The Most Underrated macOS Keyboard Shortcut You Should Use Daily

The most underrated Mac shortcut is ⌘ + backtick.

Not because it is obscure, but because most people underestimate the problem it solves.

App switching gets all the attention. Window switching is where a lot of real friction lives. If you keep multiple browser windows, Finder windows, editor sessions, or document windows open, ⌘ + Tab only gets you halfway there. ⌘ + backtick finishes the job.

What ⌘ + backtick actually does

It cycles through open windows of the current app.

That sounds modest until you notice how often your work looks like this:

• one browser window for research
• one browser window for the app you are testing
• one Finder window for assets
• two editor windows for different repos

In those situations, the real target is usually not “Chrome” or “Finder.” It is a specific window inside Chrome or Finder.

Why it matters more than people think

Without ⌘ + backtick you usually do one of three slower things:

• click the window you want
• expose windows visually and scan
• keep minimizing and reopening windows to reveal the one underneath

None of those are terrible once. All of them are expensive when repeated.

⌘ + backtick keeps the hands on the keyboard and works especially well when paired with ⌘ + Tab:

1. use ⌘ + Tab to reach the app
2. use ⌘ + backtick to reach the right window

That pairing is one of the simplest ways to make macOS multitasking feel less clumsy.

Three places where it pays off immediately

Browsers

Separate browser windows are common when you want one surface for communication and another for real work. ⌘ + backtick is much faster than dragging the pointer across a crowded screen.

Finder

When moving files between folders, Quick Looking assets, or comparing directories, window switching matters more than tab switching.

Editors and terminals

If you work across multiple repos, terminals, or documentation windows, this shortcut keeps movement tight without forcing a full workspace reset.

When ⌘ + backtick is not enough

It still cycles, which means it gets weaker when an app has too many windows. That is the point where you should add another layer:

• Control + ↓ for App Exposé when the window set is cluttered
• direct shortcuts for project-specific windows when the same destinations repeat every day

Advanced App Switching Techniques for Power Users on Mac is useful if you want to build that broader system deliberately.

How to make it a daily habit

The easiest way is to assign yourself a rule:

If the target is inside the current app, use ⌘ + backtick before touching the mouse.

That quickly rewires a lot of small habits.

You can also combine it with a stronger app-switching layer:

• direct app shortcut to get into the right tool
• ⌘ + backtick to move between its working windows

That is especially effective if you already use a shortcut-first setup instead of relying on search or the Dock.

A note on different keyboards

On non-US layouts, the backtick key may be in a different position. It is worth locating once and practicing deliberately for a few days because the payoff is bigger than the shortcut’s reputation suggests.

The larger lesson

The underrated shortcuts are often the ones that solve second-order problems. Everyone notices app launching. Fewer people notice the time lost after they have already reached the right app.

That is also why Why Most App Switchers Fail Under Real Workloads is a useful companion read: real workflows fail in the messy middle, not in the first second of a polished demo.

If you want to move beyond cycling entirely, these are the next logical reads:

• How to Switch Between Apps Faster Using Just the Keyboard
• What Are Local Shortcuts (and Why They’re Better Than Global Hotkeys for App Switching?)
• pricing if you want to experiment with direct app and window shortcuts without rebuilding everything at once

⌘ + backtick is not flashy. It is just one of the few built-in shortcuts that consistently solves a problem you probably already have.