The problem
You minimize a window. You Command+Tab back — and nothing happens. The app activates, but the minimized window stays buried in the Dock. You reach for the mouse just to bring it to the front.
Close the last window and it gets worse: Command+Tab selects the app, but no window appears. The native workaround? Hold Option during Command+Tab — one window at a time. Most people never discover it.
Why Command Reopen
- 01
No permissions
No Accessibility, no Screen Recording — zero extra privileges. Other switchers need broad system access. This one needs none.
- 02
Enhances, doesn't replace
The native Command+Tab switcher stays exactly as-is. No new UI, no muscle memory to rebuild. It just works the way you expected.
- 03
Reopens closed windows too
Not just minimized — when an app has no window at all, Command+Tab brings one back automatically. No other tool does this.
FAQ
Why does Command+Tab not restore minimized windows on Mac? +
macOS treats minimized windows as intentionally set aside. Command+Tab switches the active application but does not bring a minimized window back to the front by default — so it can feel like nothing happens. The only built-in workaround is Command+Tab, hold Option, then release Command, which restores one window at a time. Command Reopen restores minimized (and closed) windows automatically when you switch with Command+Tab.
Is there a keyboard shortcut to un-minimize a window on Mac? +
The native workaround is Command+Tab to the app, hold Option, then release Command to restore a minimized window. It only handles one window at a time and is easy to forget. Command Reopen removes the need for that sequence by restoring windows whenever you Command+Tab to an app.
What's the difference between Hide (Cmd+H) and Minimize (Cmd+M)? +
Hide removes all windows from view but keeps the app active in a way that Command+Tab can bring back. Minimize sends a window to the Dock; Command+Tab alone often activates the app without bringing that window back. Command Reopen fixes the minimized-window case so Command+Tab behaves the way many people expect.
Does Command Reopen need Accessibility or Screen Recording permissions? +
No. Command Reopen does not require Accessibility, Screen Recording, or any other extra permissions. That is different from many app switcher replacements that need broad system access.