Tmux Commands Cheat Sheet

Tmux is a powerful terminal multiplexer that allows you to manage multiple terminal sessions, windows, and panes within a single terminal window. This cheat sheet provides essential Tmux commands to enhance your command-line productivity.

Tmux Session Management

Manage your Tmux sessions efficiently with these commands.

# Start a new session:
tmux

# Start a new named session:
tmux new-session -s name

# List existing sessions:
tmux ls

# Attach to the most recently used session:
tmux attach-session

# Attach to a named session:
tmux attach-session -t name

Tmux Window Management

Organize your workflow with Tmux windows (tabs).

#  windows (tabs)
# ---
#  c  create window
#  w  list windows
#  n  next window
#  p  previous window
#  f  find window
#  ,  name window
#  &  kill window

Tmux Pane Management

Split your terminal into multiple panes for parallel tasks.

#  panes (splits)
# ---
#  %  vertical split
#  "  horizontal split
#  M-1 select-layout even-horizontal
#  M-2 select-layout even-vertical
#
#  →  go to the left (right, top, bottom) panel
#  C-→  resize panel to the left (right, top, bottom) panel
#  o  swap panes
#  q  show pane numbers (type the key to go to the pane)
#  x  kill pane
#  +  break pane into window (e.g. to select text by mouse to copy)
#  -  restore pane from window
#  ⍽  (space) toggle between layouts
#  {  (Move the current pane left)
#  }  (Move the current pane right)
#  z  toggle pane zoom

Tmux Session Switching

Easily switch between your active Tmux sessions.

#  sessions
# ---
#  )  switch to next session
#  (  switch to previous session

Tmux Miscellaneous Commands

Useful general commands for Tmux operations.

#  misc
# ---
#  d  detach
#  t  big clock
#  ?  list shortcuts
#  :  prompt

Tmux Copy Mode (Copymode)

Navigate and copy text within Tmux panes.

#  copy mode (copymode)
# ---
#  [  go into copy mode
#  ]  paste into the current window
#
#     setw -g mode-keys vi  # to switch into vi mode
#
#  Function                Vi             Emacs
#  -----------------------------------------------
#  Back to indentation     ^              M-m
#  Start selection         Space          C-space
#  Clear selection         Escape         C-g
#  Copy selection          Enter          M-w
#  Cursor down             j              Down
#  Cursor left             h              Left
#  Cursor right            l              Right
#  Cursor to bottom line   L
#  Cursor to middle line   M              M-r
#  Cursor to top line      H              M-R
#  Cursor up               k              Up
#  Delete entire line      d              C-u
#  Delete to end of line   D              C-k
#  End of line             $              C-e
#  Goto line               :              g
#  Half page down          C-d            M-Down
#  Half page up            C-u            M-Up
#  Next page               C-f            Page down
#  Next word               w              M-f
#  Paste buffer            p              C-y
#  Previous page           C-b            Page up
#  Previous word           b              M-b
#  Quit mode               q              Escape
#  Scroll down             C-Down or J    C-Down
#  Scroll up               C-Up or K      C-Up
#  Search again            n              n
#  Search backward         ?              C-r
#  Search forward          /              C-s
#  Start of line           0              C-a
#  Start selection         Space          C-Space
#  Transpose chars                        C-t

Tmux Layouts

Quickly switch between predefined window layouts.

#  layout
# ---
#  alt-1  select-layout even-horizontal
#  alt-2  select-layout even-vertical

Tmux Commands Cheat Sheet - Terminal Multiplexer Guide