Quick Start

Get Open Sesame running in 30 seconds.

Installation (Pop!_OS 24.04+)

# Add repository
curl -fsSL https://scopecreep-zip.github.io/open-sesame/gpg.key | \
  sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/open-sesame.gpg

echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/open-sesame.gpg] \
  https://scopecreep-zip.github.io/open-sesame noble main" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/open-sesame.list

# Install
sudo apt update && sudo apt install open-sesame

# Setup keybinding
sesame --setup-keybinding

First Launch

Press Alt+Space (or your configured key) to see all windows with letter hints.

Type a letter to switch to that window instantly.

Quick Tips

Tap Alt+Space - Instantly switch to the previous window (MRU - Most Recently Used)
Hold Alt+Space - Show the full overlay with all windows
Type a letter - Jump directly to that window
Use arrow keys - Navigate through windows if you prefer
Press Escape - Cancel and return to the origin window

Next Steps

Learn about Basic Usage and keyboard shortcuts
Configure Key Bindings for your favorite apps
Read the full CLI Reference
Troubleshoot any issues in Troubleshooting

What Makes Open Sesame Different?

Unlike traditional Alt+Tab switchers, Open Sesame:

Shows ALL windows at once, not just sequential cycling
Assigns predictable letter hints based on app names
Allows instant switching with a single keystroke
Supports focus-or-launch: if an app isn’t running, it launches it
Works with both keyboard shortcuts (letters) and arrow navigation