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I often use the Cmd+Tab shortcut to switch between different applications (for example: Xcode and Google Chrome), but is there a shortcut to switch between different instances (windows) of the same application (for example, from one window in Google Chrome, to an other) ?

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Thank you for the answers so far (and for moving the question to the correct forum). I found the "backtick key", but the "command + backtick" command didn't work. I forgot to mention my computer is a Macbook with a "japanese keys layout" : the backtick is located on the top of the "@" key, to the immediate right of the "P" key. To type a backtick I have to press "shift+@" so I tried "Command+Shift+@" but it didn't work. I think there might be a way to enable some shortcuts on a japanese Mac but I cannot find how. – wil Jun 19 '11 at 15:23
You don't have "instances of the same application". You have windows. – Daniel Beck Jun 20 '11 at 6:34
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migrated from stackoverflow.com Jun 19 '11 at 14:53

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5 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

You can always change that shortcut if the given one does not work out for you. Go to System Preferences → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Here, assign a custom combination to "Move focus to the next window in application". This will allow you to toggle between the open windows of any application.

Mine was Cmd+` by default as well, but as the backtick is kind of awkward to reach on the German keyboard I had to resort to this other option here.

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Not only you can change the keyboard shortcut, but the dialog will give the most correct answer for the OP and hishers keyboard locale. For example ⌘ + < is the system default in Finnish locale that I'm using and "command backtick" answers wouldn't work. – koiyu Jun 20 '11 at 12:16
@koiyu Nice to know that! Yeah, with the different layouts around, it's always best to look what'd the default setting. – slhck Jun 20 '11 at 13:50
Thank you ! That solved my problem. The default shortcut was Command+F1 on my computer. – wil Jun 26 '11 at 17:47
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up vote 2 down vote

command backtick

⌘ + `

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up vote 1 down vote

It's Command + ` (the backtick key).

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It's above the tab key on some keyboard layouts, but not all. It's the the left of z on mine. – Abizern Jun 19 '11 at 14:41
@Abizern How odd, I'll edit to make it a little more generic. – vcsjones Jun 19 '11 at 14:42
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up vote 0 down vote

So I have found that sometimes certain applications do not want to cycle through the different open windows using Cmd+Tab or Cmd+' - VMware is one example, especially when one of the windows has been minimized to the dock. So what i have found is using expose to view all windows helps - there is a mouse gesture for this which is a four finger clinch i think - or F3.
Then you can select which window you want to view.

Hope this helps!

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up vote 0 down vote

On my Macbook Air, with OSX Lion, to switch application windows:

press

CMD + FN + F6

Funnily enough, the option 'Move focus to next window in application' has gone from system prefs -> Keyboard -> Keyboard and text input. I just played around with various keys until I found the right one!

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"Move focus to next window in application" was just renamed to "Move focus to next window" in Lion. ⌘F6? What locale or keyboard layout do you use? – Lri Oct 28 '11 at 5:39
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