Safari, Apple's web browser, has supported multi-window and tabbed browsing for some time, but many users aren't quite sure how to control when or how tabs or windows are created. You can always right-click on a link on a page and, from the pop-up menu, select the option to open the link in a tab or new window, but this can be cumbersome at times. Here's an easier way to do it.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Controlling Windows and Tabs
- Command + Click. Simultaneously press and hold the command key and click the mouse (a normal click, not a right-click) to open the selected link in a new tab. This works the same as right-click the link and selecting 'Open Link In New Tab' from the pop-up menu. (If you don't see the option to open the link in a new tab, you may have previously turned tabbed browsing off. To turn tabbed browsing back on, select 'Preferences' from the Safari menu, click the 'Tabs' icon, and put a check mark in the 'Enable Tabbed Browsing' box.)
- Command + Shift + Click. Simultaneously press and hold the command and shift keys and click the mouse to open the selected link in a new tab, and bring the new tab to the front.
- Command + Option + Click. Simultaneously press and hold the command and option keys and click the mouse to open the selected link in a new window, behind the currently active window.
- Command + Option + Shift + Click. Simultaneously press and hold the command, option, and shift keys and click the mouse to open the selected link in a new window, in front of the currently active window. This works the same as right-clicking a link and selecting 'Open Link In New Window' from the pop-up menu.
On an Apple keyboard, the command key, sometimes referred to as the cloverleaf key, is the key with the cloverleaf symbol. On a third-party or Windows keyboard, the command key is usually labeled Alt; the option key is the Start key.
