To switch between open Chrome windows on a Mac, press Command + grave accent (`). On many Windows-style keyboards, the Command key is the Windows logo key, and the grave accent is printed on the key above Tab. Press the shortcut again to cycle through Chrome’s other open windows. It switches windows, not tabs; the key’s physical position and the active keyboard layout can affect which keypress produces the grave accent.

The shortcut: Command + grave accent

First make sure Chrome is the active app and that at least two Chrome windows are open. Hold the key that macOS recognizes as Command, press the grave accent key, and release. Repeat the combination to cycle through the open windows in Chrome. Apple’s Mac User Guide identifies Command plus grave accent as the shortcut for cycling through all windows in the current app. Apple: See all your open windows on Mac

A simple example: if one Chrome window contains research tabs and another contains a document, press the shortcut once to move between those windows. The tabs stay inside their respective windows. If Chrome is not active, use Command + Tab to switch to Chrome first, then use Command + grave accent to cycle its windows. Apple documents Command + Tab as the app-switching shortcut; the grave-accent shortcut does the separate job of moving among windows within the active app. Apple: Keyboard shortcuts on your Mac

Which key is Command on a PC keyboard?

On a typical Windows keyboard connected to a Mac, start by trying the Windows logo key as Command. Apple explains that Windows keyboards have modifier keys that correspond to Mac keys, while also noting that the exact mapping depends on the keyboard and its settings. The Windows logo key is often positioned where Command is expected on a Mac keyboard, but its printed label can make the mapping unclear. Apple: Windows keys on a Mac

If the Windows logo key does not behave as Command, check how macOS has assigned modifier keys for that keyboard. Open Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Modifier Keys. Choose the connected keyboard if a keyboard selector appears, then inspect the menu for each modifier. You can assign a physical key to Command or restore defaults there. Apple notes that the setting can be changed per modifier, so avoid changing several keys at once unless you intend to remap them. Apple: Change the behavior of the modifier keys on Mac

This mapping is the common source of confusion: the Windows key on a PC keyboard may serve as Command on a Mac, while the physical Control key remains Control. Don’t assume that the shortcut should use Control simply because many Windows keyboard shortcuts use Ctrl. For this macOS window-switching command, use whichever physical key is currently mapped to Command.

Finding the grave accent on your keyboard

The grave accent is the character `, not the apostrophe '. On a US English PC keyboard, it is usually on the same key as tilde (~), above Tab and to the left of the number 1. Hold the key without Shift to enter the grave accent; Shift typically produces tilde instead. The printed key location is a useful starting point, but it does not guarantee that macOS will interpret that keypress as grave accent under every input source.

Keyboard layouts vary. A keyboard using a non-US layout may place the grave accent somewhere else, require a different key combination to type it, or use the same physical key for another character. The shortcut depends on the character macOS receives, so if the US-keyboard position does nothing, check the input source in the menu bar and the selected layout in System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input. The Apple shortcut reference describes the command in terms of the grave-accent character; it does not promise the same physical key position on every layout.

Fixes when the shortcut does not switch windows

Work through these checks in order. They distinguish a wrong key mapping from a wrong task or a shortcut conflict.

  1. Confirm there are separate Chrome windows. Two tabs in one window are not two windows. Create a test window with Command + N, then return to the original window. Pressing Command + grave accent should now move between the two. Google lists Command + N for opening a new Chrome window on Mac. Google Chrome Help: Chrome keyboard shortcuts

  2. Confirm Chrome is active. Press Command + Tab and select Chrome, then try the window shortcut again. Command + Tab changes apps; it does not cycle between windows in Chrome.

  3. Try the Windows logo key in place of Command. Keep the grave-accent key the same. If that works, the key mapping was the issue. If it does not, inspect the modifier-key settings and confirm the keyboard is connected and recognized.

  4. Check the keyboard layout and key output. Look at the active input source and test where that layout places the grave accent. A key’s printed symbol and the character macOS receives can differ when the selected layout does not match the physical keyboard.

  5. Check for a shortcut conflict. In System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts, review the keyboard shortcut categories for a conflicting assignment. Apple says shortcuts can be changed in these settings; if you find a conflict, change or disable it deliberately and try cycling windows again. Apple: Keyboard shortcuts on your Mac

  6. Try the command from Chrome’s Window menu. When Chrome is active, inspect its menu bar for a Window option and look for a command to cycle windows. Menu labels and available items may vary by app version. macOS apps can provide window commands in their menus; checking the menu can help identify whether the issue is specific to the key combination.

If the shortcut moves focus but appears to land on the same content, check whether you are cycling between windows or between tabs. Google’s Mac shortcuts for moving through Chrome tabs use Command + Option + Right Arrow and Command + Option + Left Arrow; those do not switch Chrome windows. Google separately lists Command + N for a new window and Command + W for closing the current tab or window. Google Chrome Help: Chrome keyboard shortcuts

When you want a specific window or tab

The grave-accent shortcut cycles through windows; it is most useful when you have a small number of windows and can recognize each one as it appears. For a larger set, Apple’s Mission Control provides an overview of open windows so you can choose the one you need. You can also open Chrome’s Window menu and select a listed window if Chrome provides the title there. Apple describes Mission Control as a way to see and find open windows. Apple: Move and arrange app windows on Mac

If the window is correct but the page is not, use Chrome’s tab shortcuts instead: Command + Option + Right Arrow for the next tab, Command + Option + Left Arrow for the previous tab, and Command + 1 through Command + 8 to go to a numbered tab. These are Chrome’s Mac shortcuts, and they operate within a window. Google Chrome Help: Chrome keyboard shortcuts

A quick way to remember the difference

Think Command + Tab = another app, Command + grave accent = another window in the current app, and Chrome’s Command + Option + arrow keys = another tab. On a typical non-Apple keyboard connected to a Mac, try the Windows logo key for Command, then use the grave-accent key. If it fails, verify the modifier mapping and input layout before changing other shortcuts.

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