Make tmux modal

Posted on January 1, 2020 (↻ August 2, 2021).

Unset prefix.
Enter prefix mode (yellow) with Control + Space.
Exit mode (green) with Escape.

~/.tmux.conf

set-option -g prefix None
bind-key -n C-Space set-option key-table prefix
bind-key Escape set-option key-table root

You might want to display the current mode with a different color in the status line.

~/.tmux.conf

set-option -g status-style 'fg=black,bg=#{?#{==:#{client_key_table},root},green,yellow}'
set-option -g status-left '[#{session_name}] #{?#{!=:#{client_key_table},root},[#{client_key_table}] ,}'
set-option -g status-left-length 0

Note: Only display active modes in the status line.

Quirks

Restore root table on detach.

~/.tmux.conf

set-hook -g client-detached[0] 'set-option key-table root'

Restore root table in tree mode.

~/.tmux.conf

bind-key s {
  choose-tree -Z -s
  set-option key-table root
}

Discussion: reddit • tmux • Make tmux modal