Windows to Mac
Switching from Windows to Mac? Start with window controls.
Command-Tab brought back the app, but not the window you wanted. Another click on its Dock icon didn't put it away. If you've just switched from Windows, start here: we'll cover window switching, hiding, minimizing and layouts, using macOS controls first and OmniDock when you want a different way to do it.
Command-Tab switches apps, not individual windows
On Windows, hovering over an app's taskbar button often shows thumbnails of its open windows. On Mac, Command-Tab takes you from one app to another. It won't necessarily land on the document or browser window you had in mind.
To switch windows within the active app, try Command-` if the app and your keyboard layout support it. You can also choose a window in Mission Control, App Exposé, or the app's Window menu.
For the shortcuts and a closer look at app-level versus window-level switching, see how to switch between windows of the same app on Mac.
Windows habits and their Mac equivalents
| What you want to do | Built into macOS | With OmniDock |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to another app | Command-Tab or click its Dock icon | Assign an app shortcut to launch or bring it forward |
| Choose one window from an app | Command-`, Mission Control, App Exposé, or Window menu | Hover over the Dock for available previews, or use Option-Tab |
| Temporarily put an app away | Command-H hides the active app | Click the frontmost app's Dock icon again to hide it |
| Minimize one window | Command-M or the yellow window button | Use the Mac's own control for this. OmniDock's Dock minimize mode tries to minimize the app's normal windows that it can control, not just one window. |
| Arrange windows | Use native tiling where available, the green button, or Split View | Use shortcuts, drag zones, green-button actions, or a custom layout |
Should you hide the app or minimize a window?
Use Command-H when you want all of an app's windows out of sight. The app keeps running. Use Command-M or the yellow button when you only want the current window tucked into the Dock.
OmniDock's click-to-hide gives you a mouse option for hiding the active app. Its optional minimize mode works more broadly: it tries to minimize the app's normal windows that macOS lets it control. If some stay visible, it may hide the app instead. Keep using the native controls if you only want to minimize one window.
Check your Mac's built-in window layouts first
Newer macOS versions let you tile windows by dragging to the screen edge, using the green window button, or choosing a menu command or shortcut. Older versions have different options, so check Apple's guide for the version you're running.
If you want more layout choices in the same app as your Dock tools, OmniDock has halves, thirds, corners, drag zones, moves between displays, and custom layouts. It can only move or resize normal windows that the app allows it to control. Full-screen windows, system panels, and fixed-size windows may not work.
Try it with a few windows open
- Take a look: hover over a running app's Dock icon to see its available window previews.
- Pick a window: click its preview. If you'd rather use the keyboard, turn on Option-Tab.
- Make room: choose a layout to put the window where you want it.
- Put the app away: press Command-H, or click its Dock icon again if click-to-hide is on and the app is in front.
Command-Tab still works as usual. You can add static previews to it or turn on the Option-Tab window switcher. Both options need the main Show Dock Window Previews setting turned on.
Why OmniDock asks for permissions
Accessibility lets OmniDock work with your Dock and windows. Input Monitoring may be needed to detect Dock clicks and Option-Tab. Screen Recording is used to create window thumbnails. Turn on the tools you need and follow the permission prompts in Settings. The privacy policy explains how each permission is used.
Sources and version note
This guide reflects macOS documentation available on September 5, 2026. Menu names and controls vary by release. Apple documents switching, hiding, and minimizing windows and window tiling in the Mac User Guide.
What would you like to do next?
- See the window before you switch with Dock hover previews.
- Click again to put the app away, without confusing hiding with minimizing.
- Want fewer utilities to manage? Compare setups around your everyday tasks.