How do I adjust the alt-tab speed?

It ends up that there is a delay of 2ms set in the alt-tab switcher (called the Static Application Switcher) by default.

To change it, use you can use CompizConfig Settings Manager . After you install it, run it via the dash by searching for compiz or just run ccsm from alt-f2:

And then set Popup Window Delay to 0 in the behavior tab.

And crank up the speed:

12.10

1. Requirements: You will need Compiz Config Settings Manager (CCSM).

   sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
   

   You may also need the Compiz Plugins too. The compiz plugins were included in compizconfig-settings-manager in earlier versions of Ubuntu

   sudo apt-get install compiz-plugins
   

2. Enable Static Application Switcher

   CCSM > Window Management > Static Application Switcher > Check the box to enable it.

   2.1 You will be prompted with a "bindings conflict" dialogue. Select Resolve conflicts.

   

   2.2 Now you will be prompted with this monstrosity:

   

   Select yes to disable any and all conflicts. Which one is yes? The third option, furthest to the right, it will always be the third option furthest to the right.

   You will now get a weird Application Switcher when you Alt+Tab. It will look like you've broken everything. Next we'll configure it.

3. Go to CCSM > Window Management > Static Application Switcher >

   3.1 Bindings

   CCSM > Window Management > Static Application Switcher > Bindings

   • Ensure the Next window binding is set to Alt+Tab
   • Ensure the Prev window binding is set to Shift+Alt+Tab
   • Ensure the Next window (All windows) binding is set to Control+Primary+Alt+Tab
   • Ensure the Prev window (All windows) binding is set to Shift+Control+Primary+Alt+Tab
   • Ensure all the binding above are disabled in the CCSM Ubuntu Unity Plugin (UUP). The binding for UUP can be found in CCSM > Ubuntu Unity Plugin > Switcher.

   The Static Application Switcher Bindings should like something like this:

   

   And the Ubuntu Unity Plugin Bindings should look something like this (notice that the first 4 bindings are disabled, because we're using the static application switcher):

   

   3.2 Behaviour

   CCSM > Window Management > Static Application Switcher > Behaviour

   • Speed = 50.0000

   • Timestep = 10.0000

     Timestep is how often the window's direction is recalculated. A high timestep will result in windows that overshoot their position and bounce back, and a low timestep will result in windows that drift slowly and accurately to their position. - http://wiki.compiz.org/Plugins/Scale

   • Popup Window Delay = 0.0000

     

   3.3 Appearance

   CCSM > Window Management > Static Application Switcher > Appearance

   • Show icon only = Yes:Checked

     

Done! Alt+Tab should be much faster.

"Quick Alt-Tab" switches between two upper windows in stack of many windows. Try to open many windows and press Alt-Tab quickly, not waiting for appearance of graphical "windows picker". Obviously small delay is to enable this feature.