tmux Cheat Sheet¶

The prefix is Ctrl+b by default. Press the prefix, release it, then press the next key.

tmux Sessions¶

Command	Action
`tmux`	Start a new session.
`tmux new -s [session_name]`	Create a new session with a specific name.
`tmux attach`	Re-attach to the latest active session.
`tmux detach`	Disconnect from a session, but keep it running.
`tmux attach -t [session_name]` / `tmux a -t [session_name]`	Attach to a session with a specific name.
`tmux switch -t [session_name]`	Switch to a different session.
`tmux rename-session -t [old_name] [new_name]`	Rename an existing session.
`tmux list-sessions` / `tmux ls`	List all active tmux sessions.
`tmux kill-session -t [session_name]`	Terminate a specific session.
`tmux kill-session -a`	Kill all sessions but the current one.
`tmux kill-session -a -t [session_name]`	Terminate all sessions except the specified one.
`tmux kill-server`	Terminate the tmux server, ending all sessions, windows, and panes.

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+b` then `c`	Create a new window.
`Ctrl+b` then `,`	Rename the current window.
`Ctrl+b` then `w`	List all windows.
`Ctrl+b` then `&`	Kill the current window.
`Ctrl+b` then `n`	Switch to the next window.
`Ctrl+b` then `p`	Switch to the previous window.
`Ctrl+b` then `l`	Open the last window.
`Ctrl+b` then `0....9`	Switch to a specific numbered window.
`Ctrl+b` then `d`	Detach from the current session.

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+b` then `%`	Split the current pane vertically.
`Ctrl+b` then `"`	Split the current pane horizontally.
`Ctrl+b` then `x`	Close the current pane.
`Ctrl+b` then `o`	Switch between panes.
`Ctrl+b` then `z`	Toggle pane zoom (make pane full screen).
`Ctrl+b` then `;`	Toggle between the last two active panes.
`Ctrl+b` then `{`	Move the current pane left.
`Ctrl+b` then `}`	Move the current pane right.
`Ctrl+b` then `Space`	Toggle through different pane layouts.
`Ctrl+b` then `!`	Convert the current pane into a window.
`Ctrl+b` then `q`	Display pane number.
`Ctrl+b` then `↑`	Increase pane height.
`Ctrl+b` then `↓`	Decrease pane height.
`Ctrl+b` then `←`	Increase pane width.
`Ctrl+b` then `→`	Decrease pane width.

Shortcut	Action
`Ctrl+b` then `[`	Enter copy mode.
`q`	Exit copy mode.
`Space`	Start text selection in copy mode.
`Enter`	Copy the selected text.
`Esc`	Clear the selected text and exit copy mode.
`Ctrl+b` then `]`	Paste the copied text.
`h`	Move the cursor left.
`j`	Move the cursor down.
`k`	Move the cursor up.
`l`	Move the cursor right.
`w`	Move the cursor one word forward.
`b`	Move the cursor one word backward.
`Ctrl+u`	Scroll up half a page.
`Ctrl+d`	Scroll down half a page.
`PgUp`	Scroll up full page.
`PgDn`	Scroll down full page.

Ctrl+b is an awkward stretch. Most people remap to Ctrl+a (screen muscle memory) or Ctrl+Space. In ~/.tmux.conf:

unbind C-b
set -g prefix C-a
bind C-a send-prefix