WindowSwitcher 2 for Mac · Free
A Mac window switcher with previews.
One keystroke, and every window is in front of you.
Press ⌥⇥ and every open window is on screen at once: large cards with live thumbnails, tabs for each app, and search that starts the moment you type.
macOS 14.6 or later · free · no account
⌥⇥
Window previews from all your open apps
How it works
- Press ⌥⇥. The screen dims and every open window appears as a card.
- Find the one you want. Look at the thumbnails, type a few letters, or switch to an app tab.
- Press Enter. Or the card’s number, or click it. You are in that window.
Why WindowSwitcher 2
You recognise the window you want
Every open window becomes a large card with a live thumbnail, the app icon and the title, so you can pick one by sight instead of reading a column of lines that all say “Untitled”.
Back to the last window in two keys
The overview opens with the previous window already selected. Press ⌥⇥, then Enter, and you are in it.
Hands stay on the keyboard
Arrows select, Enter switches, a number jumps straight to a window. Start typing and the overview filters as you type.
What it does
Switch by number
The first nine cards are numbered. Press 1 to 9 and you are in that window without selecting it first.
Search without a field
Just start typing. Windows are filtered by title and by application name, in any keyboard layout.
Tabs for each app
“All” and your apps in the order you used them last. Tab and ⇧Tab move between them, and a tab can be clicked.
Windows from every desktop
Windows from other desktops and full-screen windows are in the overview too, marked with a badge. Switching takes you to their desktop.
Several monitors
The overview opens on whichever screen your pointer is on.
Minimized and hidden, if you want
Off by default. Turn on “Show hidden and minimized windows” in Settings and they join the grid.
Keyboard
| ⌥⇥ | Open the overview (change it in Settings) |
|---|---|
| ↩ | Switch to the selected window |
| 1–9 | Switch to the numbered window |
| ←→↑↓ | Select a window |
| A–Z | Start typing to search |
| ⇥ / ⇧⇥ | Next or previous app tab |
| ⌥⇥ again | Next window; ⇧⌥⇥ for the previous one |
| ⌫ | Erase a search character |
| esc | Clear the search; press it again to close |
First launch
WindowSwitcher 2 lives in the menu bar and has no icon in the Dock. A three-step guide asks for two system permissions: Accessibility, so the shortcut works, and Screen Recording, so the cards can show thumbnails. Without Screen Recording the overview still opens; the cards just have no pictures.
Need window previews in the Dock and more? That is DockView 2.
Frequently asked questions
What permissions does WindowSwitcher 2 need?
Accessibility, so the shortcut works: without it the overview cannot open. Screen Recording is for the thumbnails: without it the overview still works, but the cards have no pictures. A three-step guide asks for both on first launch.
Can I change the shortcut?
Yes. ⌥⇥ is the default; set your own in Settings.
Does it show windows from other desktops?
Yes. Windows from other desktops and full-screen windows appear in the overview with a badge, and switching takes you to their desktop.
What about minimized and hidden windows?
They are off by default. Turn on “Show hidden and minimized windows” in Settings.
Which monitor does the overview open on?
The one your pointer is on.
Is this an update to WindowSwitcher 1.8?
No. This is a new app, built from scratch around the window overview.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. WindowSwitcher 2 is free.