Window Management

Creating, switching, moving, and renaming windows in tmux

Understanding Windows

In tmux, a window is a single screen within a session. Each window occupies the entire terminal and can contain one or more panes. Windows are the primary organizational unit for grouping related tasks.

Think of windows like tabs in a web browser - they’re separate workspaces within the same session.

Creating Windows

Basic Window Creation

The simplest way to create a window is with the c key:

C-b c  # Create a new window

From the command line:

tmux new-window
tmux neww  # Short form

Creating Named Windows

Giving windows descriptive names makes navigation easier:

Key Binding

After creating a window with C-b c, rename it with C-b ,

Command Line

tmux new-window -n editor
tmux neww -n logs

Command Prompt

Press C-b : then:

:new-window -n database

Creating Windows with Commands

Start a window running a specific command:

# Create window running vim
tmux new-window vim ~/.tmux.conf

# Create window running htop
tmux new-window -n monitor htop

# Multiple arguments
tmux new-window -n serve python -m http.server 8000

When the command exits, the window closes by default. Use the remain-on-exit option to change this behavior.

Window Creation Options

# Create window at specific index
tmux new-window -t 5 -n config

# Create window before current (-b) or after (-a)
tmux new-window -a -n next
tmux new-window -b -n previous

# Create window without making it current
tmux new-window -d -n background

# Start in specific directory
tmux new-window -c /var/log -n logs

# Set environment variable
tmux new-window -e EDITOR=vim

# Print info about new window
tmux new-window -P -F "#{session_name}:#{window_index}"

Window Selection and Navigation

Quick Selection

The fastest way to switch windows:

Keys	Action
C-b 0 to C-b 9	Select window 0-9
C-b n	Next window
C-b p	Previous window
C-b l	Last (previously selected) window

Interactive Selection

Programmatic Selection

# Select by index
tmux select-window -t 2
tmux selectw -t :3

# Select by name
tmux select-window -t editor

# Navigate relatively
tmux select-window -t :+1   # Next window
tmux select-window -t :-2   # Two windows back

# Special targets
tmux select-window -t :{start}  # First window
tmux select-window -t :{end}    # Last window
tmux select-window -t :{last}   # Previously selected

Window Naming

Manual Naming

Rename the current window:

C-b ,  # Prompts for new name

Or from the command line:

tmux rename-window newname
tmux renamew -t 2 logs

Automatic Naming

By default, tmux automatically renames windows based on the active command. Control this with options:

# Disable automatic renaming
set-option -w automatic-rename off

# Allow programs to rename windows via escape sequences
set-option -w allow-rename on

# Customize the automatic name format
set-option -w automatic-rename-format '#{b:pane_current_path}'

Setting Names via Escape Sequences

Programs can set the window name:

# From your shell
printf '\033kMyWindowName\033\\'

# In a script
echo -ne "\033k${WINDOW_NAME}\033\\"

Moving and Reordering Windows

Moving Windows Between Indexes

Interactive

Press C-b . then type the destination index:

(move-window) 5

Command

# Move current window to index 5
tmux move-window -t 5

# Move window 3 to index 7
tmux move-window -s 3 -t 7

# Insert before (-b) or after (-a) target
tmux move-window -a -t 3
tmux move-window -b -t 3

Swapping Windows

Exchange two windows:

# Swap current window with window 3
tmux swap-window -t 3

# Swap windows 1 and 5
tmux swap-window -s 1 -t 5

# Don't make swapped window current
tmux swap-window -d -t 2

Renumbering Windows

Renumber all windows sequentially:

# Renumber all windows starting from base-index
tmux move-window -r

# Enable automatic renumbering when a window closes
set-option -g renumber-windows on

Renumbering respects the base-index option. If base-index is 1, windows will be numbered 1, 2, 3, etc.

Linking Windows

Windows can be linked to multiple sessions, allowing them to appear in more than one place.

Creating Links

# Link window from another session
tmux link-window -s work:1 -t dev:3

# Link to next available index
tmux link-window -s work:editor

# Kill existing window at target first
tmux link-window -k -s work:1 -t 2

Session Groups

Create sessions that share windows:

# Create session in same group as existing session
tmux new-session -t work -s work2

# Windows are shared, but each session maintains its own:
# - Current window
# - Previous window  
# - Session options

Unlinking Windows

# Unlink window from current session
tmux unlink-window -t 3

# Kill window if it's only linked to one session
tmux unlink-window -k -t 3

A window must be linked to at least one session. You cannot unlink a window from its only session unless you use the -k flag, which will destroy the window.

Killing Windows

Interactive Kill

C-b &  # Kill current window (prompts for confirmation)

Command Line Kill

# Kill current window
tmux kill-window

# Kill specific window
tmux kill-window -t 3
tmux killw -t editor

# Kill all windows except specified
tmux kill-window -a -t 2  # Kill all but window 2

Window Information

Listing Windows

# List windows in current session
tmux list-windows
tmux lsw

# List windows in specific session
tmux list-windows -t work

# Custom format
tmux list-windows -F "#{window_index}: #{window_name}"

# Filter windows
tmux list-windows -f '#{==:#{window_active},1}'

# Sort windows
tmux list-windows -O name  # By name
tmux list-windows -O creation  # By creation time

Displaying Window Info

C-b i  # Display information about current window

Window Formats

Useful format variables for windows:

# Example custom format
tmux list-windows -F \
  "Window #{window_index}: #{window_name} [#{window_panes} panes]"

# Available variables include:
# #{window_id}              - Unique window ID (@1, @2, etc.)
# #{window_index}           - Window index (0, 1, 2, etc.)
# #{window_name}            - Window name
# #{window_active}          - 1 if window is active
# #{window_activity}        - Time of last activity
# #{window_bell_flag}       - 1 if bell has occurred
# #{window_flags}           - Window flags (*, -, #, etc.)
# #{window_layout}          - Window layout description
# #{window_panes}           - Number of panes
# #{window_width}           - Window width
# #{window_height}          - Window height

Window Options

Configure window behavior with options:

# Set for all windows globally
set-option -g -w <option> <value>

# Set for current window
set-option -w <option> <value>

# Set for specific window
set-option -w -t :3 <option> <value>

Common Window Options

Automatic Naming

# Enable/disable automatic window renaming
set-option -w automatic-rename on

# Format for automatic name
set-option -w automatic-rename-format '#{b:pane_current_path}'

# Allow programs to rename windows
set-option -w allow-rename on

Window Size

# Window sizing behavior
set-option -w window-size latest        # Size to latest client
set-option -w window-size largest       # Size to largest client
set-option -w window-size smallest      # Size to smallest client
set-option -w window-size manual        # Manual sizing

# Enable aggressive resize
set-option -w aggressive-resize on

Activity Monitoring

# Monitor for activity
set-option -w monitor-activity on

# Monitor for silence (in seconds)
set-option -w monitor-silence 30

# Monitor for bell
set-option -w monitor-bell on

Mode Keys

# Set vi or emacs key bindings for copy mode
set-option -w mode-keys vi
set-option -w mode-keys emacs

Advanced Window Management

Find Window Command

Search for windows containing specific text:

# Search in names, titles, and visible content
tmux find-window database
tmux findw error

# Search only names
tmux find-window -N mywindow

# Search only titles  
tmux find-window -T "Error Log"

# Search only visible content
tmux find-window -C "connection failed"

# Case-insensitive search
tmux find-window -i DATABASE

# Use regular expression
tmux find-window -r '^Error:'

Window Layouts

Quickly arrange panes in preset layouts:

C-b Space       # Cycle to next layout
C-b M-1         # even-horizontal
C-b M-2         # even-vertical
C-b M-3         # main-horizontal
C-b M-4         # main-horizontal-mirrored
C-b M-5         # main-vertical
C-b M-6         # main-vertical-mirrored
C-b M-7         # tiled

Save and restore custom layouts:

# Save current layout
tmux display-message -p '#{window_layout}'
# Output: bb62,159x48,0,0{79x48,0,0,79x48,80,0}

# Restore saved layout
tmux select-layout 'bb62,159x48,0,0{79x48,0,0,79x48,80,0}'

Window Status Customization

Customize how windows appear in the status line:

# Format for inactive windows
set-option -g window-status-format '#I:#W#F'

# Format for active window
set-option -g window-status-current-format '#I:#W#F'

# Window status style
set-option -g window-status-style fg=white,bg=default
set-option -g window-status-current-style fg=black,bg=green,bold

# Activity/bell styles
set-option -g window-status-activity-style fg=yellow
set-option -g window-status-bell-style fg=red,bold

Practical Examples

Development Workspace Setup

#!/bin/bash
# Create a development environment

tmux new-session -d -s dev -n editor
tmux send-keys -t dev:editor 'vim' C-m

tmux new-window -t dev -n console
tmux new-window -t dev -n server
tmux send-keys -t dev:server 'npm start' C-m

tmux new-window -t dev -n git
tmux split-window -t dev:git -h
tmux send-keys -t dev:git.0 'git status' C-m
tmux send-keys -t dev:git.1 'git log --oneline' C-m

tmux select-window -t dev:editor
tmux attach -t dev

Multiple Project Sessions

# Switch between project windows easily
bind-key -n M-1 select-window -t :1
bind-key -n M-2 select-window -t :2
bind-key -n M-3 select-window -t :3
bind-key -n M-4 select-window -t :4

# Move windows with Alt+Shift+Arrow
bind-key -n M-S-Left swap-window -t -1\; select-window -t -1
bind-key -n M-S-Right swap-window -t +1\; select-window -t +1