# Why can't I scroll with the arrow keys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204 "2010-07-01T16:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/1 "2010-07-01T16:11:55Z")
It used to be that, if I didn’t click any text on the screen (in firefox), I could use the arrow keys to scroll. That was nice. That was handy. Now, there’s always something selected, and whenever I click, a little bar like the ones for text will appear, even if I clicked on a picture or empty space. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/2 "2010-07-01T16:16:57Z")
Scoll lock key on? ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/3 "2010-07-01T16:22:05Z")
Works for me (and at least for me Scroll Lock makes no difference). I’m using Firefox 3.6.6 on Windows XP. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/4 "2010-07-01T16:35:00Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > It used to be that, if I didn’t click any text on the screen (in firefox), I could use the arrow keys to scroll. That was nice. That was handy. Now, there’s always something selected, and whenever I click, a little bar like the ones for text will appear, even if I clicked on a picture or empty space. What gives? What does this little bar look like? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/5 "2010-07-01T16:42:11Z")
Click on the scroll bar? ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/6 "2010-07-01T17:04:26Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Scoll lock key on? My keyboard does not appear to have a scroll lock key. It’s a laptop keyboard. > [@Reply](#): > > What does this little bar look like? Like the bar in MS Word that appears where you are typing. > [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Click on the scroll bar? That works, but the arrow keys are handy for scrolling, and the scroll bar is a lot clunkier IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/7 "2010-07-01T17:15:22Z")
Press F7 - should get you sorted. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-scroll-with-the-arrow-keys/545204/8 "2010-07-01T17:33:17Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Press F7 - should get you sorted. Thank you!