Using Tab with Other Dedicated Keys to Move Around and Support Keyboard Input

While people use arrow keys often for moving within a document, they aren’t as helpful on web pages or in many programs where you have to move between input areas, like log-in or form fields. That is where the Tab key can help.

Pressing Tab moves from areas (technically called “controls") of a application window.This is called “shifting the focus.”If you use the Tab key repeatedly on this blog page, it will start highlighting entry areas, buttons and other parts of your web
browser where you can change or link to something.Eventually it will move this blog’s title and add an outline to show that title’s link has the focus.Pressing Tab will move that outline down through the page’s links, including this link to a blog that explains ways to make the focus on a link more obvious.If you modify the tab by using the Shift key, it will ump from link to link in the opposite direction.

The most valuable use of the Tab key is with input fields.When you are typing into more than one of these on a page, it can be confusing and time-comsuming to shift attention away from the keyboard to move to another field with the mouse. The Tab key (and Shift-Tab) provides great ways to
move between fields and just keep typing away.

Exercise - Using Tab and Other Keys for Keyboard Entry

Here are some input areas for you to try inputing and tabbing between.This is a little “sandbox” where you can play with Tab and other keys to add or modify the entries.If you prefer not to tab all the way to the fields below, just click the mouse in the Name field and start tabbing from there. Notice how outline changes with different fields.When it comes to different field types, try experimenting with your space bar and arrow keys to make selections. Keep track of the key that work best for you. Then check out the Recap below to confirm your discoveries.

Name:
Another Input field:
Yet Another Input Field:
I am learning to:
I am learning to chose a radio buttons using
Tab Key	Shift-Tab
Arrow Keys	All of These Keys
Moving and choosing check boxes requires:
Tab key to move down the list.
Shift-Tab to move up the list.
Space Bar to "check" the item.

Recap

Use Tab and its counterpart, Shift-Tab, move the keyboard focus from one control (hyperlink, button, or input field) to another.

How the keyboard focus is shown depends on the control:

Hyperlinks show an outline form of highlighting

Text input fields show the flashing cursor

Other input fields or buttons show selected or an outline

If you move to input field that requires choice, other dedicated keys can help with that choice:

Drop-Down List Boxes use the Arrow Keys to make the selection

Radio Buttons use the Arrow Keys to move between the options and the Space Bar to make the selection

Check Boxes use the Tab key to move between the options and the Space Bar to make the selection