tmux keyboard shortcuts
Most tmux keys start with the prefix, Ctrl+B: press it, let go, then press the command key. Sessions keep running after you detach, and survive a dropped SSH connection. Copy mode and the session and window lists take their keys without the prefix, and copy mode uses emacs keys unless your VISUAL or EDITOR variable contains vi; each copy-mode note gives the vi key. tmux's README lists Linux, macOS, the BSDs and Solaris, its change log says it runs under Cygwin on Windows, and the keys are the same on all of them.
Checked against tmux manual page — Default key bindings, tmux manual page — Windows and panes, copy mode, tmux 3.7c manual page source, tmux wiki — Getting Started, tmux wiki — FAQ and tmux — CHANGES. Version: tmux 3.7c, default bindings, emacs copy-mode keys.
Showing the Windows keyboard. Showing the Mac keyboard.
104 shortcuts
The top 20 are the tmux shortcuts this page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear here. The drill asks the marked ones first too, shuffled. Or tick your own and print those.
The 20 to learn first: the shortcuts the tmux page marks as the ones to learn first, in the order they appear on it.
Your own sheet: the tmux shortcuts you ticked.
Start here
Press Ctrl+B, let go, then press the second key.
Press the prefix before any command key # Let go of Ctrl before the next key: Ctrl+B then C opens a window, but Ctrl+B then Ctrl+C is a different key. The prefix option in .tmux.conf changes it.WinControl plusBMacControl plusB
Detach, leaving everything running # The session and every program in it carry on in the background. tmux attach brings it back.WinControl plusBthenDMacControl plusBthenD
Open a new window # It takes the lowest free number, so a gap in the list is filled first.WinControl plusBthenCMacControl plusBthenC
Go to the next window #WinControl plusBthenNMacControl plusBthenN
Go to the previous window #WinControl plusBthenPMacControl plusBthenP
Split the pane into left and right # tmux calls this a horizontal split.WinControl plusBthen%MacControl plusBthen%
Split the pane into top and bottom # tmux calls this a vertical split.WinControl plusBthen"MacControl plusBthen"
Move to the pane above, below, left or right # Wraps round the window: Down from the bottom pane goes to the top one.WinControl plusBthenarrow keyMacControl plusBthenarrow key
Zoom the pane to fill the window, or put it back # A Z in the status line shows a pane is zoomed. Anything that resizes or moves a pane unzooms it.WinControl plusBthenZMacControl plusBthenZ
List every key binding # Up and Down scroll the list, and q leaves it.WinControl plusBthen?MacControl plusBthen?
Sessions: start, leave and come back
The typed rows run from the shell, outside tmux.
Start tmux in a new session # Plain tmux does the same.
tmux newStart a session with a name # Without a name, sessions are numbered from 0.
tmux new -s mysessionList the sessions # Short for tmux list-sessions.
tmux lsReattach to the most recent session # Picks the most recently used session that is not already attached.
tmux attachReattach to a session by name # Add -d to detach any other terminal attached to it.
tmux attach -t mysessionAttach to a session, or create it if it does not exist #
tmux new -A -s mysessionEnd a session and everything in it # tmux has no key for this. Inside tmux, kill-session at the Ctrl+B then : prompt ends the current one.
tmux kill-session -t mysessionRename the session #WinControl plusBthen$MacControl plusBthen$
Choose a session from a list # Enter switches to it. The keys that work inside the list have their own group below.WinControl plusBthenSMacControl plusBthenS
Switch to the previous session #WinControl plusBthen(MacControl plusBthen(
Switch to the next session #WinControl plusBthen)MacControl plusBthen)
Switch back to the last session you used #WinControl plusBthenShift plusLMacControl plusBthenShift plusL
Choose another terminal to detach # Each terminal attached to tmux is a client. Enter detaches the one picked in the list.WinControl plusBthenShift plusDMacControl plusBthenShift plusD
Suspend the tmux client #WinControl plusBthenControl plusZMacControl plusBthenControl plusZ
Windows
Go to a window by its number # Windows are numbered from 0, and these keys reach 0 to 9.WinControl plusBthennumberMacControl plusBthennumber
Go to a window by typing its number # Useful for a window above 9, which the number keys do not reach.WinControl plusBthenApostropheMacControl plusBthenApostrophe
Go back to the window you were last in # The status line marks it with a -, and the current window with a *.WinControl plusBthenLMacControl plusBthenL
Choose a window from a list # Shows every session with its windows opened out, and a preview of the one selected.WinControl plusBthenWMacControl plusBthenW
Rename the window # Until you do, a window is named after the program running in it.WinControl plusBthenCommaMacControl plusBthenComma
Close the window and every pane in it # Asks for confirmation first.WinControl plusBthen&MacControl plusBthen&
Move the window to another number # Refused if another window already has that number.WinControl plusBthenFull stopMacControl plusBthenFull stop
Find a window by the text in it # Matches the visible text and title of every pane, and the window names.WinControl plusBthenFMacControl plusBthenF
Show information about the window #WinControl plusBthenIMacControl plusBthenI
Go to the next window with an alert # An alert is a bell or activity marker on the window.WinControl plusBthenAlt plusNMacControl plusBthenOption plusN
Go to the previous window with an alert #WinControl plusBthenAlt plusPMacControl plusBthenOption plusP
Panes
Go to the next pane # In pane-number order.WinControl plusBthenOMacControl plusBthenO
Go back to the pane you were last in #WinControl plusBthenSemicolonMacControl plusBthenSemicolon
Show the pane numbers # Press a number while they show to jump to that pane.WinControl plusBthenQMacControl plusBthenQ
Close the pane # Closes only this pane. Ctrl+B then & closes the whole window.WinControl plusBthenXMacControl plusBthenX
Move the pane into a window of its own #WinControl plusBthen!MacControl plusBthen!
Swap the pane with the previous one #WinControl plusBthen{MacControl plusBthen{
Swap the pane with the next one #WinControl plusBthen}MacControl plusBthen}
Rotate the panes forwards # Pane numbers follow position, so they change as the panes move.WinControl plusBthenControl plusOMacControl plusBthenControl plusO
Rotate the panes backwards #WinControl plusBthenAlt plusOMacControl plusBthenOption plusO
Mark the pane, or unmark it # Only one pane is marked at a time. swap-pane at the Ctrl+B then : prompt then swaps it with the current pane.WinControl plusBthenMMacControl plusBthenM
Clear the marked pane #WinControl plusBthenShift plusMMacControl plusBthenShift plusM
Open a floating pane # Needs tmux 3.7 or later. It floats above the other panes; with the mouse on, drag its top border to move it and any other border or a corner to resize it.WinControl plusBthen*MacControl plusBthen*
Resizing and layouts
tmux's own pages write Alt as M-, for Meta. Alt+6 and Alt+7 give mirrored versions of the two large-pane layouts, with the large pane at the bottom or on the right.
Resize the pane one cell at a time # Repeats: for a moment afterwards, another Ctrl+arrow key resizes again without the prefix. The repeat-time option sets how long.WinControl plusBthenControl plusarrow keyMacControl plusBthenControl plusarrow key
Resize the pane five cells at a time # Repeats in the same way.WinControl plusBthenAlt plusarrow keyMacControl plusBthenOption plusarrow key
Cycle through the preset layouts # Once a layout is applied, the panes can still be resized as normal.WinControl plusBthenSpace barMacControl plusBthenSpace bar
Spread the panes evenly from left to right #WinControl plusBthenAlt plus1MacControl plusBthenOption plus1
Spread the panes evenly from top to bottom #WinControl plusBthenAlt plus2MacControl plusBthenOption plus2
Put one large pane on top and the rest below it # The main-pane-height option sets the height of the large pane.WinControl plusBthenAlt plus3MacControl plusBthenOption plus3
Put one large pane on the left and the rest beside it # The main-pane-width option sets its width.WinControl plusBthenAlt plus4MacControl plusBthenOption plus4
Tile the panes in a grid #WinControl plusBthenAlt plus5MacControl plusBthenOption plus5
Copying and pasting
Copy mode freezes the pane so you can scroll back and select. Its keys are emacs-style unless VISUAL or EDITOR contains vi; each note gives the vi key.
Practise theseEnter copy mode to scroll back or copy # The pane's output freezes, and the top-right corner shows where you are in the history.WinControl plusBthenLeft bracketMacControl plusBthenLeft bracket
Enter copy mode and scroll up a page #WinControl plusBthenPage UpMacControl plusBthenPage Up
Start selecting # vi keys: Space.WinControl plusSpace barMacControl plusSpace bar
Copy the selection and leave copy mode # vi keys: Enter.WinAlt plusWorControl plusWMacOption plusWorControl plusW
Leave copy mode # vi keys: q.WinEscapeorQMacEscapeorQ
Drop the selection without copying # Also abandons a search. vi keys: Esc.WinControl plusGMacControl plusG
Switch to a rectangular selection # vi keys: v.WinShift plusRMacShift plusR
Paste the last thing you copied #WinControl plusBthenRight bracketMacControl plusBthenRight bracket
Choose what to paste from a list of earlier copies # tmux keeps up to 50 copies, dropping the oldest. In the list, Enter pastes and d deletes.WinControl plusBthenEqualsMacControl plusBthenEquals
List the paste buffers #WinControl plusBthen#MacControl plusBthen#
Delete the most recent copy #WinControl plusBthenMinusMacControl plusBthenMinus
Moving and searching in copy mode
No prefix inside copy mode. These are the emacs keys, the default; each note gives the vi key.
Practise theseMove the cursor # vi keys: h, j, k and l. Alt and a number typed first repeats a move; with vi keys, the number alone.Winarrow keyMacarrow key
To the start of the line # vi keys: 0.WinControl plusAMacControl plusA
To the end of the line # vi keys: $.WinControl plusEMacControl plusE
Back one word # vi keys: b.WinAlt plusBMacOption plusB
Forward to the end of the word # vi keys: e.WinAlt plusFMacOption plusF
Up one page # vi keys: Ctrl+B.WinPage UpMacPage Up
Down one page # vi keys: Ctrl+F.WinPage DownMacPage Down
Up half a page # vi keys: Ctrl+U.WinAlt plusUp arrowMacOption plusUp arrow
Down half a page # vi keys: Ctrl+D.WinAlt plusDown arrowMacOption plusDown arrow
To the top of the history # vi keys: g.WinAlt plus<MacOption plus<
Back to the bottom of the history # vi keys: G.WinAlt plus>MacOption plus>
Go to a line by number # vi keys: a colon.WinGMacG
Search backwards as you type # Pressed with nothing typed, it repeats the last search. vi keys: ? searches backwards.WinControl plusRMacControl plusR
Search forwards as you type # vi keys: / searches forwards.WinControl plusSMacControl plusS
Jump to the next match # vi keys: n as well.WinNMacN
Jump to the previous match # vi keys: N as well.WinShift plusNMacShift plusN
Jump to a character on this line # Then type the character. Shift+F jumps backwards instead. Afterwards ; repeats the jump and , goes back the other way. The same keys with vi.WinFMacF
Inside the session and window lists
Ctrl+B then S and Ctrl+B then W open this list. No prefix is needed inside it.
Practise theseSwitch to the selected item # Or press the key in brackets at the start of its line: 0 to 9 for the first ten items, then Alt+A to Alt+Z.WinEnterMacReturn
Expand an item to show its windows or panes #WinRight arroworPlusMacRight arroworPlus
Collapse an item to hide its windows or panes #WinLeft arroworMinusMacLeft arroworMinus
Close the selected session, window or pane # Tag several with t first, and Shift+X closes them all.WinXMacX
Tag or untag the item # Tagged items show in bold with a * after the name. Shift+T untags everything and Ctrl+T tags everything.WinTMacT
Search the list by name # n repeats the search forwards and Shift+N backwards.WinControl plusSMacControl plusS
Run a command on the item, or on every tagged item #Win:Mac:
Show the keys that work in the list #WinF1orControl plusHMacF1orControl plusH
Leave the list #WinQMacQ
Help, the prompt and settings
Show what one key does # Then press the key you want explained.WinControl plusBthenSlashMacControl plusBthenSlash
Open the tmux command prompt # Takes any tmux command. Separate several with a semicolon.WinControl plusBthen:MacControl plusBthen:
Complete what you are typing at the prompt # The same key with vi keys.WinTabMacTab
Bring back an earlier command at the prompt # Down goes the other way. The manual gives no key for this with vi keys.WinUp arrowMacUp arrow
Show tmux's recent messages #WinControl plusBthen~MacControl plusBthen~
Show the time #WinControl plusBthenTMacControl plusBthenT
Redraw the screen #WinControl plusBthenRMacControl plusBthenR
Send Ctrl+B to the program in the pane #WinControl plusBthenControl plusBMacControl plusBthenControl plusB
Turn the mouse on # At the Ctrl+B then : prompt. Clicking then selects a pane and dragging a border resizes it. To select text the terminal's way, hold Shift in many Linux terminals, or Option in iTerm2.
set -g mouse onUse vi keys in copy mode # In .tmux.conf or at the Ctrl+B then : prompt. set -g status-keys vi does the same for the command prompt. tmux sets both itself if VISUAL or EDITOR contains vi when its server first starts.
set -g mode-keys viReload the configuration file # At the Ctrl+B then : prompt. tmux reads the file only when its server starts, so edits wait for this.
source ~/.tmux.confQuit tmux completely, closing every session # Or kill-server at the Ctrl+B then : prompt.
tmux kill-serverNext
tmux keyboard shortcuts — comboshelf.com. Checked 25 September 2026 against tmux manual page — Default key bindings.