Tag Archives: Opera

Cross-platform browser keyboard shortcuts

As of recently I began working on a Mac-book pro and I have to get used to a keyboard with different keys and different layout. One of the most used piece of software today is a browser. I routinely use Opera but there are still sites that don’t work well with it, although it uses pretty much the same rendering engine like Chrome.

I suspect these issues arise from the fact that Chrome tends to become the new IE 6 for many web developers (i.e. : write a page, test it in Chrome, it works, the rest of browsers doesn’t matter to me, continue to next page etc.).

I consider, just like Scott Hanselman, that using the keyboard is the most efficient way to command a computer (and not the mouse / touchpad) therefore I strive to use it to the max. However, switching from OS X to the Windows virtual machine back and forth can be confusing since there are different shortcuts. For example F5 in Windows refreshes the window while in OS X it doesn’t (be it because by default you have to press Fn and then F5 in order to send F5 otherwise a media function will be sent or because this key does not do this function).

Therefore I gathered a few useful shortcut keys that work in both Windows and OS X so I can use them. Many of them work across all major browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari). Use Command (Cmd) key in OS X and Control (Ctrl) in Windows. I’ll include only the secondary key(s) in the table below since the primary key should be held down. I am planning to update this table several times.

Function Second key Internet Explorer Opera for Windows Opera for Mac Chrome for Windows Chrome for Mac
Quit (Close) app Q  x
Close tab (window) W  ✓
Refresh tab R  ✓
Open a new tab T  ✓
Open last closed tab SHIFT-T  ✓
View source U  ✓  x
Print page P  ✓
Select all page content A  ✓
Save current page to computer S  ✓
Add to favorites / bookmark D  ✓
Find in page F  ✓
Find again G  ✓
Show history H  ✓  x
View downloads J  ✓  x
Focus the address bar L  ✓
Undo Z  ✓
Cut X  ✓
Copy C  ✓
Paste V  ✓
Open a new window N  ✓
Open a new private window SHIFT-N  ✓

✓ = available
x = unavailable
[white_space] = not yet verified

(work in progress)

Dear readers, what other useful shortcuts is this table missing?