Building WindowCycle: a focused current-app window switcher for macOS

WhiteMind — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:37:03 +0000

I built a small open-source macOS prototype called WindowCycle:

https://github.com/WhiteMinds/window-cycle

WindowCycle focuses on one workflow: switching between windows of the current frontmost app.

macOS already has a window-cycling shortcut, but I wanted something more explicit: a visible switcher panel, current-app-only behavior that is easy to reason about, and a flow that feels closer to an app switcher without becoming a full window manager.

The idea was inspired by the current-app window switching part of Contexts. I like that specific interaction, but for my own use I only needed this one piece rather than a full Contexts-style app/window switcher.

What it does today:

⌘ + ` cycles forward through windows of the current app
⌘ + Shift + ` cycles backward
holding Command shows a compact switcher panel
releasing Command activates the selected window
Escape closes the switcher
Up/Down can move the selection while the panel is visible

The app is intentionally lightweight and uses public macOS APIs first: Carbon hotkeys, AppKit/SwiftUI for the panel, Accessibility APIs for window enumeration/activation, and a CGEvent tap for consuming switcher navigation keys while active.

It is still an early prototype. The current DMG is self-signed/not notarized, and because it works with windows and keyboard events it needs Accessibility and sometimes Input Monitoring permissions.

DEV Community: WhiteMind

Building WindowCycle: a focused current-app window switcher for macOS