Window Management Guide
How to See All Windows on Mac: every shortcut and gesture.
To see all open windows on a Mac, press F3 or Control + Up Arrow to open Mission Control. To see every window of just the app you're in, press Control + Down Arrow. On a trackpad, swipe up with three or four fingers.
Shortcuts to Show All Windows on Mac
On some keyboards the function keys control brightness and volume first. If F3 does nothing, hold fn while pressing it.
| Shortcut | Feature | What You See |
|---|---|---|
| F3 or ⌃ ↑ | Mission Control | Every open window across all apps, plus your desktops (Spaces) along the top |
| ⌃ ↓ | App Exposé | All windows of the app you are in, with minimized windows at the bottom |
| ⌘ Tab | App Switcher | Switch apps. While holding ⌘, press ↓ on an app to show all of its windows |
| ⌘ ` | Next window | Cycle through the windows of the current app (the key above Tab) |
| ⌘ M / ⌥ ⌘ M | Minimize | Minimize the front window, or every window of the current app |
| ⌘ H / ⌥ ⌘ H | Hide | Hide the current app, or hide every other app |
| ⌘ F3 or F11 | Show Desktop | Move every window aside to see the desktop |
1. Show Every Open Window with Mission Control
Mission Control zooms out and lays every open window side by side. Click a window to bring it to the front, or press Esc to go back.
Press F3 (the key with three rectangles) or Control + ↑.
Swipe up with three or four fingers. Set which in System Settings > Trackpad > More Gestures.
Double-tap with two fingers. Turn it on in System Settings > Mouse > More Gestures.
2. Show All Windows of One App (App Exposé)
Useful when you have ten Finder or Chrome windows open and need one of them. App Exposé also shows minimized windows in a row at the bottom.
- Press
Control + ↓while the app is in front. - Right-click the app's icon in the Dock and choose Show All Windows.
- Press
⌘ Tab, move to the app, and press↓before letting go of ⌘. - On a trackpad, swipe down with three or four fingers (turn on App Exposé in Trackpad settings first).
3. Settings That Make Windows Easier to Find
System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners. Set a corner to Mission Control and push the pointer there to see every window.
In Desktop & Dock, turn on “Group windows by application” so Mission Control stacks each app's windows together.
Turn it on in Control Center. Recent apps sit in a strip on the left, one click away, instead of piling on top of each other.
4. Search Open Windows by Name
With 30 windows and 80 browser tabs open, Mission Control turns into tiny thumbnails. Typing is faster than looking.
Questions About Seeing All Windows on Mac
How do I see all open windows on my Mac?
Press F3 (the Mission Control key) or Control + Up Arrow. On a trackpad, swipe up with three or four fingers. Mission Control spreads every open window out on the screen so you can click the one you want.
How do I show all windows of one app on Mac?
Press Control + Down Arrow to open App Exposé for the current app. You can also right-click the app's icon in the Dock and choose Show All Windows, or press ⌘ Tab, highlight the app, and press the Down Arrow while still holding ⌘.
What is the shortcut to switch between windows on Mac?
Command + ` (the backtick key above Tab) cycles through windows of the same app. Command + Tab switches between different apps.
Why doesn't Control + Up Arrow open Mission Control?
The shortcut may be turned off or reassigned. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Mission Control and make sure Mission Control and Application windows are ticked.
How do I find a window when I have dozens open?
Mission Control gets crowded with many windows. A window search tool like SearchOnMac (Option + Space) lets you type part of a window or browser tab title and jump straight to it.