Which tmux Key Bindings Does tmuxcheatsheet.com List for Windows and Panes?

The cheat sheet groups window and pane control under two short sections, and nearly every action starts with the prefix Ctrl+b. For windows, the listed bindings are c (create), , (rename), & (close), w (list), p/n (previous/next), 0–9 (select by number), l (toggle last active), and < (open the window actions menu). For panes, the listed bindings are % (split into a horizontal layout with a vertical divider), " (split into a vertical layout with a horizontal divider), and ; (toggle the last active pane). All of these assume you are already inside a tmux session and that the default prefix has not been changed.

Window bindings on the cheat sheet

A few related window operations are shown only as command-mode examples rather than key bindings: : swap-window -s 2 -t 1 swaps windows 2 and 1, : swap-window -t -1 moves the current window one position left, : move-window -s src_ses:win -t target_ses:win (or the movew short form) moves a window between sessions, and : move-window -r renumbers windows to close gaps in the sequence.

Pane bindings on the cheat sheet

The pane section also lists : join-pane -s 2 -t 1 as a command-mode example for joining two windows as panes (merging windows). The excerpt cuts off there, so treat the pane list above as what the page shows in the captured section, not necessarily the full pane reference.

How to use these bindings in practice

1. Start or attach to a session. From a normal shell, run tmux new -s mysession (the cheat sheet also lists tmux new, tmux new-session, and tmux new-session -A -s mysession, where -A attaches if the named session already exists). To rejoin later, use tmux a -t mysession or tmux attach -t mysession.
2. Press the prefix, then the key. Hold Ctrl and press b, release both, then press the action key — for example Ctrl+b c to create a window or Ctrl+b % to split the pane.
3. Verify the result. After Ctrl+b c, a new window appears in the status bar and becomes active. After Ctrl+b % or Ctrl+b ", the current pane divides and the cursor moves into the new pane. Ctrl+b w shows the window list, which confirms window names and numbering.
4. Switch context. Use Ctrl+b n/p or a number key to change windows, and Ctrl+b ; to jump back to the pane you were last in.

Common snags: the prefix must be pressed and released before the action key, not held together with it; % and " are layout directions, so % produces a side-by-side split while " stacks panes; and Ctrl+b & asks for confirmation before closing a window, so a single press will not silently destroy it.

Related session-level keys worth knowing alongside these

The same cheat sheet lists Ctrl+b d (detach), Ctrl+b $ (rename session), Ctrl+b s (show all sessions), Ctrl+b w (session and window preview), and Ctrl+b ( / ) (previous/next session). These matter because window and pane work happens inside a session — if you detach with Ctrl+b d, your windows and panes keep running, and tmux a -t mysession brings them back.