Tmux Command Cheatsheet

tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it keeps shell sessions alive on the server, splits one terminal into windows and panes, and lets you detach and reattach without losing anything.

ℹ️ Almost every shortcut starts with the prefix, Ctrl+b by default: press the prefix, release it, then press the key. In the tables below Ctrl+b c means “prefix, then c”.

🚀 Sessions from the Shell

# start a session
tmux

# start a named session
tmux new -s <name>

# start a named session in the background
tmux new -s <name> -d

# attach if the session exists, create it otherwise
tmux new-session -A -s <name>

# list sessions
tmux ls

# attach to the most recent session
tmux attach

# attach to a named session
tmux attach -t <name>

# attach and detach any other client (steal the session)
tmux attach -d -t <name>

# rename a session
tmux rename-session -t <old> <new>

# kill one session
tmux kill-session -t <name>

# kill the server and every session on it
tmux kill-server

⌨️ Sessions

Keys	Action
`Ctrl+b d`	Detach from the session
`Ctrl+b s`	Interactive session list
`Ctrl+b $`	Rename the current session
`Ctrl+b (`	Previous session
`Ctrl+b )`	Next session
`Ctrl+b w`	Tree of every session and window

📂 Windows (tabs)

Keys	Action
`Ctrl+b c`	Create a window
`Ctrl+b ,`	Rename the current window
`Ctrl+b n`	Next window
`Ctrl+b p`	Previous window
`Ctrl+b l`	Last (previously used) window
`Ctrl+b 0…9`	Jump to a window by number
`Ctrl+b w`	Choose a window from a list
`Ctrl+b f`	Find a window by name
`Ctrl+b .`	Move the window to another index
`Ctrl+b &`	Kill the current window

🪟 Panes (splits)

Keys	Action
`Ctrl+b %`	Split into left / right panes
`Ctrl+b "`	Split into top / bottom panes
`Ctrl+b ←↑↓→`	Move the focus in that direction
`Ctrl+b o`	Cycle through the panes
`Ctrl+b ;`	Jump to the previously focused pane
`Ctrl+b q`	Show pane numbers (press one to jump)
`Ctrl+b z`	Zoom the pane to full screen, and back
`Ctrl+b x`	Kill the current pane
`Ctrl+b {` / `}`	Swap the pane with the previous / next one
`Ctrl+b space`	Cycle through the preset layouts
`Ctrl+b !`	Break the pane out into its own window
`Ctrl+b Alt+←↑↓→`	Resize the pane in that direction

📋 Copy Mode & Scrollback

Keys	Action
`Ctrl+b [`	Enter copy mode (scroll with the arrows/PgUp)
`space`	Start the selection
`Enter`	Copy the selection and leave copy mode
`Ctrl+b ]`	Paste the buffer
`/` and `?`	Search forward / backward (vi mode)
`q`	Leave copy mode

💡 setw -g mode-keys vi gives you vi navigation in copy mode; v then starts the selection and y yanks it.

⚙️ Configuration

# reload the configuration without restarting
tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf

# every key binding currently active
tmux list-keys

# every option and its value
tmux show-options -g

A reasonable ~/.tmux.conf starting point:

# use Ctrl+a as the prefix, like GNU Screen
set -g prefix C-a
unbind C-b
bind C-a send-prefix

# number windows from 1 and close the gaps
set -g base-index 1
set -g renumber-windows on

# mouse: focus panes, resize splits, scroll
set -g mouse on

# vi keys in copy mode, and a longer scrollback
setw -g mode-keys vi
set -g history-limit 10000

# reload with prefix + r
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded"

🧭 Scripting & Automation

# run a command in a target pane
tmux send-keys -t <session>:<window>.<pane> "make test" Enter

# print the contents of a pane
tmux capture-pane -p -t <session>:<window>

# open the command prompt inside tmux (prefix + :)
tmux command-prompt

# build a session non-interactively
tmux new -d -s dev -n editor
tmux split-window -t dev -h
tmux attach -t dev

📄 Example Workflow

# 1. start a named session
tmux new -s dev

# 2. split the window: prefix % (left/right), prefix " (top/bottom)
# 3. add another window with prefix c
# 4. detach with prefix d — everything keeps running

# 5. come back later
tmux attach -t dev

📚 Resources

tmux wiki and getting-started guide
Manual page
Built-in help: Ctrl+b ? lists every active binding