ALT+TAB no longer groups windows under applications in Ubuntu 19.04

According to the release notes for Ubuntu 19.04, Alt+Tab behaves differently than before:

alt-tab handling now switches windows by default. Switching applications by default can be done with super-tab

The image below illustrates what Alt+Tab does:

Alt+Tab

And Super+Tab switches between applications with each application's windows available below:

Super+Tab

The following image shows the default "switch" options in Settings > Devices > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Navigation:

Default keyboard options for switching windows/applications


All keyboard shortcuts including Alt+Tab can be managed in the Settings / Keyboard Shortcuts menu.

I liked the style in Ubuntu 18.04 GNOME, where Alt+Tab switch Applications. In Ubuntu Super+Tab switches applications by default, but you can change this to your liking.

A shortlist, with the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS defaults. NB! Subject to change between versions.

  • Switch applications (Super+Tab) - Only navigate between applications. The last highlighted application window is selected by default - Great when you are Alt+Tab'ing between your browser and Terminal window.
  • Switch windows (Alt+Tab) - Switch between all your open windows, regardless of which application it is.
  • Switch windows directly (Alt+Escape) - Switch back/forth between your two latest windows on one press, or cycle pressing repeatedly, regardless of application. Reminds me of GNU Screen's ctrl+a ctrl+a.
  • Switch windows of an application (Super+key above Tab) - Switch between windows of the current application only. As I have multiple Terminal and browser windows at all times I love this one. That's Super+| (pipe) on my keyboard. YMMV.

And just in case,

Super is your Windows key / Mac key.


Alt-TAB is one, for the workspace apps, but Control-Alt-TAB switches between all app from all workspaces (dconf, marco settings)