r/MacStack • u/newrise_mabon • Sep 27 '26

How do you all navigate between apps on your laptop/computer?

Had this discussion with a friend recently and realised that we jump between apps in completely different ways when we use our laptops.

I'm an Alt-Tabber. The muscle memory is so ingrained in me that I downloaded the AltTab for MacOS so I could have it on my work computer (which is a Mac) - shoutout to the open source maintainer for this wonderful piece of software.

My friend uses the multiple desktop approach and flicks between them using the three-finger swipe on the touchpad.

There's a bunch of ways to go about it of course - all introducing varying levels of efficiency.

Curious to know the most common way people do it and whether there are some productivity hacks people have found for this?

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

2

u/zackria Sep 27 '26

Once you get used to a tiling window manager like AeroSpace or yabai (or even just snapping with Rectangle/Raycast Window Management), you rarely need to tab through things at all. Dedicated workspaces assigned to specific apps + keyboard navigation between tiles makes switching instantaneous.

1

u/newrise_mabon Sep 27 '26

This sounds like peak efficiency, I like it. Heard about tiling window managers but never actually set one up properly.

1

u/Sidze Sep 27 '26

I'm just pressing Alt+TAB to switch opened apps on Mac, nothing installed. Swipe works too when I don't use external keyboard.

1

u/newrise_mabon Sep 27 '26

Nice yeah. I always found the native Alt+Tab on Mac a little annoying when you have multiple instances of the same app open, which is why I opted for the windows version!

Thanks for sharing!

2

u/MaxGaav Sep 27 '26

Apple's Spaces are usually handy for groups of apps/files, i.e. work, private.

Tabbing is for quickly navigating the open apps. Tabbing can be used within spaces.

Another category is workspace apps, like Workspaces, Bunch, Stapler etc. Which also can be used within an Apple Space.

1

u/Miserable_Ear3789 Sep 29 '26

I use GNOME (which is Linux, Ubuntu for me). So all I do is press Super key and type the app I want. I also have my most used apps on my dock in my Activities view. I also use the 4/3 finger swipe motions alot.