tmux Cheatsheet

Prefix Key

The default prefix is Ctrl+b. All key bindings below assume the prefix has been pressed first unless noted otherwise.

Sessions (Shell Commands)

Command	Description
tmux	Start new session
tmux new -s name	Start named session
tmux ls	List sessions
tmux attach	Attach to last session
tmux attach -t name	Attach to named session
tmux kill-session -t name	Kill named session
tmux kill-server	Kill all sessions
tmux switch -t name	Switch to session

Sessions (Key Bindings)

Key	Description
d	Detach from session
s	List and switch sessions
$	Rename current session
(	Previous session
)	Next session
L	Switch to last session

Windows

Key	Description
c	Create new window
,	Rename current window
w	List and select windows
n	Next window
p	Previous window
0-9	Switch to window by number
l	Toggle last active window
&	Kill current window
.	Move window (enter new index)
f	Find window by name

Panes

Creating & Closing

Key	Description
%	Split vertically (left/right)
"	Split horizontally (top/bottom)
x	Kill current pane
!	Convert pane to window

Navigation

Key	Description
Arrow keys	Switch to pane in direction
q	Show pane numbers (press number to switch)
o	Cycle to next pane
;	Toggle last active pane
{	Move pane left
}	Move pane right

Resizing

Key	Description
Ctrl+Arrow	Resize pane in direction (1 cell)
Alt+Arrow	Resize pane in direction (5 cells)
z	Toggle pane zoom (fullscreen)
Space	Cycle through layouts

Layouts

Key / Command	Description
Alt+1	Even horizontal
Alt+2	Even vertical
Alt+3	Main horizontal
Alt+4	Main vertical
Alt+5	Tiled
Space	Cycle through layouts

Copy Mode

Key	Description
[	Enter copy mode
q	Exit copy mode
Space	Start selection (in copy mode)
Enter	Copy selection and exit
]	Paste buffer
=	Choose buffer to paste
#	List all paste buffers

Copy Mode Navigation (vi mode)

Key	Description
h j k l	Move cursor
w / b	Next / previous word
f / F	Find character forward / backward
/ / ?	Search forward / backward
n / N	Next / previous search match
g / G	Go to top / bottom
0 / $	Beginning / end of line

Command Mode

Key	Description
:	Enter command mode
:source ~/.tmux.conf	Reload config
:setw synchronize-panes on	Sync input to all panes
:setw synchronize-panes off	Unsync panes
:swap-window -t N	Swap window to position N
:join-pane -t :N	Move pane to window N
:break-pane	Convert pane to window

Common Configuration (~/.tmux.conf)

# Change prefix to Ctrl+a
unbind C-b
set -g prefix C-a
bind C-a send-prefix

# Enable mouse support
set -g mouse on

# Start window numbering at 1
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1

# Vi key bindings in copy mode
setw -g mode-keys vi

# Easier split bindings
bind | split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}"
bind - split-window -v -c "#{pane_current_path}"

# Faster escape time
set -sg escape-time 0

# Increase history limit
set -g history-limit 50000

# 256 color support
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"

# Status bar
set -g status-position top
set -g status-interval 5

# Reload config
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Reloaded"

# Pane navigation with Alt+arrow (no prefix)
bind -n M-Left select-pane -L
bind -n M-Right select-pane -R
bind -n M-Up select-pane -U
bind -n M-Down select-pane -D

Miscellaneous

Key	Description
t	Show clock
?	List key bindings
i	Display window information
~	Show previous messages