# A Windows keyboard shortcut discovery! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358 "2004-08-24T23:35:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/21 "2004-10-29T04:36:29Z")
Mild hijack, but still keyboard shortcut related… How you move between tabs in Firefox using the keyboard? I automatically try to alt-tab, and just end up launching myself into Word, email, or whatever other program is also open. And also, how do you bring up the er, thingee, where you’d type in a web address akin to control-O in Internet Explorer, but in Firefox? Control-O in Firefox is not exactly the same–I don’t want to open a file, I want to be able to type [www.whateversite.com](http://www.whateversite.com) and hit enter. I really honestly did check the Firefox help first but it didn’t help me. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/22 "2004-10-29T04:37:52Z")
Er, dang, I didn’t realise, [whateversite.com](http://whateversite.com) would actually resolve a site. I have nothing to do with that site, and am not trying to promote it. Dang internet thingee. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/23 "2004-10-29T04:49:03Z")
alt-tab (switching between windows on your taskbar), as mentioned above, is a life saver when you’re surfing at work and need to look busy in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/24 "2004-10-29T05:52:26Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > Mild hijack, but still keyboard shortcut related… How you move between tabs in Firefox using the keyboard? I automatically try to alt-tab, and just end up launching myself into Word, email, or whatever other program is also open. (snip) > > I really honestly did check the Firefox help first but it didn’t help me. I don’t know about Firefox specifically, but Ctrl+Tab moves between tabs in most Windows programs. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/25 "2004-10-29T06:33:03Z")
> [@pervert](#): > > For instance, can you shut you computer off if you monitor is disconected? In Windows NT, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+S, S, Enter. 🆒 Nowadays though, XP supports that Power button on the keyboard. Found that one out the hard way… in the middle of a chat. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/26 "2004-10-29T06:58:42Z")
> [@RJKUgly](#): > > I don’t know about Firefox specifically, but Ctrl+Tab moves between tabs in most Windows programs. Ctrl+Tab to go forward one tabbed window in either Netscape or Firefox, Shift+Ctrl+Tab to go back one window. Ctrl-left arrow to go left one word (or to the next bit of punctuation, depending on the word processor software being used), ctrl-right to go right. If your Num Lock is turned off this also works with the keypad. Ctrl up to go up one paragraph (or, more accurately, one return), ctrl down for the opposite. ctrl home to go to the beginning of a document, ctrl end to go to the end. This means that you can press shift+ctrl+end when you’re in the first word of a document (but before the first bit of punctuation, I think) and highlight the entire bloody thing, though ctrl-a would be easier.You can also shift ctrl down to select one paragraph. ctrl delete will delete the nearest word and ctrl backspace will backspace over the nearest word (this would be like deleting the word to the right and left of the cursor respectively). I do hope nobody needs a refresher course in the three-fingered salute. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/27 "2004-10-29T09:11:57Z")
This is all well and good, but for the love of God, will someone tell me where the Any key is located?!?!? ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/28 "2004-10-29T09:20:38Z")
In Firefox/Mozilla, crtl+pgup will move you forward one tab, and ctrl+pgdn will move you back a tab. Best invention ever. Apart from multiple desktops. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/29 "2004-10-29T16:09:29Z")
One of my favorites is **Windows+M** , which means “minimize all”. Perfect for use at work when you get those sudden drop-ins at your cubicle and you need to quickly clear the screen. Call it a “boss key” or “job-saver key”. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/30 "2004-10-29T16:52:14Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > And also, how do you bring up the er, thingee, where you’d type in a web address akin to control-O in Internet Explorer, but in Firefox? Control-O in Firefox is not exactly the same–I don’t want to open a file, I want to be able to type [www.whateversite.com](http://www.whateversite.com) and hit enter. Ctrl-L or Alt-D will put your cursor in the Address bar with the current address highlighted and waiting to be overwritten by whatever you type. And as noted, Ctrl-PgUp / Ctrl-Tab will take you forward a tab and Ctrl-PgDn / Ctrl-Shift-Tab will take you back a tab. ---
**Author:** ![dasgupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@dasgupta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasgupta)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/31 "2004-10-29T17:44:26Z")
Mmmmm keyboard shortcuts. I’m a mad shortcutter. Browsing in IE - Alt+right arrow will bring you back a page, while Alt+left arrow is forward. Control+Esc will bring up the Start Menu on those Window-Keyless computers. Did we do Windows-F for find? I didn’t see it. Also, yes, Windows-M minimizes all, but Shift-Windows-M brings everything back up the way it was before. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/32 "2004-10-29T17:45:40Z")
One other that’s been useul now and then: In MS Word, holding the Alt key while selecting text with the mouse will let you select a **rectangle** of text. Try it; you’ll see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Omphaloskeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omphaloskeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omphaloskeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/33 "2004-10-29T20:08:30Z")
> [@pervert](#): > > Its not really hard. The tab key moves you from one link to another. Shift-Enter is the equivilant of clicking on the link. In Mozilla you can also type text to find the next link containing that link text, which is sometimes a lot quicker than tabbing down the page to the link. (For example, I can highlight the link for this thread from the MPSIMS page by typing the word “keyboard”; then Shift-Enter will open that link. Control-Enter will open it in a new tab (if you select that option in tabbed browsing), which is even nicer. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/34 "2004-10-29T20:22:39Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > Mild hijack, but still keyboard shortcut related… How you move between tabs in Firefox using the keyboard? I automatically try to alt-tab, and just end up launching myself into Word, email, or whatever other program is also open. And also, how do you bring up the er, thingee, where you’d type in a web address akin to control-O in Internet Explorer, but in Firefox? Control-O in Firefox is not exactly the same–I don’t want to open a file, I want to be able to type [www.whateversite.com](http://www.whateversite.com) and hit enter. > > I really honestly did check the Firefox help first but it didn’t help me. Ctrl+O works in Firefox, too. Sure, you don’t want to open a file that’s on your hard drive. But if you type a URL into the “open file” dialog, Firefox assumes you want to open a file… on _whateversite_’s server! It opens in the current tab with most tab settings. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/35 "2004-10-30T03:09:19Z")
In Internet Explorer, instead of typing [www.whateversite.com](http://www.whateversite.com), you can simply type “whateversite”, then Ctrl-click; IE will fill in the “www.” and “.com” for you. It may work in other browsers as well. I’ve never tried. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358/36 "2004-11-08T00:35:16Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > One other that’s been useul now and then: In MS Word, holding the Alt key while selecting text with the mouse will let you select a **rectangle** of text. > > Try it; you’ll see what I mean. That is SO cool. Thank you for the answers about moving between tabs and what to pop up to quickly type in an address in FireFox–now my browsing life is complete. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-windows-keyboard-shortcut-discovery/261358.md?page=1)