tmux Cheat Sheet: All Key Bindings & Commands

# Create a new session with a name
tmux new -s my-project

# Create a new session and start in a specific directory
tmux new -s work -c ~/projects

# List all active sessions
tmux ls

# Attach to an existing session by name
tmux attach -t my-project

# Attach to the most recently used session
tmux attach

# Kill a specific session
tmux kill-session -t my-project

# Kill all sessions and the tmux server
tmux kill-server

# Detach from the current session (returns to shell)
prefix + d

# List all sessions and switch interactively
prefix + s

# Rename the current session
prefix + $

# Navigate between sessions
prefix + (    # Previous session
prefix + )    # Next session

# Create a new window
prefix + c

# Navigate between windows
prefix + n    # Next window
prefix + p    # Previous window
prefix + 0-9  # Jump to window by number

# List all windows and select interactively
prefix + w

# Rename the current window
prefix + ,

# Close the current window (with confirmation)
prefix + &

# Split panes
prefix + %    # Vertical split (left/right)
prefix + "    # Horizontal split (top/bottom)

# Navigate between panes
prefix + arrow key    # Move in direction of arrow
prefix + o            # Cycle to the next pane

# Resize panes
prefix + Ctrl+arrow   # Resize in direction of arrow

# Zoom and layout
prefix + z            # Toggle zoom (fullscreen current pane)
prefix + Space        # Cycle through pane layouts

# Manage panes
prefix + x            # Close current pane (with confirmation)
prefix + !            # Break pane into its own window

# Enter copy mode
prefix + [

# Navigation in copy mode (vi mode)
h, j, k, l    # Move cursor
Ctrl+u         # Page up
Ctrl+d         # Page down
g              # Go to top
G              # Go to bottom

# Selection and copying (vi mode)
Space          # Start selection
Enter          # Copy selection and exit copy mode
Escape         # Clear selection

# Search in copy mode
/              # Search forward
?              # Search backward
n              # Next search match
N              # Previous search match

# Paste
prefix + ]     # Paste most recent buffer

# Exit copy mode
q

# Split panes from the command line
tmux split-window -h      # Vertical split
tmux split-window -v      # Horizontal split

# Select a specific pane
tmux select-pane -t 0     # Select pane 0
tmux select-pane -t 1     # Select pane 1

# Resize panes
tmux resize-pane -D 5     # Resize down by 5 cells
tmux resize-pane -U 5     # Resize up by 5 cells
tmux resize-pane -L 10    # Resize left by 10 cells
tmux resize-pane -R 10    # Resize right by 10 cells

# List all current key bindings
tmux list-keys

# Send keys to a specific pane (useful for scripting)
tmux send-keys -t 0 "ls -la" Enter

# Change prefix from Ctrl+b to Ctrl+a
unbind C-b
set -g prefix C-a
bind C-a send-prefix

# Enable mouse support (scrolling, pane selection, resizing)
set -g mouse on

# Use vi-style key bindings in copy mode
setw -g mode-keys vi

# Start window numbering from 1 instead of 0
set -g base-index 1
setw -g pane-base-index 1

# Reduce escape time delay (useful for vim users)
set -sg escape-time 10