---
title: Open a file in a new tab
slug: new-tab
summary: Use Cmd/Ctrl+T to choose a recent file or open a file without disturbing your other tabs.
---

# Open a file in a new tab

Press **Cmd+T** on Mac or **Ctrl+T** on Windows and Linux. A **New Tab** opens with an **Open…** button and your **Recent** documents, if that list is turned on. On Mac and Linux, **File > New Tab** does the same. The command palette also offers **New Tab**.

1. Choose **Open…**, or press **Cmd/Ctrl+O**, to pick a Markdown file. You can also press **Tab** to reach a recent file and **Enter** or **Space** to open it.
2. The file takes the New Tab's place. If it is already open, Sashmark switches to its existing tab and closes the New Tab. Choosing several files fills the New Tab with the first file; the others open in ordinary tabs.
3. To dismiss the screen, press **Escape**, use the tab's **×**, or press **Cmd/Ctrl+W**. Your other tabs and unsaved edits stay as they were. Cancelling the file picker keeps the New Tab. If a recent file is gone or cannot be read, the screen stays open with an error so you can choose another file.

Separate presses can open several New Tabs. **Shift+Cmd+T** or **Ctrl+Shift+T** still reopens a closed file tab. New Tab is unavailable while a dialog, close decision or quit decision is in progress.

A New Tab has no file to save, show in its folder, mark as seen or compare in Changes View. You can still switch tabs with **Cmd/Ctrl+1–9** and **Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+[** or **]**. Escape in a command palette or tab menu dismisses that popup first.

A New Tab belongs to the window it is in, and no other window sees it. If you choose a file that another window already has, Sashmark brings that window forward with the file, and this New Tab stays open. New Tabs last only for the current run; they do not return after quitting. Sashmark remembers every file tab while a New Tab is active. The last selected file returns as the active tab; if you closed it, another surviving file takes its place. New Tab does not create a file or turn on Recent documents. See [Tabs](tabs.md#recent-documents) for the optional recent list.