diff --git a/cmd-select-layout.c b/cmd-select-layout.c
index c4b989c55..4a1f6bed2 100644
--- a/cmd-select-layout.c
+++ b/cmd-select-layout.c
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
-#include <ctype.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -30,14 +29,6 @@
 
 static enum cmd_retval	cmd_select_layout_exec(struct cmd *,
 			    struct cmdq_item *);
-static enum cmd_retval	cmd_select_layout_exec_multiple(struct cmdq_item *,
-			    const char *);
-
-struct cmd_select_layout_record {
-	struct window			*w;
-	char				*layout;
-	struct layout_prepared		*prepared;
-};
 
 const struct cmd_entry cmd_select_layout_entry = {
 	.name = "select-layout",
@@ -78,121 +69,6 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_previous_layout_entry = {
 	.exec = cmd_select_layout_exec
 };
 
-static void
-cmd_select_layout_free_records(struct cmd_select_layout_record *records,
-    u_int nrecords)
-{
-	u_int	i;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nrecords; i++) {
-		free(records[i].layout);
-		layout_free_prepared(records[i].prepared);
-	}
-	free(records);
-}
-
-/* Apply a list of @window-id:layout records. */
-static enum cmd_retval
-cmd_select_layout_exec_multiple(struct cmdq_item *item, const char *input)
-{
-	struct cmd_select_layout_record	*records = NULL;
-	struct window			*w;
-	const char			*ptr = input, *idstart, *idend;
-	const char			*layoutstart, *layoutend;
-	char				*id, *cause, *oldlayout;
-	u_int				 i, nrecords = 0;
-
-	for (;;) {
-		while (*ptr != '\0' && isspace((u_char)*ptr))
-			ptr++;
-		if (*ptr == '\0')
-			break;
-		if (*ptr != '@')
-			goto invalid;
-
-		idstart = ptr++;
-		if (!isdigit((u_char)*ptr))
-			goto invalid;
-		while (isdigit((u_char)*ptr))
-			ptr++;
-		idend = ptr;
-		while (*ptr != '\0' && isspace((u_char)*ptr))
-			ptr++;
-		if (*ptr++ != ':')
-			goto invalid;
-
-		id = xstrndup(idstart, idend - idstart);
-		w = window_find_by_id_str(id);
-		if (w == NULL) {
-			cmdq_error(item, "unknown window: %s", id);
-			free(id);
-			goto fail;
-		}
-		free(id);
-		for (i = 0; i < nrecords; i++) {
-			if (records[i].w == w) {
-				cmdq_error(item, "duplicate window: @%u", w->id);
-				goto fail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		layoutstart = ptr;
-		while (*ptr != '\0' && *ptr != '@')
-			ptr++;
-		layoutend = ptr;
-		while (layoutend != layoutstart &&
-		    isspace((u_char)layoutend[-1]))
-			layoutend--;
-		if (layoutend == layoutstart)
-			goto invalid;
-
-		records = xreallocarray(records, nrecords + 1,
-		    sizeof *records);
-		records[nrecords].w = w;
-		records[nrecords].layout = xstrndup(layoutstart,
-		    layoutend - layoutstart);
-		records[nrecords].prepared = NULL;
-		nrecords++;
-	}
-	if (nrecords == 0)
-		goto invalid;
-
-	/* Validate every record before changing any window. */
-	for (i = 0; i < nrecords; i++) {
-		records[i].prepared = layout_prepare(records[i].w,
-		    records[i].layout, &cause);
-		if (records[i].prepared == NULL) {
-			cmdq_error(item, "@%u: %s", records[i].w->id, cause);
-			free(cause);
-			goto fail;
-		}
-	}
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nrecords; i++) {
-		w = records[i].w;
-		server_unzoom_window(w);
-		oldlayout = w->old_layout;
-		w->old_layout = layout_dump(w, w->layout_root);
-		layout_apply_prepared(w, records[i].prepared);
-		records[i].prepared = NULL;
-		free(oldlayout);
-	}
-	recalculate_sizes();
-	for (i = 0; i < nrecords; i++) {
-		server_redraw_window(records[i].w);
-		notify_window("window-layout-changed", records[i].w);
-	}
-
-	cmd_select_layout_free_records(records, nrecords);
-	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
-
-invalid:
-	cmdq_error(item, "invalid multiple-window layout");
-fail:
-	cmd_select_layout_free_records(records, nrecords);
-	return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
-}
-
 static enum cmd_retval
 cmd_select_layout_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 {
@@ -205,21 +81,16 @@ cmd_select_layout_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	const char		*layoutname;
 	char			*oldlayout, *cause;
 	int			 next, previous, layout;
-	const char		*ptr;
 
 	if (cmd_get_entry(self) == &cmd_select_layout_entry &&
 	    args_count(args) != 0 && !args_has(args, 'E') &&
 	    !args_has(args, 'n') && !args_has(args, 'o') &&
 	    !args_has(args, 'p')) {
-		ptr = args_string(args, 0);
-		while (*ptr != '\0' && isspace((u_char)*ptr))
-			ptr++;
-		if (*ptr == '@')
-			return (cmd_select_layout_exec_multiple(item, ptr));
-		if (layout_set_lookup(ptr) == -1) {
-			prepared = layout_prepare(w, ptr, &cause);
+		layoutname = args_string(args, 0);
+		if (layout_set_lookup(layoutname) == -1) {
+			prepared = layout_prepare(w, layoutname, &cause);
 			if (prepared == NULL) {
-				cmdq_error(item, "%s: %s", cause, ptr);
+				cmdq_error(item, "%s: %s", cause, layoutname);
 				free(cause);
 				return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 			}
diff --git a/layout-custom.c b/layout-custom.c
index ada162055..f8c666965 100644
--- a/layout-custom.c
+++ b/layout-custom.c
@@ -76,10 +76,6 @@
  * used when all match the target window, tree order is used when none match,
  * and a partial match is rejected. Surplus cells are removed from the end when
  * the target has fewer panes; a target with more panes is rejected.
- *
- * cmd-select-layout.c also accepts multiple window records in this form:
- *
- *     @window-id:layout [@window-id:layout ...]
  */
 
 #define LAYOUT_STRING_MAX 8192
diff --git a/regress/layout-custom.sh b/regress/layout-custom.sh
index 757a32359..715882cb9 100755
--- a/regress/layout-custom.sh
+++ b/regress/layout-custom.sh
@@ -338,26 +338,17 @@ sleep 0.5
 $TMUX new-session -d -x 80 -y 24 || exit 1
 $TMUX split-window -h || fail "split-window failed"
 
-# Multiple @window-id:layout records may be applied in one command. The
-# newline produced by list-windows is insignificant whitespace.
+# select-layout changes only the window selected by -t. A window ID is not
+# accepted as part of the layout argument.
 $TMUX new-window -d -n second || fail "second window failed"
-$TMUX split-window -d -h -t @1 || fail "second window split failed"
-layouts=$($TMUX list-windows -F '#{window_id}:#{window_layout}')
-$TMUX select-layout "$layouts" || fail "multiple-window layout was rejected"
-must_equal "$($TMUX list-windows -F '#{window_id}:#{window_layout}')" \
-    "$layouts"
-compact=$(printf %s "$layouts" | tr -d '\n')
-$TMUX select-layout "$compact" || fail "compact multiple-window layout failed"
-
-# All records are validated before any window is changed.
-before=$($TMUX display-message -p -t @0 '#{window_width}x#{window_height}')
-must_fail $TMUX select-layout "@0:$reported@1:0000,"
-must_equal "$($TMUX display-message -p -t @0 '#{window_width}x#{window_height}')" \
-    "$before"
-must_fail $TMUX select-layout '@0'
-must_fail $TMUX select-layout '@0:'
-must_fail $TMUX select-layout "@0:$legacy@0:$legacy"
-must_fail $TMUX select-layout "@999999:$legacy"
+$TMUX split-window -v -t @1 || fail "second window split failed"
+first=$($TMUX display-message -p -t @0 '#{window_layout}')
+second=$($TMUX display-message -p -t @1 '#{window_layout}')
+$TMUX select-layout -t @1 even-horizontal || fail "target layout failed"
+must_equal "$($TMUX display-message -p -t @0 '#{window_layout}')" "$first"
+[ "$($TMUX display-message -p -t @1 '#{window_layout}')" != "$second" ] || \
+    fail "target window layout did not change"
+must_fail $TMUX select-layout "@0:$first"
 
 # Add floating panes and verify exact z-order, semicolon output and zoom state.
 $TMUX kill-server 2>/dev/null
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 9117c73d6..117c71644 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -3447,16 +3447,6 @@ The format is described under
 In control mode, the old form is used unless the client has the
 .Ql new\-window\-layouts
 flag.
-.Pp
-Layouts for multiple windows may be produced in a form suitable for
-.Ic select\-layout
-using
-.Fl F .
-For example, they may be captured and reapplied directly:
-.Bd -literal -offset indent
-$ layouts=\[dq]$(tmux list\-windows \-F \[aq]#{window_id}:#{window_layout}\[aq])\[dq]
-$ tmux select\-layout \[dq]$layouts\[dq]
-.Ed
 .Tg movep
 .It Xo Ic move\-pane
 .Op Fl bdfhMv
@@ -4008,17 +3998,8 @@ uses
 for the layout in its default output.
 .Pp
 A layout description is a snapshot, not a complete saved session.
-It rearranges existing panes and windows but does not create panes or windows.
-.Pp
-Layouts for multiple windows may be prefixed by their window IDs and joined:
-.Bd -literal -offset indent
-window-layouts = @window-id:layout [@window-id:layout ...]
-.Ed
-.Pp
-Whitespace, including newlines, may appear between the window records.
-Each window layout retains its own checksum and version prefix.
-All records are checked before any window is changed.
-Unknown or duplicate window IDs are rejected.
+It rearranges existing panes in the target window but does not create panes or
+windows.
 .Tg selectp
 .It Xo Ic select\-pane
 .Op Fl DdeLlMmRUZ