Command Reopen vs AltTab: Which Should You Use on Mac?
AltTab adds its own window switcher; Command Reopen fixes the built-in Cmd+Tab without permissions. What each does, what users say, and which to pick.
Choose AltTab if you want to switch between individual windows, with thumbnails and, with Pro, search. Choose Command Reopen if you just want the Mac's own Cmd+Tab to bring back minimized windows, or open a new one when an app has none, with no permissions and nothing new to learn.
| — | AltTab | Command Reopen |
|---|---|---|
| What it changes | Adds its own window switcher, on Option + Tab by default | Keeps the built-in Cmd + Tab as it is |
| You switch between | Individual windows, with thumbnails | Apps, as before |
| Minimized windows | Shown in the switcher; pick one to restore it | Come back when you switch to the app; usually one window |
| App with no windows | — | Most apps open a new window |
| Permissions | Accessibility, plus Screen Recording for thumbnails | None |
| Screen-recording indicator | Can appear while thumbnails are on | Never |
| Search, layouts, shortcuts | Yes, with Pro | No |
| Get it from | Website, GitHub, Homebrew | Mac App Store |
| Price | Free; Pro from $9.99, one-time | $9.99 one-time or $5.99/year, 14-day free trial |
| macOS | 12 or later | 13 or later |
Choose AltTab if
- You want to pick a specific window, not just an app
- You like seeing thumbnails of every window
- You want search, custom layouts and several shortcuts
- You're fine granting Accessibility and Screen Recording
Choose Command Reopen if
- You want Cmd+Tab to work the way you expected, without learning a new switcher
- You can't or won't grant Accessibility or Screen Recording, for example on a work Mac
- You don't want macOS's screen-recording indicator or prompts
- You only install apps from the Mac App Store
How they differ day to day
I make Command Reopen, so keep that in mind. Everything here was checked against AltTab’s website, source code and GitHub issues on September 25, 2026.
AltTab is a different way to switch. You press its shortcut, see a grid of window thumbnails and pick one. Minimized windows are in the grid too, so choosing one brings it back. It’s one of the best-known apps of its kind, with more than 16,000 stars on GitHub, and it has far more options than Command Reopen.
Command Reopen doesn’t add anything you can see. You keep pressing Cmd + Tab as before, and when the app you switch to has no visible window, Command Reopen asks it to reopen, the same request a click on its Dock icon sends. The app then brings back its minimized window or opens a new one. Because it only uses that standard request, it needs no permissions.
The trade-off: with Command Reopen you still switch apps, not windows, and most apps bring back one window rather than all of them. If the app already has a visible window, Command Reopen leaves it alone.
What AltTab users say
AltTab has a loyal following. MacRumors put it first in its list of Mac apps worth trying in 2026, and a typical user review calls it impressively customizable.
The complaints are mostly about permissions and polish:
- Screen-recording notices. Thumbnails need Screen Recording, and newer macOS versions keep telling you an app is capturing your screen. After macOS Sonoma, users asked why AltTab was “recording” their screen; after macOS 15.2, some saw a privacy popup often. The AltTab developers point out that this is how macOS works and not something an app can hide. You can avoid it by turning thumbnails off.
- Reliability. Some users find the switcher can get stuck on screen when they switch very fast.
- Distribution. It isn’t on the Mac App Store, which some people ask about before installing.
The short version
If you want a better switcher, AltTab is excellent and free. If you just want the Command-Tab you already have to stop leaving windows behind in the Dock, Command Reopen does that without asking for any permission. You can also restore minimized windows without installing anything.
Command Reopen · Mac App Store
Make Command-Tab bring your windows back.
- Restores minimized windows when you switch apps
- Opens a new window when an app has none
- No Accessibility or Screen Recording permission
14-day free trial · $9.99 one-time
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