tmux Cheat Sheet

Quick Reference for Ctrl+B Commands

• Ctrl+B then ? – Show help menu of available key bindings.
• Ctrl+B then c – Create a new window.
• Ctrl+B then n – Move to the next window.
• Ctrl+B then p – Move to the previous window.
• Ctrl+B then " – List all windows in the current session.
• Ctrl+B then % – Split the current pane vertically.
• Ctrl+B then " – Split the current pane horizontally.
• Ctrl+B then x – Kill the current pane.
• Ctrl+B then d – Detach the session (leave it running in the background).
• Ctrl+B then : – Enter tmux command prompt.
• Ctrl+B then [ – Enter copy mode (use arrow keys or vim‑style keys to scroll).
• Ctrl+B then ] – Paste the most recent copy.
• Ctrl+B then : followed by set -g mouse on – Enable mouse support for resizing and selecting panes.

Common Operations & Features

   tmux new -s mysession

1. Start a new session

   tmux ls

1. List all sessions

   tmux attach -t mysession

1. Attach to a running session

1. Rename the current window

• Inside tmux: Ctrl+B then , (type new name and press Enter).
• Or from shell: tmux rename-window newname.

1. Kill a window or pane

• Window: Ctrl+B then & (confirm kill).
• Pane: Ctrl+B then x.

1. Resize panes (when mouse is enabled or using arrow keys)

• Ctrl+B then Alt+Arrow (or Ctrl+B : resize-pane -L 5 etc.).

1. Synchronize panes (send same input to all panes)

• Ctrl+B then : set-window-option synchronize-panes on
• To disable: replace on with off.

1. Switch between sessions quickly

• Ctrl+B then s – choose from a list of sessions.

1. Detach other clients (keep your session alive while disconnecting others)

• Ctrl+B then D.

    tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf

1. Reload configuration file

Tips for Efficient Use

  set -g mouse on
  bind-key -n C-a send-prefix

• Create a .tmux.conf in your home directory to customise key bindings and enable mouse support:
• Use session names that describe the work context (e.g., dev, prod, lab) for quick identification.
• Split panes to run multiple commands side‑by‑side without leaving tmux.
• Leverage copy mode (Ctrl+B [) to search within output using Ctrl+F or /pattern.
• Persist work across terminal disconnects by using tmux detach and later attach.

What to Check Next

• If a command isn’t working, verify that you’re inside a tmux session (echo $TERM should show screen or tmux).
• Ensure your .tmux.conf isn’t overriding any of the default key bindings you rely on.
• Check for any custom aliases or scripts that might interfere with tmux key sequences.