In a web browser world where Google Chrome tends to dominate, Microsoft is working fast and furious to show that Edge is more than competitive. Using the Chromium open-source option, Edge already takes the best of Chrome’s speed and twists it into something that can give it the “edge”. From its first preview to the world in 2015 to now, Edge has grown in significant ways and is more than worth considering for any Windows 10 user. That it adds a deep set of keyboard shortcuts to make your browsing even faster is all the more reason to give it a close look.
Why Use Microsoft Edge
On a surface level, Edge is a browser not unlike the many other names you are familiar with like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc. While Chrome and Edge are similar under the hood thanks to the Chromium rendering engine, that is pretty much where the similarities end. Privacy in particular is a huge reason users of other browsers should take a hard look at Edge. With three simple settings of Basic, Balanced and Strict, Edge users can set their own privacy level and know that they are secure. Edge also blocks “potentially unwanted apps” from installing which is not unlike other browser protective measures but Edge seems to take it up a notch. Beyond security, Edge offers a clean looking design that feels right at home on both Windows 10 and Mac.
When you start to look at more of Edge’s unique features, that’s when it really stands out from the competition. New features like Collections that help you keep track of your ideas on the web are stand-out features that can really change how you browse the web. Speaking of browsing the web, built-in price comparison tools will help you shop online with Edge and save money. Combine price comparison and a coupon discovery tool and Edge can help put money back into your pocket. Parents can rest assured that not only does Edge have strong built-in privacy protection, but “Kids Mode” enables a browser made for young children. No matter what mode you use Edge in, extras like a huge list of keyboard shortcuts will help you browse faster and more securely without thinking twice. Let’s take a look at some of the best keyboard shortcuts so you can get started with Microsoft Edge today.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Function | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Show or hide the favorites bar | Ctrl + Shift + B | Command + Shift + B |
| Set focus on the first item in the favorites bar | Alt + Shift + B | |
| Save the current tab as a favorite | Ctrl + D | Command + D |
| Save all open tabs as favorites in a new folder | Ctrl + Shift + D | Command + Shift + D |
| Select the URL in the address bar to edit | Alt + D | Command + L |
| Open a search query in the address bar | Ctrl + E | |
| Open the Settings and more “…” menu | Alt + E | Command + , (comma) |
| Find on page | Ctrl + F | Command + F |
| Search the web | Command + Option + F | |
| Toggle tab mute on and off | Ctrl + M | |
| Open the Settings and more “…” menu | Alt + F | |
| Jump to the next match to your Find Bar search | Ctrl + G | Command + G |
| Jump to the previous match to your Find Bar search | Ctrl + Shift + G | Command + Shift + G |
| Open History in a new tab (web UI) | Ctrl + H | Command + Y |
| Open Developer Tools | Ctrl + Shift + I | Command + Shift + C |
| Open the Send feedback dialog | Alt + Shift + I | |
| Open Downloads in a new tab (web UI) | Ctrl + J | Command + Shift + J |
| Open a search query in the address bar | Ctrl + K | |
| Duplicate the current tab | Ctrl + Shift + K | |
| Search the typed query in new tab | Command + Return | |
| Select the URL in the address bar to edit | Ctrl + L | |
| Paste and search or Paste and go (if it’s a URL) | Ctrl + Shift + L | |
| Mute the current tab (toggle) | Ctrl + M | |
| Sign in as a different user or browse as a Guest | Ctrl + Shift + M | Command + Shift + M |
| Open a new window | Ctrl + N | Command + N |
| Minimize window | Command + M | |
| Minimize all windows of the front app | Command + Option + M | |
| Open a new InPrivate window | Ctrl + Shift + N | Command + Shift + N |
| Open a file from your computer in Edge | Ctrl + O | Command + O |
| Open Favorites management | Ctrl + Shift + O | |
| Quit | Command + Q | |
| Print the current page | Ctrl + P | Command + P |
| Print using the system dialog | Ctrl + Shift + P | |
| Reload the current page | Ctrl + R | |
| Reload the current page, ignoring cached content | Ctrl + Shift + R | |
| Save the current page | Ctrl + S | Command + S |
| Open a new tab and switch to it | Ctrl + T | Command + T |
| Reopen the last closed tab, and switch to it | Ctrl + Shift + T | Command + Shift + T |
| Set focus on the first item in the toolbar | Alt + Shift + T | |
| View source | Ctrl + U | |
| Open the JavaScript Console | Command + Option + J | |
| Start or stop Read Aloud | Ctrl + Shift + U | |
| Paste without formatting | Ctrl + Shift + V | Command + Shift + V |
| Close the current tab | Ctrl + W | Command + W |
| Close the current window | Ctrl + Shift + W | Command + Shift + W |
| Open Collections | Ctrl + Shift + Y | |
| Reset zoom level | Ctrl + 0 (zero) | Command + 0 (zero) |
| Switch to a specific tab | Ctrl + 1, 2, … 8 | Command + 1,2,…8 |
| Switch to the last tab | Ctrl + 9 | Command + 9 |
| Move cursor to the beginning of first word in the same line | Command + Left arrow | |
| Move cursor to the end of last word in the same line | Command + Right arrow | |
| Delete the entire text field / entire line of text | Command + Delete | |
| Add www. to the beginning and .com to the end of text typed in the address bar | Ctrl + Enter | |
| Switch to the next tab | Ctrl + Tab | Ctrl + Fn + Down arrow |
| Switch to the previous tab | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Ctrl + Fn + Up arrow |
| Zoom in | Ctrl + Plus (+) | Command + Plus (+) |
| Zoom out | Ctrl + Minus (-) | Command + Minus (-) |
| Toggle PDF between fit to page / fit to width | Ctrl + \ (in a PDF) | Ctrl + \ (in a PDF) |
| Rotate PDF counter-clockwise 90* | Ctrl + [ (in a PDF) | Ctrl + [ (in a PDF) |
| Rotate PDF clockwise 90* | Ctrl + ] (in a PDF) | Ctrl + ] (in a PDF) |
| Open clear browsing data options | Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Command + Shift + Delete |
| Set focus on the Settings and more “…” button | Alt | |
| Go back | Alt + Left arrow | Command + [ |
| Go forward | Alt + Right arrow | Command + ] |
| Open your home page in the current tab | Alt + Home | Command + Shift + H |
| Close the current window | Alt + F4 | Command + Shift + W |
| Open Help | F1 | |
| Find in the current tab | F3 | |
| Close the current page in the current tab | F4 | |
| Enable/disable video | Ctrl + F4 | |
| Reload the current tab | F5 | Command + R |
| Reload the current tab, ignoring cached content | Shift + F5 | Command + Shift + R |
| Switch focus to next pane | F6 | |
| Switch focus to previous pane | Shift + F6 | |
| Turn caret browsing on or off | F7 | |
| Enter or exit Immersive Reader | F9 | F9 |
| Set focus on the Settings and more “…” button | F10 | |
| Open Setting and more “…” menu | F10 + Enter | |
| Open context menu | Shift + F10 | |
| Enter full screen (toggle) | F11 | Command + Ctrl + F |
| Open Developer Tools | F12 | F12 |
| Stop loading page; close dialog or pop-up | Esc | ESC |
| Scroll down webpage, one screen at a time | Spacebar | Space |
| Scroll up webpage, one screen at a time | Shift + Spacebar | Shift + Space |
| Scroll down webpage, one screen at a time | PgDn | |
| Switch to the next tab | Ctrl + PgDn | Ctrl + Fn + Down arrow |
| Scroll up webpage, one screen at a time | PgUp | |
| Switch to the previous tab | Ctrl + PgUp | |
| Go to the top of the page, Move keyboard focus to first item of pane | Home | |
| Go to the bottom of the page, Move keyboard focus to last item of pane | End | |
| Go to next tab stop | Tab | Ctrl + Tab |
| Go to previous tab stop | Shift + Tab | Shift + Ctrl + Tab |
| Move to the next control | Tab | |
| Move to the previous control | Shift + Tab |
Check out more cheatsheets here.
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