Basic Commands
Starting and Attaching
- tmux - Start new session
- tmux new -s <name> - Start new named session
- tmux attach -t <name> - Attach to session
- tmux attach-session -t <name> - Attach to session (long form)
- tmux ls - List all sessions
- tmux list-sessions - List all sessions (long form)
- tmux kill-session -t <name> - Kill a session
- tmux kill-server - Kill all sessions
Prefix Key
Default prefix is Ctrl+b. All commands below assume this prefix.
Sessions
- s - List sessions
- $ - Rename session
- d - Detach from session
- ( - Switch to previous session
- ) - Switch to next session
Windows
- c - Create new window
- , - Rename current window
- w - List windows
- n - Next window
- p - Previous window
- 0-9 - Switch to window number
- & - Kill current window
- f - Find window by name
Panes
- % - Split pane vertically (left/right)
- " - Split pane horizontally (top/bottom)
- x - Kill current pane
- z - Zoom/unzoom current pane
- { - Swap pane with previous
- } - Swap pane with next
- o - Switch to next pane
- ; - Switch to last active pane
- q - Show pane numbers (then press number to switch)
- h - Select pane to the left
- j - Select pane below
- k - Select pane above
- l - Select pane to the right
- H - Resize pane left
- J - Resize pane down
- K - Resize pane up
- L - Resize pane right
- Ctrl+h/j/k/l - Resize pane (alternative)
- Alt+Arrow - Resize pane
- Space - Toggle between pane layouts
Copy Mode
- [ - Enter copy mode
- ] - Paste buffer
- q - Exit copy mode
- Space - Start selection
- Enter - Copy selection
- v - Start selection (vi mode)
- y - Copy selection (vi mode)
- p - Paste (vi mode)
- / - Search forward
- ? - Search backward
- n - Next match
- N - Previous match
Miscellaneous
- t - Show clock
- ? - List all key bindings
- : - Enter command mode
- r - Reload config file
- ~ - Show messages
- Ctrl+z - Suspend tmux (send to background)
Command Mode Commands
- new-window -n <name> - Create named window
- split-window -h - Split horizontally
- split-window -v - Split vertically
- select-pane -t <number> - Select pane by number
- resize-pane -L 10 - Resize pane left by 10
- resize-pane -R 10 - Resize pane right by 10
- resize-pane -U 10 - Resize pane up by 10
- resize-pane -D 10 - Resize pane down by 10
- swap-pane -s <source> -t <target> - Swap panes
- kill-pane -t <number> - Kill pane
- kill-window -t <number> - Kill window
Configuration
Config File Location
- ~/.tmux.conf (user config)
- /etc/tmux.conf (system config)
Example Key Bindings
Customize key bindings in your config:
# Change prefix key
unbind C-b
set-option -g prefix C-a
bind-key C-a send-prefix
# Custom window navigation
bind h select-pane -L
bind j select-pane -D
bind k select-pane -U
bind l select-pane -R
# Custom window splitting
bind | split-window -h
bind - split-window -v
unbind '"'
unbind %
# Reload config
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"Common Settings
# Change prefix to Ctrl+a
unbind C-b
set-option -g prefix C-a
bind-key C-a send-prefix
# Enable mouse support
set -g mouse on
# Start windows and panes at 1, not 0
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1
# Renumber windows sequentially after closing any
set -g renumber-windows on
# Increase scrollback buffer
set -g history-limit 10000
# Enable vi mode
setw -g mode-keys vi
# Set default terminal mode to 256color
set -g default-terminal "screen-256color"
# Faster key repeat
set -s escape-time 0
# Reload config file
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"Tips
- Use tmux -2 to force 256 color mode
- Use tmux -u to enable UTF-8
- Sessions persist after terminal closes
- Use tmuxinator or tmuxp for session management
- Ctrl+b then d to detach without killing session
- Use tmux attach to reconnect to last session