Getting started
Installation
Download GroupTab from the Mac App Store. After installing and running, you'll see a small grid icon in your menu bar. That's GroupTab running.
First launch
When you first open GroupTab, you get a quick intro showing the main shortcuts. After dismissing it, the app sits in your menu bar and waits for you to invoke the switcher.
Press Option + Tab. A window appears showing your running apps arranged in rows. Release Option and you switch to whatever app is highlighted.
That's the core of it: Option-Tab to open, arrow keys to navigate, release Option to switch.
Menu bar
Click the GroupTab icon in your menu bar to access Settings, view keyboard shortcuts, or quit the app.
Working with groups
What groups are
Groups are rows in the switcher. Each group has a name and contains whatever apps you've assigned to it. When you open the switcher, you see one row per group, each showing its apps sorted by most-recently-used order.
There's always a Default group. Any app you haven't explicitly assigned to another group shows up here. You can't delete Default, but you can move apps out of it.
Creating groups
- Open Settings from the menu bar icon
- Click "Add Group" at the bottom of the groups list
- A new group appears with the name "New Group 1" (or the next available number)
- Hover over the group and click the pencil icon to rename it
Name your groups however makes sense for you. Some ideas: "Code", "Comms", "Design", "Reference", "Media", or project names if you work on multiple projects.
Reordering groups
In Settings, drag groups by the handle on the left to reorder them. The Default group always stays at the top. The order in Settings is the order you see in the switcher.
Deleting groups
Hover over a group in Settings and click the trash icon. Any apps assigned to that group move back to Default. You can't delete the Default group.
Assigning apps to groups
There are two ways to move an app to a different group:
Drag and drop: Open the switcher with Option-Tab. While holding Option, drag an app icon to another group's row and drop it there. The assignment sticks.
Keyboard: Open the switcher, navigate to the app you want to move, then press Option + Shift + Up/Down (or Option + Shift + K/J). The app moves to the group above or below.
Once assigned, an app remembers its group. Close it, reopen it tomorrow, and it still shows up in the same group.
Switching apps
Opening the switcher
Press Option + Tab. The switcher window appears, showing your groups and apps. The app that was in focus when you opened the switcher is highlighted, and hitting Tab again moves the highlight to the next app.
Press Option + Shift + Tab to open the switcher and immediately move backwards through apps.
Navigating
Keep holding Option. While the switcher is open:
- Tab or Arrow Right or L — Move to next app
- Shift+Tab or Arrow Left or H — Move to previous app
- Arrow Down or J — Move to next group
- Arrow Up or K — Move to previous group
When you reach the end of a group, the highlight wraps to the start. Same for groups: move past the last group and you land back on the first.
If you hold down a navigation key, it repeats and stops at the boundary instead of wrapping. Tap it again to wrap around.
Quick number switching
Apps in the current group show numbered badges (1-9). Press Option + 1 through Option + 9 to jump straight to that app and switch to it immediately.
Mouse and trackpad
Click an app to select it. Click an app in a different group to move to that group and select that app. Drag apps between groups to reassign them.
Hovering over an app reveals its name. The selected app's name is always visible.
Confirming and canceling
Release Option to switch to the selected app and close the switcher.
Press Escape (while still holding Option) to cancel and close the switcher without switching apps.
Keyboard shortcuts
Vim-style navigation
If you prefer vim keys, GroupTab has you covered. H/J/K/L work as left/down/up/right while the switcher is open. Hold Option and use them just like arrow keys.
Settings
Open Settings from the menu bar icon or by right-clicking it and selecting "Settings...".
Groups list
The main panel shows your groups. Each row displays the group name and how many apps are currently assigned to it (and running). Hover to reveal the rename and delete buttons.
Launch at Login
Toggle this on if you want GroupTab to start automatically when you log in. The app runs in the menu bar with no dock icon, so it stays out of your way.
Quit GroupTab
Quits the app. You can also quit from the menu bar by clicking the icon and selecting "Quit GroupTab".
Tips and workflows
Set up groups for your work
Think about how you actually work. If you code, you might have a group for your editor and terminal, another for browsers, and a third for Slack and email. If you design, maybe a group for design tools and another for reference material.
Don't overcomplicate it. Three or four groups is usually plenty. More than that and you're just recreating the clutter problem.
Let Default handle the noise
You don't need to assign every app. Random utilities, system preferences, whatever pops up occasionally — leave them in Default. Focus your groups on the apps you switch between constantly.
Use MRU to your advantage
Apps sort by most-recently-used within each group. This means your last-used app in a group is always first. If you're bouncing between your editor and terminal, they'll stay at positions 1 and 2 in that group.
Quick-switch with numbers
Each app in the current group shows a number badge (1-9). Press Option + [number] to instantly switch to that app. If you know your terminal is always first and your editor second, Option+1 and Option+2 become muscle memory.
Use it alongside Cmd-Tab
GroupTab doesn't replace Cmd-Tab, it runs alongside it. Use Cmd-Tab when you have few apps running, use Option-Tab when the number of your running apps grows and your current task requires switching between only a few. They don't conflict.
Troubleshooting
The switcher doesn't appear
Make sure GroupTab is running. Check for the grid icon in your menu bar. If it's not there, open GroupTab from your Applications folder.
If the icon is there but Option-Tab does nothing, another app might have claimed that shortcut. Check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts to see if there's a conflict.
An app isn't showing in the switcher
GroupTab only shows apps that have a standard window (what macOS calls "regular activation policy"). Background utilities, menu bar apps, and some helper apps don't show up in any app switcher, including the built-in Cmd-Tab one.
App assignments aren't sticking
Assignments are saved in ~/Library/Application Support/GroupTab/prefs.json. If you're having trouble, check that this file exists and is writable. In rare cases, reinstalling the app and setting up groups again can fix corrupted preferences.
Option-Left/Right stopped working in my text editor
This was fixed in version 1.4. GroupTab now only captures Option+arrow keys when the switcher is open. Update to the latest version if you're seeing this issue.
Performance is slow
GroupTab is lightweight and should feel instant. If you notice lag, check if you have an unusual number of apps running (30+). The switcher queries all running apps each time it opens, which can take a moment with many apps.
FAQ
Does GroupTab collect any data?
No. GroupTab runs entirely on your Mac. No analytics, no crash reporting, no network calls. Your app assignments are stored locally in your Library folder. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Can I change the keyboard shortcut?
Not currently. GroupTab uses Option-Tab because it doesn't conflict with the built-in Cmd-Tab switcher. Custom shortcut configuration may come in a future version.
Does it work with Stage Manager?
Yes. GroupTab operates at the app level, independent of how your windows are arranged. It works the same whether you're using Stage Manager, traditional windows, or full-screen apps.
Does it work with multiple desktops/Spaces?
Yes. GroupTab shows running apps across all Spaces. When you switch to an app on a different Space, macOS takes you there.
Can I use it with multiple monitors?
Yes. The switcher appears on the screen where your mouse is. If you have three monitors and your mouse is on the right one, the switcher opens there.
What happens when I delete a group?
Apps that were in that group move back to the Default group. Their assignments are cleared. If you create a new group with the same name, you'll need to reassign apps to it.
Can I have the same app in multiple groups?
No. Each app can be in exactly one group at a time. This keeps things simple — you always know where to find an app.