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Firefox used to be able to select the first link in a google search by pressing tab+enter but why did it stop for me?

  • 2 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by cor-el

BIGASIANBASTARD
BIGASIANBASTARD
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Pressing tab after a Google search highlights the "+You" link. Pressing tab used to highlight the first link (search result) after a Google search but it stopped doing so about a few months back. Pressing shift+tab after a search selects the "About Google" link at the bottom of the page.

Please help! I am a hotkey lover and this is disheartening :(

Pressing tab after a Google search highlights the "+You" link. Pressing tab used to highlight the first link (search result) after a Google search but it stopped doing so about a few months back. Pressing shift+tab after a search selects the "About Google" link at the bottom of the page. Please help! I am a hotkey lover and this is disheartening :(

All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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I'm seeing what you're seeing, and there are at least two related threads on Google's product forums (down at the moment, but try the Cached links in this query). The tab keyboard shortcut is still documented on Google's Keyboard shortcuts for search page, and it still seems to work if you're logged in. Perhaps it was an oversight that it no longer works if you're logged out? Perhaps, but perhaps not...

There might be a way to restore this functionality with an add-on, but I haven't searched around.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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The shortcuts (Up and Down to select and Right to see the preview and Enter to open the result) are working for me on Linux without being logged in.

Reload web page(s) and bypass the cache to refresh possibly outdated or corrupted files.

  • Press and hold Shift and left-click the Reload button.
  • Press "Ctrl + F5" or press "Ctrl + Shift + R" (Windows,Linux)
  • Press "Command + Shift + R" (MAC)

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

  • Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe mode start window or otherwise make changes.