Command+Tab doesn't switch between full-screen apps

Question

If I put iCal.app or Mail.app or iPhoto.app in full-screen mode, I'm unable to access those apps via Command+Tab from my main desktop interface. This seems like an oversight.

What's also puzzling is that if I manually switch to one of the full-screen apps (via clicking on its dock icon) and then use Command+Tab, I'm able to switch between that full-screen app and any other full-screen apps via Command+Tab, but as soon as I switch to a non-full-screen app, then I'm unable to return to a full-screen app via Command+Tab.

Is there a preference setting I'm missing?

Answer 1

Yes - Go to System Preferences / Mission Control and tick "When switching to an application ..."

Answer 2

Update for 2024:

Problem:

Having two monitors, each with an arbitrary number of apps open and at least one in fullscreen mode, switching from "App 1 in Monitor A" to "App 2 in Monitor B" with cmd + tab does not bring to "the front" and positions the cursor of keyboard in "App 2 in Monitor B".

Solution:

Kill the "Dock" from the Activity monitor

System settings: Chip: Apple M1 Max Memory: 32GB macOS: Sonoma 14.5

Answer 3

In Ventura I fixed this by opening System Setting, then… go to Desktop & Dock (in the sidebar) > Near the bottom is Mission Control. Here's the screenshot… I believe the second item is the important one to fix this.