Some novice users of a personal computer do not use the Tab key in their work. This is a serious omission, because the use of useful combinations of buttons on the keyboard can increase the speed and expand the scope of tasks. Therefore, it is very important to close knowledge gaps and study the useful properties and functions of this button.
Where is the Tab buttonon keyboard
The content of the article
- Where is the Tab button on the keyboard
- What is the Tab button on the keyboard for?
- How to use Tab
The location of this button is identical for laptop keyboards and personal computers. It belongs to the "hot" input keys section and is located in the leftmost column of the keyboard, the second or third from the top, under the "Esc" and "~" keys. You can find it by the applied characters - “Tab” or “arrows pointing in opposite directions”. If for some reason, it was not in the usual place, you must refer to the operating instructions for the device.

IMPORTANT! Depending on the factory keyboard layout, the key designation may vary, however, it is always located in the leftmost column in the second or third position from the top. For example, to save space, on the laptop keyboard, it has a smaller size and is indicated only by the symbol of the oppositely directed arrows.
What is the Tab button for?on keyboard
This key is designed to perform two main functions:
- to select or move between several elements or dialog boxes using keyboard shortcuts (this function helps out perfectly if the mouse does not work);
- Insert a tab, indent, or red line when writing or editing text.

REFERENCE! Using this button it is very convenient to fill out various electronic forms or profiles. It allows you to move between fields, without the need for a constant cursor.
How to use Tab
Depending on the function used and the task, “Tab” can be used separately, or in combination with several additional buttons.
Use in office programs. It is used in common text editors, such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice, when writing, typing, or editing text:
- Creating a red line or indentation - for this you need to position the cursor at the beginning of the sentence and once click on the button. The red line is ready. If you need to extend it, you need to click on the button several times.
- Keyboard shortcuts used when surfing the Internet. It's no secret that in any available Internet browser there are keyboard shortcuts that are significantly speed up work, for example: the combination of "Ctrl" + "Tab" - will help you quickly switch between all open tabs in browser
- Filling out various forms. To do this, place the cursor in the first window of the form and fill it out. Then, by pressing the tab key, you can move on without having to move the cursor. To return to the beginning of the form or the previous line, the combination “Chift” + “Tab” will help. This function is suitable for processing a large amount of information and will help to significantly increase the speed of work, save time and save energy.
The use of button combinations in the working environment of the Windows operating system can significantly simplify navigation in a large number of open documents. She is also an indispensable assistant in the absence of a mouse. Examples of simple keyboard shortcuts:
- the combination of “Ctrl” + “Tab” - just like when surfing the Internet, allows you to quickly navigate between open tabs of the selected application group;
- the combination of "Alt" + "Tab" - helps to navigate between the cascade of open programs;
- the combination of "Alt" + "Shift" + "Tab" - the reverse movement between open programs;
- when you press the Tab button, the address bar is activated, showing the path to the selected file, it also opens the ability to move between individual command window elements, such as search, command line and conductor.
These are useful and in some situations irreplaceable functions are the Tab button, and its regular use will significantly simplify the workflow.