't think there is any key combination to get that window back from the dock: you have to use the mouse.

I hope that helps!
Caleb

iMac g3 400MHz

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