tmux Cheat Sheet | All tmux Commands with Keyboard Shortcuts

tmux new -s [name] Create new session with name

tmux ls List all sessions

tmux a -t [name] Attach to session

Ctrl+b d Detach from session

Ctrl+b $ Rename session

tmux kill-ses -t [name] Kill session by name

Ctrl+b s Show all sessions

Ctrl+b ( ) Previous / Next session

-A Attach or create new session if it doesn't exist

-d Detach other clients from session

Ctrl+b c Create new window

Ctrl+b , Rename current window

Ctrl+b n Next window

Ctrl+b p Previous window

Ctrl+b 0-9 Switch to window by number

Ctrl+b w List windows interactively

Ctrl+b & Close current window

Ctrl+b l Toggle last active window

Move Window:

:move-window -t [target_session]:[position]

Ctrl+b % Split pane vertically (|)

Ctrl+b " Split pane horizontally (-)

Ctrl+b ←↑↓→ Navigate to pane in direction

Ctrl+b o Switch to next pane

Ctrl+b q Show pane numbers

Ctrl+b z Toggle pane zoom (fullscreen)

Ctrl+b x Close current pane

Ctrl+b { } Move pane left / right

Ctrl+b ! Convert pane to window

Ctrl+b Space Toggle between layouts

Resize Pane:

Ctrl+b Alt+←↑↓→ Resize pane in direction

Ctrl+b :resize-pane -[DULR] Resize by specific amount

-h / -v Split window horizontally / vertically

-c [path] Set working directory for new pane/window

-t [target] Specify target session/window/pane

-s [source] Specify source for operations

-n [name] Set name for new window/session

-r Renumber windows (remove gaps)

-E Spread panes evenly in layout

Join Panes:

:join-pane -s 2 -t 1 # Join window 2 to window 1

Ctrl+b [ → Enter Copy Mode | q → Quit

h j k l Move cursor (vim-style)

w / b Forward / backward one word

0 / $ Start / end of line

g / G Top / bottom of buffer

Ctrl+d / Ctrl+u Half page down / up

/ / ? Search forward / backward

n / N Next / previous search result

Space Start selection

Enter / y Copy selection

Ctrl+b ] Paste from buffer

Enable Vi Mode in Config:

setw -g mode-keys vi

Change Prefix Key to Ctrl+a

unbind C-b set -g prefix C-a bind C-a send-prefix

Enable Mouse Support

set -g mouse on # Click panes, resize, scroll

Essential Settings

set -g base-index 1 # Windows start at 1 setw -g pane-base-index 1 # Panes start at 1 set -g renumber-windows on # Auto-renumber windows set -g history-limit 50000 # Increase history set -g display-time 2000 # Longer status messages set-option -g allow-rename off # Prevent auto-rename

Intuitive Pane Splits

bind | split-window -h -c "#{pane_current_path}" bind - split-window -v -c "#{pane_current_path}" unbind '"' unbind %

Quick Config Reload

bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config Reloaded!"

Built-in Pane Layouts

Press Ctrl+b Space to cycle through layouts:

▤

even-h

▥

even-v

▦

main-h

▧

main-v

◫

tiled

Vim-Style Pane Navigation

# Navigate panes with h,j,k,l bind -r h select-pane -L bind -r j select-pane -D bind -r k select-pane -U bind -r l select-pane -R # Resize panes with H,J,K,L bind -r H resize-pane -L 2 bind -r J resize-pane -D 2 bind -r K resize-pane -U 2 bind -r L resize-pane -R 2

Sync Panes (Type in All Panes)

:setw synchronize-panes on # Enable sync :setw synchronize-panes off # Disable sync

💡 Great for running same command across multiple servers

Save & Restore Custom Layouts

# Save current layout :select-layout -E # Spread evenly first :run-shell "tmux list-windows -F '#{window_layout}' > ~/.tmux-layout" # Restore saved layout :run-shell "tmux select-layout \"$(cat ~/.tmux-layout)\""

Custom Layout Shortcuts

# Add to ~/.tmux.conf bind-key H select-layout even-horizontal bind-key V select-layout even-vertical bind-key P select-layout main-vertical \; resize-pane -t 0 -x 120

Ctrl+b H Horizontal layout Ctrl+b V Vertical layout Ctrl+b P Programming layout

Alt-Arrow Pane Navigation (No Prefix)

# Switch panes using Alt-arrow without 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

System Clipboard Integration (Linux)

# Copy to system clipboard: Alt+c bind M-c run "tmux save-buffer - | xclip -i -sel clipboard" # Paste from system clipboard: Alt+v bind M-v run "tmux set-buffer \"$(xclip -o -sel clipboard)\"; tmux paste-buffer"

Status Bar Customization

set -g status-position bottom set -g status-justify left set -g status-style 'fg=cyan bg=black' set -g status-left '' set -g status-right '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M ' set -g status-right-length 50 setw -g window-status-current-style 'fg=black bg=cyan'

Session Persistence with tmux-resurrect

Install tmux-resurrect plugin to save and restore sessions:

# Save: Ctrl+b Ctrl+s # Restore: Ctrl+b Ctrl+r # Install via TPM (Tmux Plugin Manager) set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-resurrect'

tmux kill-server Shut down all sessions and server

tmux list-clients -t [session] Show clients attached to session

tmux detach-client -t [client] Force detach a client

tmux attach -d -t [session] Detach other clients when attaching

tmux lock-server Lock all sessions on server

tmux lock-session -t [session] Lock a specific session

tmux lock-client -t [client] Lock a specific client

set -g monitor-activity on Monitor pane for activity

set -g activity-action any-bell Bell on any activity in background pane

Ctrl+b M Mute/unmute visual activity alerts

set -g lock-after-time [seconds] Auto-lock after idle time

set -g lock-command vlock Custom lock command

Hooks:

set-hook pane-activity 'echo activity' set-hook pane-bell 'echo bell' set-hook after-split-hook 'echo split' set-hook after-kill-pane-hook 'echo killed'

tmux send-keys -t [pane] "cmd" Enter Send keystrokes to pane

tmux run-shell "command" Run shell command in tmux context

tmux send-prefix -t [pane] Send prefix to another pane

tmux wait-for -L [channel] Wait for a lock channel

tmux wait-for -U [channel] Unblock a wait channel

tmux confirm-before -p "msg" "cmd" Confirm before running command

tmux display-message -p '#{session_name}' Display styled message with format

tmux display-popup -t [title] Display interactive popup

tmux choose-tree Interactive window/session browser

tmux list-commands Show all available tmux commands

bind -r Repeatable binding (no prefix needed)

bind -T [table] Bind to specific key table

bind -n Direct key binding (no prefix)

unbind -a Remove all bindings

unbind -T [table] [key] Remove binding from specific table

Ctrl+b : list-keys Show all bound keys in current mode

Key Tables:

# Bind directly in copy-mode-vi bind -T copy-mode-vi h select-pane -L bind -T copy-mode-vi l select-pane -R # Root table (no prefix needed ever) bind -T root -n M-Left select-pane -L # User table for custom shortcuts bind -T user M-1 select-window -t 1

Click a theme to expand its config. Use Copy Config to grab the full tmux.conf snippet.

Dracula

# Dracula Theme for tmux

# Status Bar
set -g status-position bottom
set -g status-style 'bg=#282a36,fg=#f8f8f2'
set -g status-left '#[fg=#ff79c6,bold] #S #[fg=#6272a4]|'
set -g status-right '#[fg=#6272a4]| #[fg=#50fa7b]%H:%M #[fg=#6272a4]| #[fg=#ff79c6]%d-%b'

# Window Status
setw -g window-status-format '#[fg=#6272a4] #I:#W '
setw -g window-status-current-format '#[fg=#282a36,bg=#ff79c6,bold] #I:#W '

# Active/Inactive Panes
set -g window-style 'fg=#6272a4,bg=#282a36'
set -g window-active-style 'fg=#f8f8f2,bg=#282a36'
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#44475a,bg=default"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#ff79c6,bg=default"

Monokai

# Monokai Theme for tmux

# Status Bar
set -g status-position bottom
set -g status-style 'bg=#272822,fg=#f8f8f2'
set -g status-left '#[fg=#f92672,bold] #S #[fg=#49483e]|'
set -g status-right '#[fg=#49483e]| #[fg=#a6e22e]%H:%M #[fg=#49483e]| #[fg=#e6db74]%d-%b'

# Window Status
setw -g window-status-format '#[fg=#49483e] #I:#W '
setw -g window-status-current-format '#[fg=#272822,bg=#a6e22e,bold] #I:#W '

# Active/Inactive Panes
set -g window-style 'fg=#49483e,bg=#272822'
set -g window-active-style 'fg=#f8f8f2,bg=#272822'
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#49483e,bg=default"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#a6e22e,bg=default"

Gruvbox Dark

# Gruvbox Theme for tmux

# Status Bar
set -g status-position bottom
set -g status-style 'bg=#282828,fg=#ebdbb2'
set -g status-left '#[fg=#fb4934,bold] #S #[fg=#3c3836]|'
set -g status-right '#[fg=#3c3836]| #[fg=#b8bb26]%H:%M #[fg=#3c3836]| #[fg=#fabd2f]%d-%b'

# Window Status
setw -g window-status-format '#[fg=#3c3836] #I:#W '
setw -g window-status-current-format '#[fg=#282828,bg=#b8bb26,bold] #I:#W '

# Active/Inactive Panes
set -g window-style 'fg=#3c3836,bg=#282828'
set -g window-active-style 'fg=#ebdbb2,bg=#282828'
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#3c3836,bg=default"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#b8bb26,bg=default"

Nord

# Nord Theme for tmux

# Status Bar
set -g status-position bottom
set -g status-style 'bg=#2e3440,fg=#eceff4'
set -g status-left '#[fg=#88c0d0,bold] #S #[fg=#3b4252]|'
set -g status-right '#[fg=#3b4252]| #[fg=#a3be8c]%H:%M #[fg=#3b4252]| #[fg=#ebcb8b]%d-%b'

# Window Status
setw -g window-status-format '#[fg=#3b4252] #I:#W '
setw -g window-status-current-format '#[fg=#2e3440,bg=#88c0d0,bold] #I:#W '

# Active/Inactive Panes
set -g window-style 'fg=#3b4252,bg=#2e3440'
set -g window-active-style 'fg=#eceff4,bg=#2e3440'
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#3b4252,bg=default"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#88c0d0,bg=default"

Solarized Dark

# Solarized Dark Theme for tmux

# Status Bar
set -g status-position bottom
set -g status-style 'bg=#002b36,fg=#93a1a1'
set -g status-left '#[fg=#2aa198,bold] #S #[fg=#073642]|'
set -g status-right '#[fg=#073642]| #[fg=#859900]%H:%M #[fg=#073642]| #[fg=#b58900]%d-%b'

# Window Status
setw -g window-status-format '#[fg=#073642] #I:#W '
setw -g window-status-current-format '#[fg=#002b36,bg=#2aa198,bold] #I:#W '

# Active/Inactive Panes
set -g window-style 'fg=#073642,bg=#002b36'
set -g window-active-style 'fg=#93a1a1,bg=#002b36'
set -g pane-border-style "fg=#073642,bg=default"
set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#2aa198,bg=default"