Tmux is a terminal multiplexer: it runs multiple terminal sessions inside a single window and keeps them alive after you disconnect. It is organized in three layers: sessions contain windows, and windows contain panes.
[tmux](/man/tmux)
[tmux](/man/tmux) new -s mysession
All keybindings start with the prefix key, which is Ctrl+b by default. Press the prefix, release it, then press the command key.
A session is a collection of windows that keeps running in the background after you detach or your connection drops. Reattach later to pick up exactly where you left off.
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+b d | Detach from current session |
| Ctrl+b s | List all sessions and switch |
| Ctrl+b $ | Rename current session |
| Ctrl+b ( | Switch to previous session |
| Ctrl+b ) | Switch to next session |
[tmux](/man/tmux) ls
[tmux](/man/tmux) attach -t mysession
[tmux](/man/tmux) new -d -s mysession
[tmux](/man/tmux) rename-session -t old new
[tmux](/man/tmux) kill-session -t mysession
[tmux](/man/tmux) kill-server
tmux attach without -t attaches to the most recently used session. kill-server stops tmux entirely, including all sessions.
Windows are like tabs within a session. Each window runs its own shell and is numbered, starting at 0 by default.
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+b c | Create a new window |
| Ctrl+b n | Switch to the next window |
| Ctrl+b p | Switch to the previous window |
| Ctrl+b 0-9 | Switch to window by number |
| Ctrl+b l | Switch to the last active window |
| Ctrl+b w | List all windows and select one |
| Ctrl+b , | Rename current window |
| Ctrl+b . | Move current window to another number |
| Ctrl+b & | Close current window (with confirmation) |
Panes split a window into multiple terminal areas. Each pane runs its own independent shell.
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+b % | Split into left and right panes |
| Ctrl+b " | Split into top and bottom panes |
| Ctrl+b Arrow | Move to the pane in that direction |
| Ctrl+b o | Cycle to the next pane |
| Ctrl+b ; | Jump to the last active pane |
| Ctrl+b z | Toggle zoom on current pane (full window) |
| Ctrl+b x | Close current pane (with confirmation) |
| Ctrl+b { | Swap current pane with the previous one |
| Ctrl+b } | Swap current pane with the next one |
| Ctrl+b Space | Cycle through pane layouts |
| Ctrl+b q | Show pane numbers (press a number to jump there) |
| Ctrl+b ! | Break current pane out into a new window |
Press the prefix, then an arrow key combined with a modifier. Keep the modifier held to repeat the resize without pressing the prefix again.
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+b Ctrl+Arrow | Resize pane by 1 cell in that direction |
| Ctrl+b Alt+Arrow | Resize pane by 5 cells in that direction |
The same works from the command prompt, with -D, -U, -L, -R for down, up, left, right.
[tmux](/man/tmux) resize-pane -D 10
[tmux](/man/tmux) resize-pane -R 10
Copy mode lets you scroll through output, search it, and copy text. Press Ctrl+b [ to enter it (or Ctrl+b PgUp to enter it scrolled up one page).
By default tmux uses Emacs-style keys in copy mode. Most users switch to vi-style keys, which the table below assumes.
[echo](/man/echo) "setw -g mode-keys vi" >> ~/.tmux.conf
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| q | Exit copy mode |
| h j k l | Move left, down, up, right |
| w / b | Move forward / back one word |
| g / G | Jump to the top / bottom of the history |
| Ctrl+u / Ctrl+d | Scroll up / down half a page |
| / | Search forward |
| ? | Search backward |
| n / N | Next / previous search match |
| Space | Start selection |
| Enter | Copy selection and exit copy mode |
Outside copy mode, paste the most recently copied text.
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+b ] | Paste the copied text |
Press Ctrl+b : to open the tmux command prompt. Every keybinding is a shortcut for one of these commands, and any of them can be run here directly.
new-window -n mywin
split-window -h
swap-window -t 0
select-layout even-horizontal
setw synchronize-panes on
synchronize-panes sends your typing to all panes in the window at once. Handy for running the same command on several servers. Turn it off with setw synchronize-panes off.
Tmux reads ~/.tmux.conf at server start. Useful options to add:
set -g mouse on
set -g history-limit 50000
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1
mouse on enables clicking panes, dragging borders to resize, and scrolling with the wheel. base-index 1 numbers windows from 1 instead of 0, matching the keyboard layout.
Apply changes to a running server without restarting.
[tmux](/man/tmux) source-file ~/.tmux.conf