# My 'tab' key has mutated.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 28, 2000, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838 "2000-09-28T03:33:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2000, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838/1 "2000-09-28T03:33:51Z")
I have no idea why or how this has happened, but my “Tab” key no longer takes me to the next field when pressed (as in filling out a form on-line). Instead, it now seems to act as a sort of toggle between my browser window and my inbox (in Netscape) or between my main console and my private message boxes (in Napster).
Any ideas what’s happened?
P.S. The **only** new thing I’ve done lately is to have downloaded the newest version of RealPlayer.
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2000, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838/2 "2000-09-28T04:01:51Z")
It sounds like your ALT key is stuck. ALT-TAB is the key combo I use to switch between active Windows tasks.
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### Author:  [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2000, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838/3 "2000-09-28T04:08:56Z")
INDEED! It worked. Thanks. You are impressive.
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2000, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tab-key-has-mutated/34838/4 "2000-09-28T04:22:53Z")
_blush_ aw… shucks…