How to Use Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts
Whether you’re an old Firefox user or just starting out, these keyboard shortcuts will help you navigate the browser faster. They’re useful for everything from opening a new window to cycling through tabs.
These keyboard shortcuts work in the main Firefox window or with tools hosted within it like the Browser Console. The key combinations also work with remapped keys on macOS.
Tabbed browsing
Tabs can be a useful way to manage web pages. They can help you keep several websites open at once, and switch between them easily. They also help you avoid accidentally closing a page. In addition, they can make it easy to perform tasks such as printing and search.
Another benefit of tabbed browsing is that it provides a kind of revisitation mechanism that differs from browsers’ conventional revisitation mechanisms (the back button, bookmarks, and history). For example, if you click on a different tab than the one you’re currently using, it will open that tab without closing your current window.
To use tabbed browsing, click on the “+” symbol next to the tab bar and select a website to open in it. You can also click on the small space next to each tab to close it. Tabs can be moved left or right, and the first or last tab can be reordered by clicking on it.
Search bar
The search bar is a convenient way to perform Web searches without having to navigate to a separate page. It also displays trending search terms based on your location and updates in real time, so you can easily find what you’re looking for.
To customize keyboard shortcuts, hover the mouse over one of the options and click the edit icon (which looks like a pencil). You can then press a new key combination to replace the current shortcut and save it, cancel your change or revert to the default shortcut.
Firefox has an add-on called Shortkeys that lets you map custom keyboard shortcuts for browser functions. The add-on doesn’t work with the keyboard shortcuts that are already mapped to desktop environments and window managers, such as Emacs-style text editing shortcuts.
Window management
A lot of Firefox users like to manage their windows, tabs and browsers with window management tools. Using these tools gives the user control over their browser, and lets them perform actions that would be difficult to do otherwise.
For example, a tab can be moved to another position amongst the rows of open tabs by dragging it. Similarly, the user can also move an entire row of tabs to another window. Other options include the ability to close multiple tabs by clicking the X button and the option to confirm a window or tab closing with Ctrl+Q.
Although the add-on only focuses on merging windows, it offers some usability choices that other similar extensions do not have. For example, you can choose whether or not to use middle click on dialogs or entry areas such as the search bar and location (address) bar. Moreover, you can also select whether or not to remap preexisting shortcuts that conflict with the browser’s default hotkeys.
Privacy
Firefox is one of the best browsers for privacy, thanks to its robust set of features. Its Enhanced Tracking Protection, fingerprinting protection, and private browsing mode are just a few of the many ways it protects you online.
In addition, the browser provides a range of customization options that you can use to make it even more secure and personalized. For example, you can choose to disable search suggestions in the address bar or modify the default settings of search engines. You can also adjust the number of rows displayed in table bookmarklets.
If you haven’t tried Firefox yet, you should give it a try. The browser is fast, lightweight, and packed with privacy features. The newest version includes a new option to request that websites “do not track” you. The option is a great step forward for users concerned about online tracking. However, it’s important to note that the feature may cause some sites to break.
