Advanced Features
Unlock tmux's full potential with advanced workflows, integrations, and automation — building on the basics from the configuration guide.
Verified Jun 2026 for tmux 3.6b
15 min read
advanced
Mouse mode
Enable comprehensive mouse support with set -g mouse on:
- Click to select panes
- Drag borders to resize
- Click window names to switch
- Scroll wheel in panes
- Text selection with auto-copy
Hold Shift (Linux/Windows) or Option (macOS) to bypass mouse mode for traditional terminal copy-paste.
Pane synchronization
Type in every pane at once — perfect for managing multiple servers (see the DevOps workflows).
bash
# Enable synchronization
Ctrl+b :setw synchronize-panes on
# Disable
Ctrl+b :setw synchronize-panes off
# Toggle binding (add to .tmux.conf)
bind S setw synchronize-panesGreat for running identical commands across multiple SSH sessions at the same time.
Pair programming & session sharing
Collaborate in real time within the same tmux session.
Basic session sharing
bash
# User A creates session
tmux new-session -s shared
# User B attaches (sees identical view)
tmux attach-session -t shared
# Both users share the cursor and see the same contentGrouped sessions (independent windows)
bash
# User A creates session
tmux new-session -s alice
# User B joins the same group
tmux new-session -s bob -t alice
# Both can switch windows independently while sharing window contentRead-only access
bash
# Observer mode (cannot type)
tmux attach-session -t shared -r
# Perfect for live coding demos or debugging sessions