Configuration Reference

Master Your tmux Configuration

The ~/.tmux.conf file is the brain of your terminal environment. It controls everything from your prefix key and mouse behaviour to status bar content, pane colours, and copy-mode keybindings. This page documents every key option, provides an interactive generator, and includes ready-to-copy snippets for the most popular configurations.

Config Generator Option Reference

Config File Location & Reloading

Where tmux looks for its configuration file and how to apply changes without restarting.

📁 File Locations

tmux looks for configuration in these locations, in order:

~/.tmux.conf — user config (most common)
$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/tmux/tmux.conf — XDG path
~/.config/tmux/tmux.conf — XDG fallback
/etc/tmux.conf — system-wide config

🔄 Reload Without Restarting

After editing your config, reload it inside tmux without losing sessions:

bash / tmux command mode

# From outside tmux

$ tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf

# From inside tmux (command mode)

$ Ctrl+b : source-file ~/.tmux.conf

# Bind reload to Ctrl+b r (add to .tmux.conf)

bind r source-file ~/.tmux.conf \; display "Config reloaded!"

Interactive .tmux.conf Generator

Tweak the controls and get a live, syntax-highlighted .tmux.conf preview. Copy or download your config in one click.

⚙ Options

Prefix Key

Enable Mouse Mode

Vi Keys in Copy Mode

Status Bar Position

Status Interval: 5s

History Limit: 10,000

Base Index

Pane Border Style

Theme (via TPM)

~/.tmux.conf

Complete Option Reference

Every commonly used set-option and set-window-option documented with type, default, and description.

Option	Command	Default	Description
`prefix`	`set -g prefix C-b`	C-b	The key combination used to send commands to tmux.
`mouse`	`set -g mouse on`	off	Enable mouse support: click to select panes/windows, scroll, resize panes.
`base-index`	`set -g base-index 1`	0	Starting index for window numbers. 1 is more ergonomic for keyboard switching.
`pane-base-index`	`setw -g pane-base-index 1`	0	Starting index for pane numbers within windows.
`history-limit`	`set -g history-limit 50000`	2000	Number of lines to keep in scrollback buffer per pane.
`status`	`set -g status on`	on	Show or hide the status bar.
`status-position`	`set -g status-position top`	bottom	Position of the status bar (top or bottom).
`status-interval`	`set -g status-interval 5`	15	How often (seconds) to refresh the status bar.
`status-left`	`set -g status-left " #S "`	varies	Content displayed on the left side of the status bar. Supports format variables.
`status-right`	`set -g status-right " %H:%M %d-%b "`	varies	Content displayed on the right side of the status bar.
`status-style`	`set -g status-style "bg=#1e1e2e,fg=#cdd6f4"`	varies	Colour and attributes of the status bar background.
`window-status-format`	`setw -g window-status-format " #I:#W "`	varies	Format string for inactive window entries in the status bar.
`window-status-current-format`	`setw -g window-status-current-format " #I:#W* "`	varies	Format string for the active window entry in the status bar.
`pane-border-style`	`set -g pane-border-style "fg=#3b4261"`	default	Visual style of inactive pane borders.
`pane-active-border-style`	`set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#7aa2f7"`	default	Visual style of the active (focused) pane border.
`message-style`	`set -g message-style "bg=#f38ba8,fg=#1e1e2e"`	default	Style of command-mode and message prompts.
`mode-keys`	`setw -g mode-keys vi`	emacs	Key mode for copy mode and command mode (emacs or vi).
`escape-time`	`set -sg escape-time 0`	500	Time (ms) tmux waits after Escape to determine if it is part of a key sequence. Set to 0 for neovim.
`default-terminal`	`set -g default-terminal "tmux-256color"`	screen	The TERM value set inside tmux. Use tmux-256color for true-color support.
`terminal-overrides`	`set -ga terminal-overrides ",256col:Tc"`	—	Override terminal capabilities. Add Tc for true-color in terminals that support it.
`renumber-windows`	`set -g renumber-windows on`	off	Automatically renumber windows when one is closed, keeping numbers sequential.
`aggressive-resize`	`setw -g aggressive-resize on`	off	Resize window to the smallest attached client only when viewing that window.

Popular Config Snippets

Ready-to-copy blocks for the most common configuration patterns.

🏠 Sensible Defaults

.tmux.conf

set -g mouse on

set -g history-limit 50000

set -g base-index 1

setw -g pane-base-index 1

set -g renumber-windows on

set -sg escape-time 0

set -g default-terminal "tmux-256color"

set -ga terminal-overrides ",*256col*:Tc"

⌨️ Change Prefix to Ctrl+a

.tmux.conf

# Change prefix to Ctrl+a

unbind C-b

set -g prefix C-a

bind C-a send-prefix

🖱️ Enable Mouse Mode

.tmux.conf

# Click to select panes and windows

set -g mouse on

📋 Vi Copy Mode

.tmux.conf

# Vi-style navigation in copy mode

set-window-option -g mode-keys vi

bind-key -T copy-mode-vi v send-keys -X begin-selection

bind-key -T copy-mode-vi y send-keys -X copy-selection-and-cancel

🔀 Pane Navigation (Alt+Arrow)

.tmux.conf

# Switch panes with Alt+arrow (no prefix needed)

bind -n M-Left select-pane -L

bind -n M-Right select-pane -R

bind -n M-Up select-pane -U

bind -n M-Down select-pane -D

💾 Resurrect + Continuum

.tmux.conf

# Session persistence across reboots

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-resurrect'

set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-continuum'

set -g @continuum-restore 'on'

🧛 Dracula Theme

.tmux.conf

set -g @plugin 'dracula/tmux'

set -g @dracula-show-powerline true

set -g @dracula-plugins "cpu-usage ram-usage time"

❄️ Nord Theme

.tmux.conf

set -g @plugin 'arcticicestudio/nord-tmux'