Free native macOS app and window switcher

Switch apps.
Land on the exact window.

Use ⌘Tab to move between apps, then ⌘` to choose a window without releasing Command.

Install SwitchTab See how it works

Jump from an app to the exact window you want without releasing Command.

macOS 14+
Native Swift
Free forever
Signed & notarized by Apple

Get it running

One command.
Then one keystroke.

Install the latest signed release with Homebrew, or grab the DMG straight from GitHub. No account, no subscription.

Install with Homebrew

brew install --cask sonim1/tap/switchtab ↗

Download the app Get the latest DMG

Rather compile it yourself? Build from source.

Current downloads require an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later.

Install with AI

Copy this prompt into a coding agent with local terminal access on your Mac. Chat-only tools cannot install apps. You still approve macOS permissions yourself.

Installation prompt

Install SwitchTab on this Mac using local terminal access. If you cannot run local commands, say so instead of claiming installation succeeded.

1. Confirm macOS 14 or later and Apple silicon hardware (including when the terminal runs under Rosetta). Stop and explain if this Mac is unsupported.
2. Read the official README at https://github.com/sonim1/switchtab and resolve the current stable release at https://github.com/sonim1/switchtab/releases/latest. Use only the official sonim1/switchtab release or sonim1/tap Homebrew cask.
3. Check for an existing SwitchTab installation first. Report its version and ask before updating or replacing it. Preserve its settings.
4. If Homebrew is already available, run: brew install --cask sonim1/tap/switchtab
Do not install Homebrew, Xcode, or a Swift toolchain just for this app.
5. Without Homebrew, download the stable DMG and its matching .dmg.sha256 file from that same official release into a temporary directory. Verify SHA-256 before mounting read-only. Verify the app's Developer ID signature and notarization with codesign and spctl, and confirm bundle ID com.royjen.switchtab. Stop if any check fails. Copy it to /Applications only if no installation exists; if access is denied, ask me to drag the verified app there. Eject only the image you mounted.
6. Verify the installed app's version, bundle ID, signature, and notarization, then open it. Report whether its process is running. Do not claim switching works until I complete the permission and shortcut check.
7. Ask me to approve Accessibility in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility, then test my switching shortcut. Screen Recording is optional for window previews. Never grant permissions automatically.
8. Do not use sudo, remove quarantine, disable Gatekeeper, change security settings, or request passwords in chat. Report the installed version, path, verification results, and any remaining manual steps.

Open plain-text prompt

The flow

Less hunting.
More getting there.

Hold

Press your shortcut and the switcher appears exactly where you need it.

Cycle

Tap through apps or windows. The selected destination stays clear.

Release

Let go and land there. Click works too when your pointer is closer.

Quick answers

The macOS switcher,
without the hunt.

What SwitchTab changes, what it needs, and what it costs.

What is SwitchTab?

SwitchTab is a free, native macOS utility for keyboard-first switching between running apps and the windows of the current app.

How is SwitchTab different from macOS Command-Tab?

macOS Command-Tab switches between apps. SwitchTab keeps that app flow and lets you move into the highlighted app’s windows without releasing Command.

Does SwitchTab require Screen Recording?

No. Accessibility permission is required to discover and focus windows. Screen Recording is optional and used only for live previews; switching still works with app icons and placeholders.

Is SwitchTab free?

Yes. SwitchTab has no ads, purchases, subscription, analytics SDK, or account, and no remote service is required for switching.

How to switch between apps and windows on Mac · Native shortcuts, window previews, and when to use SwitchTab.

Everything in reach

A small utility
with a big shortcut.

Built for the moment between “where was that?” and “there it is.”

Application switching

Move between apps without losing your place.

Configurable Cmd-Tab switching brings a compact, focused overlay to your workflow. Forward and reverse cycling are always one rhythm apart.

Current-app windows

See the right window before you open it.

Use Cmd-Backtick to stay inside the app at hand. Window titles and previews make the next destination unmistakable.

Fewer places to look

Stop managing where your windows live.

Spaces and second monitors ask you to remember geography. SwitchTab asks you to remember one shortcut — stack windows wherever they land and pull the one you want to the front.

Private by design

Helpful permissions. Nothing extra.

Accessibility powers focus and switching. Screen Recording is only for previews. No account, ads, subscription, or telemetry.

Switch apps.Land on the exact window.

One command.Then one keystroke.

Less hunting.More getting there.