How to Switch Between tmux Sessions and Windows on iPhone

The problem

tmux is the standard way to keep work alive on a server: build jobs, logs, an editor, an AI agent. But its shortcuts start with a prefix (Ctrl-b) followed by another key, and on a phone that is a clumsy two-step: the on-screen Ctrl, then a letter, then a number. Getting to “window 3 in session deploy” takes several fumbles, and you can’t easily see what’s running.

What the switcher does

• Lists every session and window on the server, using the session’s own ordering. Each row shows whether it’s attached and which window is active.
• Tap a window to switch to it. Because tmux works as client and server, moving the active window from any connection changes what your attached phone is viewing.
• Swipe with two fingers across the terminal to change windows.
• Attach a session that isn’t attached to a client yet.
• If tmux isn’t running, you get a plain empty state telling you to start it.

How to use it

1. On the server, start your work in tmux (tmux new -s deploy).
2. From the phone, open the terminal for that server and attach to the session.
3. Open the tmux switcher to see sessions and windows.
4. Tap the one you want.

Why it pairs well with reconnect

SSH drops on mobile. A tmux session keeps running on the server regardless. After the connection comes back (see stay connected), the switcher helps you jump straight back to the session you were in.

Tips

• Name your sessions and windows so the list is readable on a small screen.
• Run one session per project, with windows for logs, shell and editor.
• Don’t expect it to start tmux for you. It controls an existing tmux server.

FAQ

Do I need to configure anything? No. You need tmux running on the server. ServerPanel lists sessions and windows by running tmux commands over SSH.

What if there are no sessions? You’ll see an empty state. Start tmux on the server (run tmux) and pull to refresh.

Is it free? The tmux switcher is not behind the Premium paywall.