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Information Technology Systems and Services

Keyboard Access

PC Browsers

Most PC browsers allow you to navigate a web site using the TAB key to move forward through the links, and SHIFT-TAB to move backwards. In some cases, you might have to navigate menu lists by using arrow keys as well, once you have used the TAB key to enter the menu. Usually the ENTER key activates a link, in some browsers this might be SPACEBAR instead.

Mac Browsers

Mac OS X does not generally have this option available by default unless you are using a screen reader, but you can turn on keyboard navigation. The following is how to enable keyboard navigation on a Mac:

In System Preferences

  1. Select Apple menu > System Preferences.
  2. Select Keyboard.
  3. Select Keyboard Shortcuts.
  4. Check the radio button labeled "All controls". It is below "Full keyboard access".
  5. Close System Preferences.

For Safari:

  1. Select Safari > Preferences.
  2. Select Advanced.
  3. Check the checkbox labeled "Press Tab to highlight each item on a webpage".

For Chrome on a Mac:

  1. Select Chrome > Preferences.
  2. Select "Show advanced settings..."
  3. In the "Web Content" section, make sure that the checkbox labeled "Pressing Tab on a webpage highlights links, as well as form fields" is checked.

For FireFox on a Mac:

  1. Type about:config in the Firefox location bar
  2. Press enter
  3. Select the "I'll be careful, I promise!" button.
  4. Find the setting called accessibility.tabfocus.
    • If it is there, double-click it and change its value to 7 and skip the next steps.
    • If there is no accessibility.tabfocus setting, right-click anywhere in the list and choose New > String. In the "New string value" dialog that opens, enter accessibility.tabfocus and click OK. Enter 7 in the "Enter string value" dialog.
  5. Select "OK".