Browser Shortcuts (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) Explained
Browser shortcuts help you navigate webpages, manage tabs, and control settings quickly in Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and most other browsers. These shortcuts save time and improve efficiency while browsing the web.
List of Browser Shortcuts & Their Functions
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + T | Opens a new tab. |
| Ctrl + W | Closes the current tab. |
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopens the last closed tab (useful if you accidentally close a tab). |
| Ctrl + N | Opens a new browser window. |
| Ctrl + Shift + N (Chrome/Edge) / Ctrl + Shift + P (Firefox) | Opens a new incognito/private window for private browsing. |
| Ctrl + Tab | Switches to the next open tab. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Switches to the previous open tab. |
| Ctrl + 1 to Ctrl + 8 | Switches to a specific tab number (e.g., Ctrl + 3 goes to the third tab). |
| Ctrl + 9 | Switches to the last tab. |
| Ctrl + L / Alt + D | Moves the cursor to the address bar. |
| Ctrl + Enter | Adds www. and .com to a website name typed in the address bar (e.g., type "google" and press Ctrl + Enter → opens www.google.com). |
| Alt + Left Arrow | Goes back to the previous page. |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Goes forward to the next page. |
| F5 / Ctrl + R | Refreshes the current page. |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Hard refreshes the page (reloads while clearing cached content). |
| Ctrl + F | Opens Find to search for words on the webpage. |
| Ctrl + D | Adds the current page to bookmarks. |
| Ctrl + J | Opens the Downloads page. |
| Ctrl + H | Opens the Browsing History. |
| Ctrl + P | Opens the Print dialog to print the current page. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Del | Opens the Clear Browsing Data menu (to delete history, cache, and cookies). |
| F11 | Toggles full-screen mode on or off. |
| Esc | Stops loading the current webpage. |
Why Use Browser Shortcuts?
✅ Faster browsing – Open, close, and switch between tabs instantly.
✅ Easier navigation – Move between pages, refresh, and search without using the mouse.
✅ Improved privacy – Open incognito/private mode quickly.