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It may be a silly question but in Windows I used ShiftAltTab to switch back between my open windows, that is go back to previous windows.

Unfortunately, it is not working in Gnome. I have even used AltTabLeft but with no success.

So how can I do the same in Gnome on RHEL6?

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3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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For anyone using GNOME v3, here's what I have done.

I am using vanilla GNOME 3 on Ubuntu 18.04 (that is installing the base version of GNOME not the Ubuntu modified version). I think vanilla GNOME is the same as what RHEL uses too - at least that's what Fedora uses, so the following should work across those systems.

GNOME has two concepts for tabbing - tabbing between applications (the default) and tabbing between windows. Tabbing between applications groups the windows for that application together. I prefer (or at least I am more used to) tabbing between windows (and combined with Alt+Shift+Tab to go backwards).

In GNOME 3 at least this can now be fixed by just configuring the keyboard shortcuts.

  1. Go to the regular Settings > Devices > Keyboard > Navigation section.
  2. Disable both 'Switch applications' and 'Switch windows'
  3. Now neither Alt+Tab nor Super+Tab should work. Possibly do a log out/restart in between (I can't remember)
  4. Re-enable 'Switch windows' to be Alt+Tab.

I found that if both 'Switch applications' and 'Switch windows' were enabled then somehow Alt+Tab would still end up switching applications. This at least should be a solid method for guaranteeing that the Alt+Tab works as expected. You can then experiment setting 'Switch applications to Super+Tab.

This is what my keyboard shortcut settings looks like, note the 'Switch applications' at the top and 'Switch windows' at the bottom:

enter image description here

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  • 1
    This is helpful. Thanks. Just to add, I made a switch on gnome 3.32.2 (RHEL 8.3) without logout/restart and it worked.
    – Raman Kathpalia
    Jan 4, 2021 at 20:09
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Sounds like something potentially with your keyboard or your installation. I use both of the following in Gnome:

  • Alt+Tab to cycle from left to right
  • Alt+Shift+Tab to cycle from right to left

This article is Ubuntu specific but should be applicable to your situation on RHEL6 non the less.

gconf-editor

Double check that the preferences are set so that moving right to left is configured correctly for the key combo mentioned above:

   ss of gconf-editor

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  • It was disabled there, I made it <Alt><Shift>Tab, but still it didn't work. I changed the keyboard layout (language) switch shortcut from Alt+Shift to Ctrl+Shift as were suggested in the comments in the link you provided, I don't know how they can be related but it started to work.
    – easl
    Jun 27, 2013 at 11:30
  • And now, ironically enough, ctrl+shift+tab to switch back between browser's tabs stopped to work :)
    – easl
    Jun 27, 2013 at 11:30
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I had the same issue in Debian Stretch, Gnome 3.22.2.

Following similar steps mentioned in previous answer by user @icc97

  1. Go to the regular Settings > Devices > Keyboard > Navigation section.
  2. Setting Switch Windows of an application to Super+Tab (it disables Switch Applications)

Worked for me.

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  • Welcome to the site, and thank your for your contribution. You may want to add instructions on where/how to apply this setting so that your answer is helpful to as many users as possible.
    – AdminBee
    Aug 19, 2020 at 10:13

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