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basic_concepts:the_lister:tabs:tab_switcher
Tab Switcher
By default, holding Ctrl+Tab displays the Tab Switcher over the middle of the Lister window:
The Tab Switcher is similar to Alt+Tab in Windows, or Ctrl+Tab in Visual Studio and other editors, but switches between tabs in the current window.
The switcher is for when you have lots of tabs open and want to select one from a list.
(In other situations, it's often easier to click a tab directly on the Tab Bar, or use Ctrl+Page Up and Ctrl+Page Down to cycle through tabs on the current side and Tab to change sides.)
How the Tab key behaves, and whether it shows the Tab Switcher for Ctrl+Tab, can be configured via Preferences / File Displays / Options / Tab Key.
Tabs remember the order they were last activated. The default selection in the switcher is the previously selected tab. This lets you switch between two tabs by repeatedly pressing and releasing Ctrl+Tab, similar to Alt+Tab in Windows.
The switcher stays open as long as one of the qualifier keys (e.g. Ctrl) that triggered it is held down. While open, pushing Tab or the cursor keys moves the selection. When the qualifier is released, or return is pressed, the highlighted tab will be activated and set as the source, and the switcher will close. You can also push Space to activate the selected tab without closing the switcher, which can be useful if you want to change tabs on both sides of a dual-display window. Alternatively, push Esc or click outside the switcher to cancel it without changing tabs.