Ctrl+Alt+F3

Updated: 05/01/2023 by Computer Hope
Ctrl+Alt+F3 keyboard shortcut

Ctrl+Alt+F3 or Alt+Ctrl+F3 is a keyboard shortcut most commonly used to switch between open console windows in Linux. Below are other programs that use this keyboard shortcut and related information.

How to use the Ctrl+Alt+F3 keyboard shortcut

To use this keyboard shortcut, press and hold either Ctrl and Alt key, and while continuing to hold, press the F3 key.

Note

If you're using a laptop or keyboard with an fn key, you may need to press the fn key first or press Ctrl+Alt+Fn+F3 for this keyboard shortcut to work.

Ctrl+Alt+F3 in Linux

In some variants of Linux, pressing Ctrl+Alt+F3 switches to the fourth/third open console window (virtual terminal).

Note

With recent versions of Linux, the GUI (graphical user interface) is loaded as the first virtual terminal instead of the seventh one.

Tip

Using Alt+← and Alt+→ is an easier method of navigating between virtual terminals.

Below are links to related keyboard shortcuts and individual key pages.

Keyboard shortcut, Keyboard terms