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Why tab is probably the most underrated key on your keyboard

It just a matter of knowing when to use it.

Games PAX Prime Ted S. Warren / Press Association Images Ted S. Warren / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Update: this article now contains a picture of a significantly less horrible keyboard than before. Apologies for any distress caused.

THE TAB KEY is primarily used to distribute text evenly between the left and right margins, but there are other uses as well. Some of them are small additions but can help speed up certain tasks.

It’s just a matter of knowing when to use it.

The most common use for it is when you’re filling out a form. Pressing Tab will take you to the next unfilled box or segment. If you need to return to a previous section, pressing Tab + Shift will take you in the opposite direction.

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The same thing applies to any webpage or email that can be interacted with. Pressing Tab in an email will cycle you through ‘cc’, subject line, the body of the email and the send button.

Pressing Alt + Tab (Windows)/Cmd + Tab (Mac) will cycle you through all the programmes you’ve opened.

If you press Ctrl + Tab while you’re in Chrome, it will allow you to switch between tabs in order. Holding down Ctrl + Shift + Tab will move you in the opposite direction.

Pressing Windows + Tab will cycle you through the taskbar buttons. Pressing Shift + Windows + Tab will bring you through Start, the Quick Launch toolbar, and system tray.

They may seem like small actions, and they are, but if you haven’t been using them before, then they’ll really help speed things up for you.

Read: Here’s how to charge your phone properly

Read: There’s a second setting screen on Android that you might have missed

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Quinton O'Reilly
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