This section describes the essential keyboard shortcuts to enable you to navigate the desktop from the keyboard.
You can customize some of the keyboard shortcuts that are described in this chapter. The text indicates the shortcuts that you can customize. See Section 3.9 ― Customizing Your Keyboard Shortcuts for information about how to customize keyboard shortcuts.
The following table lists the essential keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate the desktop. The keyboard shortcuts that you use to navigate specific elements and controls are described in the appropriate sections of this chapter.
| Keys | Function |
|---|---|
| Tab | Give focus to the next element or control. |
| Shift+Tab | Reverse the navigation direction and give focus to the previous element or control. In general, the Shift key reverses the navigation direction. |
| Ctrl+Tab |
If the Tab key has a specific purpose in a control, press Ctrl+Tab to give focus to the next element or control. For example, if you press Tab in a text box, the system inserts a tab space. To give focus to the previous element or control, press Shift+Ctrl+Tab. |
| arrow keys | Navigate within an element or control. |
| spacebar | Activate the element or control that has focus. For example, if the current control is a button, this action is the equivalent of clicking on the button with a mouse. |
| Esc | Close a window, menu, or drawer. |
The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use from any part of the GNOME Desktop.
| Keys | Function |
|---|---|
| Alt+F1 |
Open the Main Menu at the location of your mouse pointer. You can customize this keyboard shortcut. |
| Alt+F2 |
Open the Run Program dialog. You can customize this keyboard shortcut. |
| Print Screen |
Start the screenshot application and take a screenshot of the entire screen. You can customize this keyboard shortcut. This shortcut only works on Solaris systems. |
| Alt+Print Screen |
Start the screenshot application and take a screenshot of the window that currently has focus. You can customize this keyboard shortcut. |
| F1 | If the focused element is an application window or dialog, this keyboard shortcut opens the online help for the application. |
| Ctrl+F1 | If the focused element is a panel or application window, this keyboard shortcut switches the display of tooltips for the window or panel objects on and off. |
| Shift+F10 | Open a popup menu for the element that has focus, if a popup menu exists. |