# Tab shortcuts confusion

**URL:** <https://forum.obsidian.md/t/tab-shortcuts-confusion/108129>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** keyboard-shortcut\
**Created:** [November 18, 2025, 10:00am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/tab-shortcuts-confusion/108129 "2025-11-18T10:00:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dnsfng](https://forum.obsidian.md/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3e96dc/32.png) [@dnsfng](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/dnsfng)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 10:00am UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/tab-shortcuts-confusion/108129/1 "2025-11-18T10:00:19Z")

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### Steps to reproduce

1. Open at least 2 tabs in the central area
2. Press ⌘+2 (tab shortcut), then ⌘+1 to switch between the 2 open tabs
3. Click on the file explorer icon in the left sidebar
4. Press ⌘+2, then ⌘+1 : the interface is showing the search panel then the file explorer panel instead of switching between the 2 open tabs

### Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N]

Y

### Expected result

The tabs shortcuts should switch between the open file tabs in the central area only

### Actual result

The tab shortcuts (⌘ + number on macOS) works differently when you focus on a sidebar beforehand (for example the file explorer). The shortcuts then navigate through the sidebar panels (probably treated as tabs) instead of the open file tabs.

One needs to focus again in the central content area to be able to navigate through the tabs with the shortcuts.

### Environment

SYSTEM INFO:  
Obsidian version: v1.10.3  
Installer version: v1.9.10  
Operating system: Darwin Kernel Version 24.6.0: Wed Oct 15 21:12:21 PDT 2025; root:xnu-11417.140.69.703.14~1/RELEASE\_X86\_64 24.6.0  
Login status: not logged in  
Language: fr  
Insider build toggle: off  
Live preview: on  
Base theme: adapt to system  
Community theme: none  
Snippets enabled: 0  
Restricted mode: on

RECOMMENDATIONS:  
none

* * *

### Additional information

None

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WhiteNoise](https://forum.obsidian.md/user_avatar/forum.obsidian.md/whitenoise/32/11_2.png) [@WhiteNoise](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/WhiteNoise)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/tab-shortcuts-confusion/108129/2 "2025-11-18T16:29:51Z")

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This is not a bug, the tab switching happens withing the current tab group and you can have multiple tab groups and tab groups in the sidebars.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://forum.obsidian.md/uploads/default/original/3X/b/e/bec35fbd23ab28909bb6bfe62cb32eb82dd34019.png) [@system](https://forum.obsidian.md/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.obsidian.md/t/tab-shortcuts-confusion/108129/3 "2025-12-16T16:30:03Z")

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Closed on December 16, 2025, 4:30pm UTC

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