App or window switcher
Shows a list of windows, running apps or installed apps and switches to, or launches, the one you pick.
Show a kind switcher
Keyboard Maestro: ProgramSwitcher, ApplicationLauncher, ApplicationsPaletteToggle, WindowSwitcher
Details #
Opens a list and acts on your choice. What the list holds depends on kind:
apps (the default): the running apps. Picking one brings it to the front.
windows: every window of every app, shown as "title — app" (with "(minimized)" where it applies). Picking one raises it, and unminimizes it first if needed.
launcher: the installed apps. Picking one launches it, or brings it to the front if it is already running. The palette lists the same apps (type part of a name there).
Entries with the same label are numbered, "Notes (2)". The list is a plain list prompt with the title title, or "Switch window", "Switch application" or "Launch application" when you give none.
The output is name for an app choice, or title and app for a window choice.
Parameters #
| Parameter | Type | Required | Values | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
exclude | list of text | A list of app names or bundle ids to leave out. | ||
excludeRunning | yes / no | For launcher: leave out apps that are already running. | ||
hideOthers | yes / no | After switching to an app, hide all the other apps. Does not apply to windows. | ||
include | list of text | A list of app names or bundle ids. Only those apps appear. Empty means all. | ||
kind | one of | windows apps launcher | windows, apps or launcher. The default is apps. Any other value fails. | |
sort | one of | use launch alpha | For apps and launcher: use (the default, the order the apps were last used in), launch (in order of launch) or alpha (by name). | |
sortAlphabetically | yes / no | For windows: sort the list by window title. | ||
title | text | The heading of the list. |
Every step also accepts label, onFailure, timeout and dryRunSafe.
Examples #
A dry run only simulates this step: it shows no list and switches nothing, so it is safe to try:
- Pick an app to switch to
- Show “Switched” for 2 s
Gotchas #
Fails with "there is nothing to switch to" when the filters leave the list empty.
If you dismiss the list the step fails with "cancelled by you".
Window listing and raising need Accessibility permission.
The step has the usual 10 second step limit, and nothing extends it for the list. Set a longer
timeouton the step if you need more time to choose.If you mark the step Safe in dry run, it picks the first entry and really switches to it.