AltFTool Keyboard Shortcuts: Search, Menus and Navigation
Press Ctrl+K (Cmd+K on Mac), or / when you are not typing in a field, to open AltFTool's tool search. Use the arrow keys and Enter to pick a result, Escape to close menus and panels, and the Skip to main content link to bypass the header.
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Open tool search from anywhere
The quickest way around AltFTool is the search palette. It searches the whole tool library and also shows your most recently used tools before you type.
- Ctrl+K on Windows, Linux and ChromeOS, or Cmd+K on Mac: open the search palette from any page with the main header. Press it again to close it.
- / (slash): opens the same palette, as long as you are not typing in a text box, text area or select menu.
- Arrow Down and Arrow Up: move through the results.
- Enter: open the highlighted result, or see all matches in the directory if nothing is highlighted.
- Escape: close the palette and return focus to where you were.
Menus, panels and focus
Skip the header
Press Tab once after a page loads to reveal Skip to main content, then Enter to jump to the page content.
Open a header menu
Tab to a menu in the header. Menus open on focus, and you can Tab through their links.
Close it with Escape
Escape closes an open header menu or the account menu and puts focus back on the button that opened it.
Use sheets and dialogs
The mobile menu and search palette keep Tab and Shift+Tab inside the panel while open, and Escape closes them.
Shortcuts on support pages
The Support and settings guides have a few extra keys of their own, listed on the contact and feedback page:
- / focuses the support search box.
- Esc closes the support search or the mobile sidebar.
- F toggles Focus Mode while you are reading a support guide.
Standard browser keys that work everywhere
Beyond AltFTool's own shortcuts, normal browser keys work on every page: Tab and Shift+Tab move between controls, Space and Enter activate buttons, and Ctrl or Cmd with plus, minus and zero changes zoom. Pages use proper headings and landmarks, so screen reader heading and landmark navigation works too.
Individual tools may add their own keys, such as a game or a typing test. Those are described on the tool page itself. To practise shortcuts for other apps, try the Keyboard Shortcut Trainer; to check that your keyboard registers every key, use the Keyboard Layout Tester.
Tools used in this guide
- Keyboard Shortcut TrainerMaster keyboard shortcuts across platforms and apps with interactive practice and flashcard study modes.
- Keyboard Layout TesterTest your keyboard layout interactively — see which keys register, check rollover, and diagnose stuck or ghost keys in real time.
- Keyboard Focus-Order ReplayEstimate sequential keyboard focus order from pasted static HTML and replay the resulting tab stops locally with calibrated structural cues.
- Typing Speed TestFree typing speed test online — measure your WPM and accuracy in 30, 60 or 120 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AltFTool search shortcut?
Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux, or Cmd+K on Mac. You can also press / when you are not typing in a field.
Why does the slash key not open search?
The / shortcut is ignored while you are typing in a text field, so it never interrupts your input. Click outside the field or use Ctrl+K or Cmd+K instead.
How do I close a menu with the keyboard?
Press Escape. Focus returns to the button that opened the menu or panel.