Application Switcher doesn't handle Shift-Command-Tab as expected

Questions & Suggestions
1

I expect the Application Switcher to be a more or less “drop in replacement” for OS X’s application switcher, and AFAICT is almost is. What has frustrated me is that Shift-Command-Tab doesn’t work like OS X’s application switcher–i.e., it should cause the switcher to focus on the previous application in the switcher.

What I see is that Shift-Command-Tab does launch the switcher, but while the switcher is up, hitting the trigger causes the next application to get the focus, not the previous. Shift-Command (without Tab) does what I expect Shift-Command-Tab to do–the previous application in the switcher gets the focus.

From what I can tell, this behavior is not specified in the macro, but is internal to the Switcher itself.

Is this intentional? If not, can it be fixed?

1 Like
2

Correct. In the system switcher, you do this:

Command-Tab, hold the command key down, and then press Tab to shift forwards and and press Shift-Tab to shift backwards.

In the Keyboard Maestro switcher, you do this:

Command-Tab, hold the command key down , and then press Tab to shift forwards and Shift to shift backwards.

This is the intended behaviour. Pressing Shift-Tab to move backwards is needlessly cumbersome.

3

I don’t suppose there’s a way to enable the cumbersome shortcut? :grinning:

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4

Nope.

5

I would like to have this feature as well. It’s easier for me to press Shift + Command + Tab rather than holding Command and pressing Shift with my pinky. I would like this to be an option to turn on as well. Every OS I use (Windows and Ubuntu) apply Shift + Command + Tab uniformly.

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6

To go backwards you hold Command and press Shift. (No need to hold Tab.)

7

You are right. I had a typo and meant to type “Command” where I had typed “Tab”. (Fixed it). But still, I would rather hold Command + Shit and press Tab to go backwards. It’s the way I’ve been doing it for 25 years and is globally accepted.

8

+1 Please add the normal behavior as an option in preferences. After using KM for a long time this is still so darn frustrating when moving between computers that work normally and then back the KM "better" way.

2 Likes
9

+1 for me too on this. Can't get rid of years of doing the same shortcut, not to mention if I change to other Macs that do not have KM installed.
Is there also a way to roll back to the default system application switcher? Just started with KM, no complains so far, pretty sure there's a reason for many of the decisions and paradigms, but would change a few things at a time if possible.

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10

Of course - you can disable the Activate Application Switcher macro in the Switcher Group, or change the hot key if you desire.

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11

Yeah, I'd like it to have an optional "compatibility" mode where cmd+shft+tab works as it does in the normal switcher. I've been using the KM switcher for the last few months and just haven't been able to get used to it working this way.

12

+1 Please add support for cmd+shft+tab to shift backwards in KM!
It’s the way I’ve been doing it for 25 years.