disable COMMAND+TAB app switcher in 10.15

Question

The other questions asking the same thing are from many years ago and for different versions of MacOS.

Is it possible to completely disable the COMMAND+TAB shortcut for the app switcher? I want to remove/disable the app switcher entirely.

Answer 1

According to Apple: "[...] you cannot define keyboard shortcuts for general purpose tasks such as opening an app or switching between apps."

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-global-keyboard-shortcuts-mchlp2262/mac

But maybe you can share your specific needs so we may find a solution.

Answer 2

I was able to force command-tab as a tab switcher only in some applications with Karabiner-Elements feature 'complex modifications'.

You would need a browser that you can customize the tab cycler shortcut and set it to option+tab then map your command-tab to option-tab in applications you need. (I guess you can disable the switcher entirely based on the conditions you have set)

{
    "description":"Use ctrl+tab as tab switcher in vscode and vivaldi",
    "manipulators":[
        {
            "conditions":[
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers":[
                        "^com.vivaldi.Vivaldi",
                        "^com.microsoft.VSCode"
                    ],
                    "type":"frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "from":{
                "key_code":"tab",
                "modifiers":{
                    "optional":[
                        "control"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to":[
                {
                    "key_code":"tab",
                    "modifiers":[
                        "option"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type":"basic"
        },
        {
            "conditions":[
                {
                    "bundle_identifiers":[
                        "^com.vivaldi.Vivaldi",
                        "^com.microsoft.VSCode"
                    ],
                    "type":"frontmost_application_if"
                }
            ],
            "from":{
                "key_code":"tab",
                "modifiers":{
                    "optional":[
                        "control",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            },
            "to":[
                {
                    "key_code":"tab",
                    "modifiers":[
                        "option",
                        "shift"
                    ]
                }
            ],
            "type":"basic"
        }
    ]
},