# Help! I've changed something with carets **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 15, 2023, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200 "2023-03-15T05:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/1 "2023-03-15T05:15:31Z")
There was a box near the top that said something about changing carets. I hit “yes” but didn’t mean to. Now there is no red line that shows my last visit, and scrolling on the right seems different. Thanks for any help. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/2 "2023-03-15T05:16:42Z")
My last visit red line is back, but still choppy scrolling in the middle and on the right. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/3 "2023-03-15T05:22:10Z")
My last visit red line is only missing in Great Debates, but it is there in all the fora. I must have been in that forum when I changed whatever I did. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2023, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/4 "2023-03-15T10:02:41Z")
What are you describing as carets? Carets can be this symbol ^, or changing your browser to use the up, down and sideways arrow keys to navigate instead of a mouse or touchscreen. What browser are you on? ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/5 "2023-03-16T03:09:46Z")
Thank you for your reply! I saw the word “carets” in a little window at the top of my screen and I hit “yes” by accident and changed something. I think it changed my navigation (the way it scrolls) and not just on Straight Dope. I have Firefox. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/6 "2023-03-16T04:54:50Z")
Aha. I know what it is. You turned on caret-based browsing. You toggle it on and off by pressing the F7 key on your keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/7 "2023-03-16T05:27:01Z")
YAY!!! Thank you BigT! ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/8 "2023-03-16T06:53:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > You toggle it on and off by pressing the F7 key on your keyboard. Shakes fist at @BigT . I knew that one! Happy Birthday to you anyway. Enjoy! 🎉 🥳 ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/9 "2023-03-16T06:55:44Z")
How do you know that? ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/10 "2023-03-16T07:15:13Z")
The caret thing or the birthday thing? The caret I just picked up somewhere along the line. The birthday because he has a pink birthday cake next to his name. Why, is it your birthday also? I can wish you a happy birthday too. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/11 "2023-03-16T07:18:44Z")
It was the birthday thing. The cake wasn’t there then, but now it is on March 16th. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/12 "2023-03-16T07:19:06Z")
Happy Birthday BigT! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/13 "2023-03-16T14:22:39Z")
🎵 Carets are divine You get a dozen for a dime It’s maaaaaaaaagic! 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/14 "2023-03-16T22:45:57Z")
Was that necessary? What did any of us ever do to you? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/15 "2023-03-19T12:23:18Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > The caret thing or the birthday thing? @BigT deserves a caret cake. mmm ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/16 "2023-03-19T17:35:07Z")
He does, but he should have spoken up on his birthday. No late cakes allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/17 "2023-03-19T17:47:08Z")
Who even uses this feature?! I really don’t caret, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/18 "2023-03-19T20:34:35Z")
Can someone please explain caretting to me? Hope it isn’t like dogging… ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2023, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/19 "2023-03-19T22:25:31Z")
In case you’re not joking, caret-based browsing let’s you use the arrows on your keyboard to go through the text, moving a flashing line (called the caret or cursor) kinda like you can in a text document. It’s an accessibility feature for people who have trouble using the mouse. Caret started being used for the text cursor so it wouldn’t be mixed up with the mouse cursor. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-ive-changed-something-with-carets/981200/20 "2023-03-20T06:38:07Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > Hope it isn’t like dogging… Not exactly like dogging, but there are overlaps. 🙂 > [@Atamasama](#): > > I really don’t caret, do you? I tried not to, but the extra letter didn’t fit on my designer coat. 🙁 So I ended up caretting.