10 Cool Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts

Like most software, you can access all of Mozilla Firefox features via the menu bar or the in context popup menu with your mouse.

However, sometimes using a mouse actually slows you down. The precious seconds it takes to move you hand away to move you mouse can add up over the course of a full day. You can save time and avoid reaching for the mouse if you are familiar with keyboard shortcuts.

The following keyboard shortcuts will make web browsing with Firefox even more fun and productive.

1. Access Your Favorite Websites Quickly

   If you have been typing the http://www prefix and .com domain extension into your browser address all this while when trying to access a website, you can avoid this extra step by going to your address bar, then type the middle portion of the desired address, and press CTRL+Enter

   As an example, if you type “sabahan” and press CTRL+Enter, you will land on http://www.sabahan.com

   

   

   In addition, you can press SHIFT+Enter to go to a .net site and CTRL+SHIFT+Enter to a .org site.

    

2. Jump to The Address Bar

   Press ALT+D to quickly jump to the address bar. Alternatively, you can use CTRL+L to do the same.

   This shortcut comes in handy when combined with the previous shortcuts.

    

3. Jump to Google bar To Search

   If you have a Google search bar installed in your browser, you can use CTRL+K to quickly jump to the text box and perform a search immediately.

   

   I find this one a handy time saver.

    

4. Go Back One Page in Your Browser History

   Instead of pointing your mouse to Firefox ‘back” button to go back to the previous page, just use your backspace key.

   

    

5. Open a Link in a New Window

   To launch a new window with a link, most users will click the link and select “Open Link in New Window”.

   

   A faster way of doing this is to hold SHIFT while you click on the link.

    

6. Open/Close a Tab

   Opening several tabs simultaneously for browsing enables power users to be more productive. Now instead of using the popup menu or lunging for your “open new tab” button as shown below, use CTRL+T to launch a new tab.

   

   Alternatively, double clicking empty space on the Tab Bar will open a new tab. The middle click/mouse wheel click on a tab will close that tab without the need to point your mouse on the “close tab” icon.

    

7. Open a Link in a New Tab

   You can use middle click / mouse wheel click to open a link in a new tab. While this is not a keyboard shortcut, it’s one of my favourite shortcuts.

   
   
   For those without middle mouse buttons or mouse wheels, you can press CTRL while clicking a link to open it in a new tab.

    

8. Open Your Home Page In a New Tab

   Use the middle click / mouse wheel click on the Home button to open your homepage in a new tab.

   

   Those without middle mouse buttons or mouse wheels can press CTRL while click on the Home button to do the same.

    

9. View Selection Source

   You can view the source code of a section of a page by holding down CTRL and left click on the part of a web page to highlight that section. Then right click on the selection and select “View Selection Source” to view the source code for that particular selection.

   

 

10. Reopen Previously Closed Tab

    Using the tab bar right click menu to undo a closed a tab is a tad slower when compare to using this shortcut.

    

    You can reopen recently closed tab by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+T.

With these shortcuts you can now enjoy faster and more productive browsing with Firefox!