In Mac OS X, Exposé is a tool for managing open windows (especially large numbers of windows), allowing the user to quickly see all open windows (or specific sets) without the need to click through many windows to find a specific target.
Exposé has three different modes using different criteria to organize the windows:
- First, Exposé can show all open and unhidden windows, shrinking their appearance so they all fit on a single screen. Using the default Mac OS X preferences, this can be activated using the F9 key on most systems.
- Second, Exposé can show all open and unhidden windows for the currently-active application. Again, the windows shrink to appear on the screen together, but generally they shrink less because there are fewer windows in a single application compared to the system as a whole. (See screenshot, left.) In the default preferences, this can be activated using the F10 key.
- Third, Exposé can move all windows off the screen, giving the user clear access to the Desktop. In the default preferences, this can be activated using the F11 key.
In the first two cases, after Exposé is activated, the user can select any window by clicking on it. Exposé then deactivates, leaving the selected window in the foreground.
Exposé was introduced with Mac OS X 10.3 ("Panther") in October 2003. Since then, several Microsoft Windows and Linux applications have duplicated its functionality, including WinPLOSION (originally called WinExposé) and Expocity.
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