How do I view (with one keystroke) ALL open apps -- even minimized apps?

After many years on a Mac, pressing the F4 key to view all of my open apps at once, I am now wondering how to replicate this keystroke on my new Mac? Pressing F4 now only shows me the apps that are open and maximized. I have Googled and Googled and Googled to no avail.


Any suggestions for a one keystroke shortcut to see all open apps -- maximized and minimized -- at a glance?


Thanks!

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.5)

Posted on Jul 7, 2017 3:09 PM

Reply
9 replies

Jul 9, 2017 1:56 PM in response to BobHarris

Hi, Bob!


Thanks so much for responding, however the solution you suggested:

  1. Is more than one key (Command-Tab is two keys).
  2. Shows the open apps, but fails to show what the apps are doing. It only displays app icons. On my old Mac, hitting the F4 key all by itself, would have shown (for example):
  • my family's weekly budget spreadsheet in miniature running in Numbers -- instead of just the Numbers icon.
  • It showed an email I was composing in miniature running on Chrome -- instead of just the Chrome icon.
  • It showed a 'to do list' I was composing in miniature running on Pages -- instead of just the Pages icon.

And it would show all of this, all at once, by merely pressing F4.


I cannot locate this shortcut (or how to tweak things to restore this keystroke) anywhere on iOS 10.12.5 in System Preferences or anywhere else. Maddening! Hope this makes sense.

Jul 10, 2017 9:42 AM in response to Barney-15E

F4 used to show me everything that was open. All open apps, whether they were minimized or maximized, appeared (as miniature versions of themselves) like a mosaic when I either hit the F4 key or squeezed the side buttons on my mouse.


Now? F3 is the closest thing I've been able to use that mimics what my old Mac did. Trouble is, F3 only shows apps that maximized. Any open-yet-minimized apps don't appear as part of the current F3 mosaic.

Jul 10, 2017 9:47 AM in response to tonefox

It is unticked.


F3 shows only open maximized apps.


F4 shows every app (open and closed) I have in my dock.


Neither of these keys does what my old Mac did. I relied on this feature several times an hour, for several hours, every single day. So to have it disappear, has been absolutely crippling for me.


I'm trying (in vain it seems) to view previews of all my OPEN apps -- minimized AND maximized -- as a mosaic, with one keystroke.

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How do I view (with one keystroke) ALL open apps -- even minimized apps?

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