Ubuntu – Keyboard shortcut to un-focus form controls

firefoxkeyboardshortcut-keys

While a form control like <select> or <input> is focused the arrow keys, Page Up, Page Down, Home and End all navigate inside the contents of that control rather than the web page itself. This is very useful, but makes it difficult to navigate web pages by keyboard – After focusing a form control, you'll have to press Tab or Shift–Tab until you get to a URL to be able to navigate with the keyboard again. If there is no URL on the web page (shock, horror) the mouse seems to be the only way out.

So is there a keyboard shortcut to give focus back to the page itself?

Best Answer

While there isn't really a shortcut to what you asked, there are workarounds, the easiest being hitting F6 twice. The first time will take you to the URL-bar, the second will go back to the page (works in Firefox 3.6.16, didn't try Firefox 4 yet).

I know this it not really satisfying but you'll get used to it fast.

See http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Keyboard%20shortcuts#w_current-page.

Another thing mentioned on http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Accessibility#w_html-access-keys and the "proper" way is

HTML Access Keys On some web pages, keyboard shortcuts are assigned to different elements on the page. To move the cursor directly to one of these elements, press Shift+Alt+AccessKey. Which key AccessKey is depends on the website. It is determined by the website author, not Firefox.

It's declared like this <input type="text" size="40" value="Feld" accesskey="f"> so if you have this problem on a particular site just grep for accesskey in "Site Information" (STRG + I on german keyboard layout).

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