Tmux Common Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
Tmux is an excellent terminal multiplexer that allows multiple sessions to be run in a single terminal window, and remains running in the background even after disconnection.
Note: By default, all Tmux shortcuts require the prefix key (Prefix)
Ctrl + bto be pressed first.
Session Management
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
Prefix + s |
List and switch sessions |
Prefix + $ |
Rename current session |
Prefix + d |
Detach current session (keep running in background) |
Prefix + : |
Enter command mode (e.g., :new-session) |
Prefix + L |
Switch to last session |
Window Management
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
Prefix + c |
Create new window |
Prefix + , |
Rename current window |
Prefix + w |
List and select windows |
Prefix + n |
Next window |
Prefix + p |
Previous window |
Prefix + 0-9 |
Jump to window N |
Prefix + & |
Close current window |
Pane Management
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
Prefix + % |
Vertical split (left/right) |
Prefix + " |
Horizontal split (up/down) |
Prefix + Arrow |
Switch panes by arrow keys |
Prefix + o |
Cycle through panes |
Prefix + q |
Show pane numbers |
Prefix + x |
Close current pane |
Prefix + z |
Maximize/Restore current pane (Zoom) |
Prefix + ! |
Promote pane to window |
Resizing Panes
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
Prefix + Ctrl + Arrow |
Resize pane using arrow keys |
Prefix + Alt + 1-5 |
Apply built-in layouts (tiled, even, etc.) |
Prefix + Space |
Cycle through layouts |
Copy Mode and Scrolling
| Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
Prefix + [ |
Enter copy mode (use arrows to scroll history) |
Prefix + ] |
Paste last copied text |
Space |
(In copy mode) Start selecting text |
Enter |
(In copy mode) Copy selection and exit |
q |
Quit copy mode |