Switch windows by sight, not memory.
WindowPilot is a native macOS window navigator for switching individual windows—not just apps. Open a visual grid, browse every window by app, hold a shortcut to move through a carousel, or keep an optional sidebar at the edge of the screen.
Download the latest release · macOS 13+ · Free and open source
Cmd+Tab stops at the app level. Search-based tools can reach deeper, but only after you remember enough of a window title to type it.
WindowPilot takes a recognition-first approach: show the windows themselves, then let you choose the one you recognize.
| Mode | How to open it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Recent | Press Option+Space |
See frequently and recently used windows as screenshot cards. Click a card or use the keyboard to switch. |
| All Windows | Open the navigator and select All Windows | Browse an App → Windows tree, filter by app or title, inspect the larger preview, then press Enter. |
| Carousel | Hold Control+Option+Space |
Move through individual windows with the arrow keys and release the modifiers to switch. |
| Sidebar | Choose Show Sidebar from the menu bar icon | Keep a mouse-friendly strip of recent or pinned windows at the right edge of the screen. |
The main navigator is a non-activating AppKit panel, so the app you are working in remains active while you browse.
Download the signed and notarized DMG from GitHub Releases.
On first launch, grant Accessibility permission in:
System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
Accessibility is required to focus and raise windows. Screen Recording is optional and enables screenshot previews; WindowPilot still works with app icons and window titles when it is unavailable.
WindowPilot includes windowpilot-cli for scripts, terminals, launchers, and agent workflows. Install it from the menu bar icon with Install CLI Tool….
# List individual windows
windowpilot-cli list
# Search and switch to the first match
windowpilot-cli switch "project overview"
windowpilot-cli "terminal"
# Return matching windows as JSON
windowpilot-cli search "safari"
# Focus an exact window or capture its screenshot
windowpilot-cli focus --id 257
windowpilot-cli capture 257 screenshot.pngThe CLI requires Accessibility permission for switching. Its capture command also requires Screen Recording permission.
WindowPilot enumerates normal, minimized, off-Space, and full-screen windows. Normal-window switches are direct. Full-screen transitions are constrained by macOS and may include a visible native animation.
When leaving a full-screen window, WindowPilot may need to take that window out of full-screen before focusing the destination. This is an operating-system limitation rather than a hidden instant switch.
- Window metadata and screenshot previews are processed locally.
- Recent-window activity is session-only and is not persisted.
- Screenshot previews use a bounded in-memory cache.
- Optional Sidebar pins are stored locally in Application Support.
- Screen Recording is not required when visual previews are not needed.
Requirements: Swift 5.9+ and macOS 13 or later.
git clone https://github.com/ethannortharc/WindowPilot.git
cd WindowPilot
swift build
swift test
.build/debug/WindowPilotFor an optimized build:
swift build -c release| Layer | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| AppKit UI | Non-activating navigator, Recent grid, All Windows tree, carousel, sidebar, and preferences |
| Core Graphics | Fast window enumeration and optional screenshot capture |
| Accessibility APIs | Focus, raise, minimize, and close actions |
| WindowPilotCore | Search, ranking, pinning, caching, snapshots, and focus logic shared with the CLI |
| Sparkle | Signed in-app updates for release builds |
The Sources/Core target does not import AppKit, keeping the core logic independently testable.
Bug reports, focused pull requests, and feedback on the recognition-first interaction are welcome through GitHub Issues.
MIT © 2026 Ethan H.B. Zhou