tmux Reference

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Sessions8 commands

C-b dDetach the current client from its session. The session keeps running in the background; reattach later with `tmux attach`.

detach-client

C-b DOpen an interactive picker of all clients attached to the server, then detach the chosen one.

choose-client

C-b sOpen an interactive tree of all sessions (with their windows expanded) to switch to. -Z zooms the picker pane.

choose-tree -Zs

C-b $Prompt for a new name for the current session, pre-filled with the existing name.

command-prompt -I "#S" "rename-session -- '%%'"

C-b (Switch the attached client to the previous session.

switch-client -p

C-b )Switch the attached client to the next session.

switch-client -n

C-b LSwitch the attached client to the last (most recently used) session.

switch-client -l

C-b C-zSuspend the tmux client itself (sends SIGTSTP). Resume with `fg` in the parent shell.

suspend-client

Windows14 commands

C-b cCreate a new window in the current session, with the user's default shell.

new-window

C-b ,Prompt for a new name for the current window, pre-filled with the existing name.

command-prompt -I "#W" "rename-window -- '%%'"

C-b &Kill the current window (and every pane in it) after a y/n confirmation.

confirm-before -p "kill-window #W? (y/n)" kill-window

C-b wOpen an interactive tree of windows across all sessions to switch to.

choose-tree -Zw

C-b fPrompt for a string, then jump to the window whose name, title, or visible content contains it.

command-prompt "find-window -Z -- '%%'"

C-b nMove to the next window in the session.

next-window

C-b pMove to the previous window in the session.

previous-window

C-b lToggle back to the most recently active window.

last-window

C-b 0 … 9Jump directly to window N (by index).

select-window -t :=N

C-b 'Prompt for a window index (useful when you have more than 10 windows).

command-prompt -p index "select-window -t ':%%'"

C-b .Prompt for a new index and move the current window to it.

command-prompt "move-window -t '%%'"

C-b M-nMove to the next window with activity (bell, content, or silence flagged).

next-window -a

C-b M-pMove to the previous window with activity.

previous-window -a

C-b iShow a short info message in the status line — by default, details about the current window.

display-message

Panes16 commands

C-b %Split the current pane horizontally — the new pane opens to the right.

split-window -h

C-b "Split the current pane vertically — the new pane opens below.

split-window

C-b ↑ ↓ ← →Move focus to the pane in the given direction relative to the current one.

select-pane -U/-D/-L/-R

C-b oCycle focus to the next pane in the current window.

select-pane -t :.+

C-b ;Toggle back to the most recently active pane.

last-pane

C-b qBriefly overlay each pane with its number — press the number to jump to that pane.

display-panes

C-b xKill the current pane after a y/n confirmation.

confirm-before -p "kill-pane #P? (y/n)" kill-pane

C-b zToggle zoom: temporarily expand the current pane to fill the entire window. Press again to restore.

resize-pane -Z

C-b !Move the current pane out of its window into a new window of its own.

break-pane

C-b {Swap the current pane with the previous one in the window's pane list.

swap-pane -U

C-b }Swap the current pane with the next one in the window's pane list.

swap-pane -D

C-b C-oRotate every pane in the current window forward through its positions.

rotate-window

C-b M-oRotate every pane in the current window backward.

rotate-window -D

C-b mMark the current pane (sets it as the target for commands like `join-pane`).

select-pane -m

C-b MClear the marked pane.

select-pane -M

C-b tShow a large clock in the current pane until any key is pressed.

clock-mode

LayoutsLayouts & resize15 commands

C-b SpaceCycle the current window through the five preset layouts (even-horizontal, even-vertical, main-horizontal, main-vertical, tiled).

next-layout

C-b M-1Apply the even-horizontal layout (panes stacked side-by-side).

select-layout even-horizontal

C-b M-2Apply the even-vertical layout (panes stacked top-to-bottom).

select-layout even-vertical

C-b M-3Apply main-horizontal: one large pane on top, smaller panes below.

select-layout main-horizontal

C-b M-4Apply main-vertical: one large pane on the left, smaller panes on the right.

select-layout main-vertical

C-b M-5Apply the tiled layout (panes arranged in a grid).

select-layout tiled

C-b ESpread the current pane and its neighbors evenly within their parent split.

select-layout -E

C-b M-↑Resize the current pane upward by 5 lines.

resize-pane -U 5

C-b M-↓Resize the current pane downward by 5 lines.

resize-pane -D 5

C-b M-←Resize the current pane leftward by 5 columns.

resize-pane -L 5

C-b M-→Resize the current pane rightward by 5 columns.

resize-pane -R 5

C-b C-↑Resize the current pane upward by 1 line. Repeatable while the prefix repeat-timer is active.

resize-pane -U

C-b C-↓Resize the current pane downward by 1 line (repeatable).

resize-pane -D

C-b C-←Resize the current pane leftward by 1 column (repeatable).

resize-pane -L

C-b C-→Resize the current pane rightward by 1 column (repeatable).

resize-pane -R

CopyCopy & paste16 commands

C-b [Enter copy mode — scroll the pane's history and select text to copy.

copy-mode

C-b PgUpEnter copy mode and immediately scroll up one page.

copy-mode -u

C-b ]Paste the contents of the most recent paste buffer.

paste-buffer

C-b #List every paste buffer currently held by the server.

list-buffers

C-b =Open an interactive picker of paste buffers.

choose-buffer -Z

C-b -Delete the most recent paste buffer.

delete-buffer

Space (in copy mode)emacs mode: start a selection at the cursor. vi mode users press `v` instead.

send -X begin-selection

Enter (in copy mode)emacs mode: copy the active selection to the buffer and leave copy mode. vi mode users press `y`.

send -X copy-selection-and-cancel

v (vi copy mode)vi copy mode: start a selection at the cursor.

send -X begin-selection

V (vi copy mode)vi copy mode: extend the selection to whole lines.

send -X select-line

y (vi copy mode)vi copy mode: copy the selection and leave copy mode.

send -X copy-selection-and-cancel

q (in copy mode)Leave copy mode without copying.

send -X cancel

/ (in copy mode)Search forward through the pane history.

send -X search-forward

? (in copy mode)Search backward through the pane history.

send -X search-backward

n (in copy mode)Repeat the previous search in the same direction.

send -X search-again

N (in copy mode)Repeat the previous search in the opposite direction.

send -X search-reverse

Misc5 commands

C-b ?List every key binding tmux knows about, in a scrollable pane.

list-keys

C-b :Open the command prompt at the bottom of the screen for one-off tmux commands.

command-prompt

C-b rForce-refresh the current client (redraw the screen and re-evaluate the status line).

refresh-client

C-b ~Show the most recent status-line messages.

show-messages

C-b C-bSend a literal C-b through to the running program — needed when an app inside tmux uses the same key.

send-prefix

CLICLI subcommands31 commands

tmuxRun tmux. With no command, starts a new server (if needed) and creates a new session.

tmux [-2CDluvV] [-c shell-command] [-f file] [-L socket-name] [-S socket-path] [-T features] [command [flags]]

tmux newCreate a new session. -d starts detached; -A attaches to an existing session of the same name (or creates it); -s names the session.

tmux new-session [-AdDEPX] [-c start-directory] [-F format] [-n window-name] [-s session-name] [-x width] [-y height] [shell-command]

tmux attachAttach to an existing session. -d detaches every other client first; -t selects a specific session by name.

tmux attach-session [-dErx] [-c working-directory] [-f flags] [-t target-session]

tmux lsList every session on the server, one per line.

tmux list-sessions [-F format] [-f filter]

tmux kill-sessionDestroy a session and every window inside it. -a kills all sessions except the target.

tmux kill-session [-aC] [-t target-session]

tmux kill-serverShut down the tmux server entirely — every session, window, and pane is destroyed.

tmux kill-server

tmux has-sessionExit 0 if the session exists, non-zero otherwise. Useful in scripts as a guard before attach/new.

tmux has-session [-t target-session]

tmux switch-clientSwitch the given client to a different session (or session/window/pane).

tmux switch-client [-ElnprZ] [-c target-client] [-t target-session] [-T key-table]

tmux detachDetach a client from its session (the session keeps running).

tmux detach-client [-aP] [-E shell-command] [-s target-session] [-t target-client]

tmux new-windowCreate a new window in the target session. -a inserts after the current window; -d creates without switching.

tmux new-window [-abdkPS] [-c start-directory] [-e env] [-F format] [-n window-name] [-t target-window] [shell-command]

tmux kill-windowKill a window and every pane in it. -a kills all windows except the target.

tmux kill-window [-a] [-t target-window]

tmux rename-windowRename a window.

tmux rename-window [-t target-window] new-name

tmux split-windowSplit a pane into two. -h for horizontal (side-by-side), -v for vertical (top-bottom). -l sets the new pane's size.

tmux split-window [-bdfhIvPZ] [-c start-directory] [-e env] [-l size] [-t target-pane] [shell-command]

tmux select-paneActivate a different pane. -L/-R/-U/-D move by direction; -t targets a specific pane.

tmux select-pane [-DdegLlMmRUZ] [-T title] [-t target-pane]

tmux resize-paneResize a pane. Direction flags (-D/-L/-R/-U) plus an optional adjustment; -Z toggles zoom.

tmux resize-pane [-DLMRTUZ] [-t target-pane] [-x width] [-y height] [adjustment]

tmux kill-paneKill a pane. -a kills every pane in the window except the target.

tmux kill-pane [-a] [-t target-pane]

tmux send-keysSend one or more keys to a pane as if typed. -l sends them literally (no key-name lookup).

tmux send-keys [-FHKlMRX] [-N repeat-count] [-t target-pane] key ...

tmux capture-paneCapture a pane's contents into a buffer. -p prints to stdout; -S/-E pick a history range.

tmux capture-pane [-aepPqCJN] [-b buffer-name] [-E end-line] [-S start-line] [-t target-pane]

tmux pipe-panePipe a pane's output to a shell command for live logging. Calling again with no command stops piping.

tmux pipe-pane [-IOo] [-t target-pane] [shell-command]

tmux display-messageShow a status-line message (or print one with -p). Format placeholders like #{session_name} are expanded.

tmux display-message [-aIlNpv] [-c target-client] [-d delay] [-t target-pane] [message]

tmux list-keysList every key binding, optionally filtered by key-table.

tmux list-keys [-1aN] [-P prefix-string] [-T key-table] [key]

tmux list-commandsList every tmux command (or describe a single one).

tmux list-commands [-F format] [command]

tmux list-windowsList windows in a session (-a for every session).

tmux list-windows [-aF format] [-f filter] [-t target-session]

tmux list-panesList panes in a window, session (-s), or every session (-a).

tmux list-panes [-as] [-F format] [-f filter] [-t target]

tmux set-optionSet a tmux option. -g for server-global, -w for window-level, -p for pane-level. -u unsets.

tmux set-option [-aFgopqsuUw] [-t target-pane] option [value]

tmux show-optionsShow one or all options. Pairs with set-option's -g/-w/-p scopes.

tmux show-options [-AgHpqsvw] [-t target-pane] [option]

tmux bind-keyBind a key to a tmux command. -n binds without the prefix; -r marks the binding as repeatable.

tmux bind-key [-nr] [-N note] [-T key-table] key command [arguments]

tmux unbind-keyRemove a key binding. -a removes every binding in the table.

tmux unbind-key [-anq] [-T key-table] key

tmux source-fileExecute the commands in a file — typically used to reload ~/.tmux.conf after editing.

tmux source-file [-Fnqv] path ...

tmux choose-treeOpen the interactive session/window picker in a pane (the same one that C-b s and C-b w use).

tmux choose-tree [-GNrswZ] [-F format] [-f filter] [-K key-format] [-O sort-order] [-t target-pane] [template]

tmux start-serverStart the tmux server without creating any sessions. Useful in scripts that will then attach.

tmux start-server