After completing a search in Safari (tested on version 13.1.2 and 14.0 with Catalina 10.15.6), the address bar remains in focus after pressing return. With other major browsers (including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge) the web page comes to focus after pressing return.
Safari not changing focus from the address bar to the web page is problematic for example when using DuckDuckGo as the default search engine. DDG allows navigation with j and k. The navigation requires the web page to be in focus and not the address bar.
Switching the focus from the address bar to the web page seems to require an extra step in Safari (such as pressing esc or clicking the web page) compared to other major browsers that switch to the web page automatically after pressing return. Is there a way to change the behavior in Safari to automatically switch focus to the web page after pressing return?
I have removed extensions and tried various settings.
Best Answer
I was searching for the same answer that you are looking for, and I know that this answer is not the exact solution you were looking for, but it may ease the frustration a bit until a better solution is found.
I remapped my
Caps Lockkey to function as theEsckey, so after I do a search from the address bar, hittingEscis a quick and ergonomic keypress away that lets me keep my fingers on the home row.If you're extra fancy and like to remap
Caps LocktoControl, there's a solution to that as well. Using the free app called Karabiner Elements, you can remap theCaps Lockkey to bothControl, if held and another key is pressed, and alsoEsc, if pressed by itself.If using Karabiner Elements, and you need
Caps Lockfunctionality, you can either assign it to theControlkey or, what I do, is assign it to toggle when I press both left and right shift at the same time.I hope someone else finds a true solution or that Apple updates Safari with at least an option to change this behavior.