Mac 101: Using the OS X application switcher for more than moving between apps

Command-Tab​​ key combination is familiar to most experienced Mac users. It brings up the Application Switcher, allowing you to switch from one application to another just by hitting the Tab key to cycle through the running applications. If you know the correct key combinations you also can close or hide apps as well as use them to open documents.

Moving beyond just tabbing through the open apps is easy, just use this cheat sheet of key combinations as a guide:

• Command-Tab​​: Will move you forward through the open apps.

• Command-Shift-Tab: Will move you backward through the open apps.

• Command-Tab​​-Q: Will close the app selected in the switcher.

• Command-Tab-H​​: Will hide the app selected in the switcher.

• Command-Tab-1: Will show the open windows of the app selected in the switcher.

• Drag Finder document to Command-Tab: Start to drag a document in Finder, hit Command-Tab to launch the application switcher and drag the doc to the appropriate app in the switcher.

If you have your own tips and tricks that work with the application switcher, please share them in the comments.