Download AltTabio
AltTabio is a window switcher for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 that replaces the default Alt+Tab and Win+Tab overlays. It presents a numbered list of open windows with a live DWM preview of the highlighted entry. Typing filters the list by title, application name, or number. Number keys activate one of the first nine visible windows directly. Window commands include close, minimize, maximize, restore, terminate, and launch another instance. The switcher supports keyboard and mouse input, light and dark themes, optional desktop previews, and right mouse button plus wheel switching. Settings are stored in a portable INI file next to the executable, and autostart is available through a scheduled task.
The program is distributed as a single self-contained executable with no separate runtime. It requires administrator privileges for global input hooks and window management. The build embeds its icon, version information, per-monitor DPI manifest, and administrator requirement. Configuration covers independent Alt+Tab and Win+Tab replacement, typed search, switching when Alt or the right mouse button is released, mouse-over selection, icon colors, list density, large icons, number labels, application names, visible borders, live and full-desktop previews, and filtering by the current monitor.
AltTabio is an independent project and is not affiliated with Alt+Tab Terminator. It was created because Alt+Tab Terminator has had a critical issue for years that causes Alt+Tab to stop working correctly. That issue was reported, but never fixed. AltTabio is written in Rust and built directly on Windows APIs, including low-level keyboard and mouse hooks, a hand-written Win32 overlay, Direct2D and DirectWrite rendering, and DWM previews. It has been developed since the early 2020s and targets 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. The source code is available on GitHub, and releases are published through GitHub Releases.
Use Cases for AltTabio
| Replaces native Alt+Tab and Win+Tab switchers | Uses low-level hooks to intercept key combinations |
| Assigns number labels to visible window entries | Activates target window via numeric key press |
| Renders selected window as live DWM thumbnail | Shows preview alone or in desktop context |
| Filters window list by typed search text | Matches titles, application names or numbers |
| Supports arrow keys, wheel and click navigation | Provides Home, End and Escape control keys |
| Opens context menu with window management commands | Maps close, minimize and terminate to function keys |
| Launches new instance without elevation inheritance | Prevents child processes from receiving admin rights |
| Adjusts list density, icons and color schemes | Configures borders, labels and application icon colors |
| Creates scheduled task for automatic startup | Ensures hooks activate after every logon |
| Stores preferences in portable INI file | Avoids registry keys for simplified backup |
| Prevents multiple simultaneous application instances | Avoids duplicate hooks and conflicting overlays |
| Embeds per-monitor DPI awareness manifest | Renders correctly on mixed-scaling multi-monitor setups |
| Offers light and dark overlay appearance | Applies theme to background, text and highlights |
| Requires administrator privileges for global hooks | Prompts at launch unless autostart is configured |
What’s new in AltTabio
- AltTabio now updates itself on macOS: once a day it checks GitHub Releases for a newer version signed with the same certificate, downloads …
- A "Check for Updates…" option in the menu bar menu checks immediately, and "Update automatically" in the settings disables the daily check.
- The close button on a window row now closes only the window you pressed it on; previously, if the list changed while you held the button, r…