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opensas
Asked: 2012-04-22 06:29:28 +0800 CST

How to ungroup windows on Unity task switcher?

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I'm playing with ubuntu 12.04, precise pangolin, and there's an issue I can't see how to solve.

If I have three instances of, let's say, Firefox, in the switcher appears a single Firefox icon, I have to wait something like a second for it to open so that I can finally choose the one I'm looking for

I tried with compiz-settings and the unity plugin but couldn't find an option to ungroup Windows.

unity application-switcher 12.04

12 Answers

  1. You can also press alt + ` (the key above Tab) to switch between instances of the current application.

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  2. Open Settings > Keyboard > Navigation > Switch Windows > Your_Key-Combo > Done! I am using Ubuntu 17.10. Its that simple

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  3. Press down arrow while holding alt+tab to view list of windows for current application.

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  4. To get all windows expanded from the beginning in a single list while switching with ALT-TAB I've gone to CompizConfig -> Windows Management -> Static Application Switcher (enabled this): Dialog popped up, I selected to solve the conflicts, in any of the question pop ups I've hit the most rightest button to deactivate the conflicting button. Thats all.

    (To get back to Unity behaviour, goto CompizConfig -> Desktop -> Unity Plugin -> Switcher (tab) -> reset all settings with the x buttons at the right)

    EDIT: You have to have the compiz-plugins package installed in order to access the Static Application Switcher plugin.

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  5. This question is a bit old, but Unity has still the same problem. The solution is hidden in the Compiz Plugins:

    sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz-plugins

    Start ccsm (the Compiz Config Settings Manager) and find

    • Desktop ► Ubuntu Unity Plugin ► Switcher (tab)

    Disable the key combinations for next and previous windows Alt+Tab and Shift+Alt+Tab, by editing the key and deleting its contents.

    Next, pick a different application switcher. Best for the purpose seems to be the "Static Application Switcher". You can find it by going back and performing a search (with the Filter).

    Enable its key combinations for next and previous windows by clicking on Disabled. Then you will be asked and you can input Alt+Tab and Shift+Alt+Tab.

    Close sscm and now you have one icon for each open window in the application switcher, no annoying grouping anymore.

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  6. As of Ubuntu 16, you can also press Start + W, which will bring this: enter image description here It's faster than alt+tab task switcher and doesn't group windows.

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  7. If using Gnome Desktop, you can use extension name: Alternatetab enter image description here

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  8. I find Alt+Esc useful in such cases. (Ubuntu 18.04.)

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  9. Just hover during alt-tab. It will expand the group windows with previews of each window.

    I was informed for one of my questions that "feature requests" are "wishlist bugs". This is how I responded.

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  10. I found a simple and beautiful solution that works on Ubuntu 17.10 (Artful Aardvark). Follow this tutorial and alt-tab will switch between all windows (no app grouping). It also changes the visual appearance of the switcher. Now all you open windows will display in a 3d carousel.

    The tutorial basically makes you install the GNOME Shell Extension on your browser and from there an you can install apps that will manage alt-tabbing. The one I choose is: coverflow-alt-tab

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