Moving Through Tabs

I’ve mentioned this other places, but it’s definitely worth repeating. In some applications with tabs you can cycle through the tabs with a simple keystroke: Ctrl and Page Up or Page Down. Page Up will cycle you left, and Page Down will cycle you right.

I want to create a “definitive” list of applications where Ctrl-PU or PD switches tabs, so I’ve started that here. If you have an application to add to the list please leave it in the comments, and I’ll make sure it gets added to the list.

  • Excel
  • Firefox
  • Windows Settings forms (try it out on Display Properties)
  • Gaim v2 beta (tested only on Windows)
  • All Gnome apps (e.g. Epiphany, GNOME-terminal) according to Anonymous Coward – added 3/21/2007
  • Konsole – added 3/21/2007
  • xfce4-terminal – added 3/21/2007
  • Vim – added 3/22/2007

This is one of those features that I’d love to see designers standardize across all platforms. I recognize, however, that this is a request that will probably never come true. I can still dream of UI utopia. Not to leave out the other applications that use a different keystroke to move between tabs, this second list is for them.

  • Adium (Mac only) uses Cmd-Left Arrow or Right Arrow
  • Safari uses Cmd-Shift-Tab – added 3/28/2007
  • Camino uses Cmd-Option-Tab – added 3/28/2007
  • Mac Opera uses Option-Tab – added 3/28/2007

Ok, my initial list is a little sparse. Show some love and help fill this thing out.

EDIT: Here is a new list based on Brett’s comment, for applications where Ctrl-Tab cycles through tabs.

  • Firefox
  • IE7
  • Notepad++
  • Gaim v2 beta (tested only on Windows)
  • Win Opera – added 3/28/2007