Navigating Tabs in Google Docs with Keyboard or Screen Reader

Environment

Google Docs

Issue

How do I navigate between tabs in a Google Doc using keyboard or screen reader?

Resolution

If you are navigating Google Docs via keyboard or screen reader, you can use the following strategies to move between different tabs in a document. 

  1. In Chrome, use the keyboard shortcuts:
    • Control + Shift + Page Up to move to the previous tab
    • Control + Shift + Page Down to move to the next tab
  2. In Firefox, the previously mentioned keyboard shortcuts do not work. Instead, you can use the menu search:
    • Press Alt + / to open the menu search box
    • Type "tab" into the search box
    • Select "Previous tab" or "Next tab" from the search results
  3. You can also navigate between tabs from the menu bar with the following steps:
    • Press Alt + F or Alt + Shift + F, depending on the web browser, to open the menu bar
    • Press Tab approximately 10 times to reach the list of tabs (this count may vary depending on screen content)
    • Select the desired tab from the list

Note that when switching tabs with a screen reader, no spoken feedback occurs automatically, and navigating the toolbar can be challenging.

Additional Information

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.

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