Switch Between Tabs Using Shortcut Keys

1.Internet Explorer Tab Shortcuts

If you use IE, then you’re using Windows, which means you’re probably familiar with theALT + TABshortcut key for switching between open applications. If so, then all you have to do to switch between tabs in IE is to pressCTRL + TAB. That will simply rotate your through all the tabs going forward and then starting from the beginning again when you reach the last tab on the right.

If you want to go the other way, right to left, then pressCTRL + SHIFT + TAB. If you want to go to a specific tab, you can pressCTRL + N, whereNis a number between 1 and 8. Unfortunately, you can’t go past 8, so if you have more than eight tabs, you’ll have to use a different keyboard shortcut or just click on it.CTRL + 9will take you to the last tab, even if there are more than 8!

There is one last keyboard shortcut, which could be useful for some people:CTRL + K. This will simply duplicate the current tab in a new tab. Previous versions of IE before IE 11 used to have a feature called QuickTabs that let you see all your tabs in a grid of thumbnails, but that’s been removed. In terms of navigating tabs, that’s about it for IE.

2.Google Chrome Tab Shortcuts

ust as with IE, you can get around Chrome tabs using some of the same keyboard shortcuts, which is convenient if you have to use different browsers for different purposes. CTRL + TAB will work the same way and move you one tab from left to right. CTRL + SHIFT + TAB will move you right to left one tab. You can also use CTRL + N in the same way. The only difference in Chrome is that along with CTRL + TAB and CTRL + SHIFT + TAB, you can also use CTRL + PgDown and CTRL + PgUp respectively if you prefer those keys.

The only additional keyboard shortcut for Chrome isCTRL + SHIFT + T, which opens the last tab you closed. I have found this particularly handy on many occasions.

3.Firefox Tab Shortcuts

Firefox has a couple of shortcuts that are a bit different from Chrome and IE. Firstly, the ones that are the same: CTRL + TAB, CTRL + SHIFT + TAB and the associated ones with PgDown and PgUp, CTRL + SHIFT + T, CTRL + N, and CTRL + 9.

In Firefox, there are a couple of shortcuts for moving tabs also. For example, if you pressCTRL + SHIFT + PgUp, that will move the current tab to the left.CTRL + SHIFT + PgDownwill move the current tab to the right.  There is alsoCTRL + HOMEandCTRL + END, which will move the current tab to the start or to the end, respectively. Lastly, Firefox has a nice keyboard shortcut,CTRL + SHIFT + E, that opensTab Groups View, which then lets you simply pick any tab by using the right and left arrows on your keyboard and pressing Enter.

4.Safari Tab Shortcuts

Again, the default CTRL + TAB and CTRL + SHIFT + TAB also works on Safari just fine. You can also replace these withCOMMAND + SHIFT + [andCOMMAND + SHIFT + ]. The CTRL + N keyboard shortcut does not work on Safari unfortunately. Like Firefox has the CTRL + SHIFT + E shortcut to show you all tabs, Safari has a similar view usingCOMMAND + SHIFT + \.

You can also bring back the last closed tab like you can in other browsers, but in Safari the shortcut isCOMMAND + Z.