Tmux Cheat Sheet

A complete reference of Tmux commands for terminal multiplexing. Find session, window, and pane management commands with examples and keyboard shortcuts.

34 commands found
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tmux new-session

Session

Create a new tmux session

Syntax:

tmux new-session [-d] [-s session-name] [command]

Examples:

tmux new-session Create a new session with default name
tmux new-session -s mysession Create session named 'mysession'
tmux new-session -d -s background Create detached session named 'background'
tmux new -s work Shorthand for creating session 'work'

Notes:

Use -d flag to create detached session (runs in background)

tmux attach-session

Session

Attach to an existing tmux session

Syntax:

tmux attach-session [-t session-name]

Examples:

tmux attach-session Attach to most recent session
tmux attach-session -t mysession Attach to session named 'mysession'
tmux attach -t work Shorthand for attaching to 'work' session
tmux a -t 0 Attach to session with ID 0

Notes:

If no session name specified, attaches to the most recently used session

tmux list-sessions

Session

List all tmux sessions

Syntax:

tmux list-sessions

Examples:

tmux list-sessions Show all active sessions
tmux ls Shorthand for listing sessions
tmux list-sessions -F '#{session_name}: #{session_windows} windows' Custom format showing session name and window count

Notes:

Shows session name, number of windows, creation time, and attached status

tmux kill-session

Session

Terminate a tmux session

Syntax:

tmux kill-session [-t session-name]

Examples:

tmux kill-session -t mysession Kill session named 'mysession'
tmux kill-session -t 0 Kill session with ID 0
tmux kill-server Kill all sessions and the tmux server

Notes:

Killing a session will terminate all windows and panes within it

Prefix + d

Session

Detach from current session

Syntax:

Ctrl-b d (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b d Detach from current session
Ctrl-b D Detach and choose which client to detach

Notes:

Session continues running in background after detaching

Prefix + c

Window

Create a new window

Syntax:

Ctrl-b c (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b c Create new window with next available number
tmux new-window Create new window from command line
tmux new-window -n 'logs' Create new window named 'logs'

Notes:

New window starts at current working directory of the session

Prefix + w

Window

List all windows in current session

Syntax:

Ctrl-b w (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b w Show window list with preview
tmux list-windows List windows from command line
tmux lsw Shorthand for listing windows

Notes:

Use arrow keys to navigate and Enter to select a window

Prefix + [0-9]

Window

Switch to window by number

Syntax:

Ctrl-b [number] (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b 0 Switch to window 0
Ctrl-b 1 Switch to window 1
Ctrl-b 9 Switch to window 9
Ctrl-b ' Switch to window by name (prompt)

Notes:

Windows are numbered starting from 0

Prefix + n

Window

Move to next window

Syntax:

Ctrl-b n (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b n Go to next window
Ctrl-b p Go to previous window
Ctrl-b l Go to last used window

Notes:

Cycles through windows in order

Prefix + ,

Window

Rename current window

Syntax:

Ctrl-b , (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b , Rename current window (interactive)
tmux rename-window newname Rename window from command line

Notes:

Window names appear in the status bar

Prefix + &

Window

Close current window

Syntax:

Ctrl-b & (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b & Close current window (with confirmation)
exit Close window by exiting shell
tmux kill-window -t 1 Kill window 1 from command line

Notes:

Closing the last window in a session will terminate the session

Prefix + %

Pane

Split pane horizontally (side by side)

Syntax:

Ctrl-b % (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b % Split current pane horizontally
tmux split-window -h Split horizontally from command line
tmux split-window -h -c '#{pane_current_path}' Split horizontally in same directory

Notes:

Creates a new pane to the right of the current pane

Prefix + "

Pane

Split pane vertically (top and bottom)

Syntax:

Ctrl-b " (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b " Split current pane vertically
tmux split-window -v Split vertically from command line
tmux split-window -v -c '#{pane_current_path}' Split vertically in same directory

Notes:

Creates a new pane below the current pane

Prefix + arrow keys

Pane

Navigate between panes

Syntax:

Ctrl-b [←→↑↓] (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b ← Move to pane on the left
Ctrl-b → Move to pane on the right
Ctrl-b ↑ Move to pane above
Ctrl-b ↓ Move to pane below
Ctrl-b o Cycle through panes

Notes:

Use arrow keys or 'o' to move between panes

Prefix + Ctrl + arrow keys

Pane

Resize panes

Syntax:

Ctrl-b Ctrl-[←→↑↓] (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b Ctrl-← Resize pane left
Ctrl-b Ctrl-→ Resize pane right
Ctrl-b Ctrl-↑ Resize pane up
Ctrl-b Ctrl-↓ Resize pane down
tmux resize-pane -L 5 Resize current pane 5 cells left

Notes:

Hold Ctrl and use arrow keys to resize incrementally

Prefix + x

Pane

Close current pane

Syntax:

Ctrl-b x (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b x Close current pane (with confirmation)
exit Close pane by exiting shell
tmux kill-pane -t 1 Kill pane 1 from command line

Notes:

Closing the last pane in a window will close the window

Prefix + z

Pane

Toggle pane zoom (fullscreen)

Syntax:

Ctrl-b z (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b z Toggle fullscreen for current pane

Notes:

Press again to return to multi-pane view

Prefix + spacebar

Pane

Cycle through pane layouts

Syntax:

Ctrl-b Space (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b Space Cycle through predefined layouts
tmux select-layout even-horizontal Arrange panes in even horizontal layout
tmux select-layout even-vertical Arrange panes in even vertical layout
tmux select-layout main-horizontal Main pane on top, others below
tmux select-layout main-vertical Main pane on left, others right

Notes:

Available layouts: even-horizontal, even-vertical, main-horizontal, main-vertical, tiled

Prefix + [

Copy Mode

Enter copy mode for scrolling and text selection

Syntax:

Ctrl-b [ (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b [ Enter copy mode
q Exit copy mode
g Go to top of buffer
G Go to bottom of buffer
/ Search forward
? Search backward

Notes:

Use vi or emacs key bindings to navigate (set in tmux.conf)

Space / v

Copy Mode

Start text selection in copy mode

Syntax:

Space (or v for vi mode)

Examples:

Space Start selection (default mode)
v Start selection (vi mode)
V Start line selection (vi mode)
Enter Copy selection and exit copy mode

Notes:

Selection behavior depends on your key binding mode (vi or emacs)

Prefix + ]

Copy Mode

Paste most recent copied text

Syntax:

Ctrl-b ] (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b ] Paste last copied text
tmux paste-buffer Paste from command line
tmux list-buffers List all copy buffers
tmux paste-buffer -b 0 Paste from specific buffer

Notes:

Tmux maintains multiple copy buffers with numbered history

Prefix + :

Configuration

Enter command mode

Syntax:

Ctrl-b : (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b : Open command prompt
:source-file ~/.tmux.conf Reload configuration file
:set -g mouse on Enable mouse support
:set -g status-bg red Change status bar background to red

Notes:

Command mode allows running any tmux command interactively

tmux show-options

Configuration

Display tmux options and their values

Syntax:

tmux show-options [-g] [-s] [-w]

Examples:

tmux show-options -g Show global options
tmux show-options -w Show window options
tmux show-options -s Show server options
tmux show-options -g status Show specific option value

Notes:

Use -g for global, -w for window, -s for server options

tmux set-option

Configuration

Set tmux options

Syntax:

tmux set-option [-g] [-w] option value

Examples:

tmux set-option -g prefix C-a Change prefix key to Ctrl-a
tmux set-option -g mouse on Enable mouse support
tmux set-option -g status-position top Move status bar to top
tmux set-option -w automatic-rename off Disable automatic window renaming

Notes:

Use -g for global options, -w for window options

Prefix + ?

Information

Show key bindings help

Syntax:

Ctrl-b ? (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b ? Display all key bindings
Ctrl-b t Show current time
tmux info Show session information
tmux list-keys List all key bindings from command line

Notes:

Press q to exit the help screen

Prefix + t

Information

Display a clock in current pane

Syntax:

Ctrl-b t (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b t Show digital clock
tmux clock-mode Enter clock mode from command line

Notes:

Press any key to exit clock mode

tmux capture-pane

Advanced

Capture pane contents to a buffer

Syntax:

tmux capture-pane [-p] [-t target-pane]

Examples:

tmux capture-pane -p Capture and print current pane contents
tmux capture-pane -t 1 Capture pane 1 contents
tmux capture-pane -S -1000 Capture with scrollback history
tmux capture-pane -p > output.txt Save pane contents to file

Notes:

Useful for saving terminal output or debugging

tmux send-keys

Advanced

Send keystrokes to a pane

Syntax:

tmux send-keys [-t target] keys

Examples:

tmux send-keys -t 1 'ls -la' Enter Send command to pane 1
tmux send-keys 'echo hello' C-m Send command with Enter key
tmux send-keys -t mysession:1.0 'top' Enter Send to specific session:window.pane

Notes:

Useful for automation and sending commands to background sessions

tmux pipe-pane

Advanced

Pipe pane output to a command or file

Syntax:

tmux pipe-pane [-o] [-t target] command

Examples:

tmux pipe-pane -o 'cat >> ~/session.log' Log all output to file
tmux pipe-pane Stop piping (toggle off)
tmux pipe-pane -t 1 'grep ERROR' Filter pane 1 output for errors

Notes:

Use -o flag to only capture visible output, not scrollback

tmux join-pane

Advanced

Move a pane from one window to another

Syntax:

tmux join-pane [-s src-pane] [-t dst-window]

Examples:

tmux join-pane -s 1 -t 0 Move pane 1 to window 0
tmux join-pane -h -s 1 Join pane 1 horizontally to current window
tmux join-pane -v -s mysession:1.0 Join specific pane vertically

Notes:

Use -h for horizontal join, -v for vertical join

Prefix + !

Advanced

Break current pane into a new window

Syntax:

Ctrl-b ! (default prefix)

Examples:

Ctrl-b ! Move current pane to new window
tmux break-pane Break pane from command line
tmux break-pane -t 1 Break specific pane to new window

Notes:

Useful for promoting a pane to its own window

tmux has-session

Scripting

Check if a session exists

Syntax:

tmux has-session [-t session-name]

Examples:

tmux has-session -t mysession Check if 'mysession' exists
tmux has-session -t mysession && echo 'exists' || echo 'not found' Conditional check in script

Notes:

Returns exit code 0 if session exists, 1 if not - useful in scripts

tmux run-shell

Scripting

Run shell command in background

Syntax:

tmux run-shell [-d] command

Examples:

tmux run-shell 'echo hello' Run command and show output in tmux
tmux run-shell -d 'sleep 5 && tmux display-message "Done"' Run command in background

Notes:

Useful for running commands from within tmux configuration

tmux display-message

Scripting

Display a message in the status line

Syntax:

tmux display-message [-p] [message]

Examples:

tmux display-message 'Hello World' Show message in status line
tmux display-message -p '#{session_name}' Print current session name
tmux display-message 'Current time: %H:%M' Show formatted time

Notes:

Use -p flag to print to stdout instead of status line

Pro Tmux Tips

Essential Workflow

  1. tmux new -s work - Start a named session
  2. Ctrl-b c - Create new window
  3. Ctrl-b % - Split pane horizontally
  4. Ctrl-b " - Split pane vertically
  5. Ctrl-b d - Detach from session
  6. tmux attach -t work - Reattach to session

Best Practices

  • Use named sessions for different projects
  • Create a custom ~/.tmux.conf file
  • Learn the default prefix key (Ctrl-b)
  • Use tmux ls to see active sessions
  • Enable mouse mode for easier pane resizing
  • Use copy mode to scroll and select text

Quick Configuration

Add these to your ~/.tmux.conf for a better experience:

# Enable mouse support
set -g mouse on
# Start windows and panes at 1, not 0
set -g base-index 1
set -g pane-base-index 1
# Reload config with Prefix + r
bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"

📚 What is Tmux?

Tmux (Terminal Multiplexer) is a powerful terminal session manager that allows you to create, manage, and navigate multiple terminal sessions from a single window. Originally created in 2007 as a successor to GNU Screen, Tmux has become the gold standard for terminal multiplexing, enabling developers and system administrators to work more efficiently with multiple terminal sessions simultaneously.

🚀 Key Features

  • ✓ Session persistence: Sessions survive disconnections and system reboots
  • ✓ Window management: Multiple windows within a single session
  • ✓ Pane splitting: Divide windows into multiple panes for parallel work
  • ✓ Remote accessibility: Attach/detach from sessions over SSH
  • ✓ Customizable: Extensive configuration options and key bindings
  • ✓ Copy & paste: Built-in buffer management for text copying

💡 Why Use Tmux?

  • • Productivity boost: Work on multiple tasks simultaneously
  • • Session recovery: Never lose your work due to disconnections
  • • Remote work: Perfect for long-running processes on servers
  • • Organization: Keep different projects in separate sessions
  • • Collaboration: Share sessions with team members
  • • Efficiency: Reduce context switching between terminal windows

🎯 Common Use Cases

Software Development

Run code editor, build processes, tests, and debugging tools simultaneously in organized panes

Server Administration

Monitor logs, run maintenance scripts, and manage multiple servers without losing SSH connections

DevOps & Automation

Run CI/CD pipelines, monitor deployments, and manage infrastructure from a single session

🏗️ Tmux Architecture

📱 Sessions

Top-level containers that persist across disconnections. Each session can have multiple windows.

🪟 Windows

Like tabs in a browser, each window represents a different workspace within a session.

📐 Panes

Split a window into multiple sections to run different commands side by side.

Session → Windows → Panes

🚀 Getting Started with Tmux

1. Installation

sudo apt install tmux (Ubuntu/Debian) • brew install tmux (macOS) • yum install tmux (CentOS/RHEL)

2. First Session

tmux new -s mysession • Use Ctrl-b as the prefix key • Ctrl-b d to detach

3. Essential Commands

tmux ls (list sessions) • tmux attach -t mysession (reattach) • Ctrl-b % (split horizontally)

⚡ Tmux vs Alternatives

Tmux Advantages

  • • Modern and actively maintained
  • • Better pane management
  • • More intuitive configuration
  • • Superior mouse support
  • • Built-in status bar customization

vs GNU Screen

  • • Tmux: More features and better UX
  • • Screen: Older, more universal
  • • Tmux: Better for new users
  • • Screen: Legacy system compatibility

Pro Tip: Start with basic session management, then gradually explore panes and windows. Tmux transforms how you work with terminals—once you master it, you'll never want to go back to single-session terminal usage! 🎯