Keyboard shortcuts help you get around much faster than using the mouse. The mouse is a useful gadget, but there is nothing like being able to cruise through an application without ever leaving the keyboard. But did you know Facebook also has a list of keyboard shortcuts? Believe it or not, they do. And now you can zip around your beloved social media network faster than ever.
There are two specific ways you can use keyboard shortcuts on Facebook. First is on the News Feed page, and second is to jump between the various pages of Facebook: Timeline, Inbox, Settings etc. Let’s look at the keyboard shortcuts for both below.
Navigating between Facebook’s different pages
Depending on your unique computer and browser combination, you must first enter in a unique base keyboard shortcut followed by a number that works on every computer and browser.
Start first with the keyboard shortcut unique to your browser and computer combo.
- Internet Explorer on PC: Alt + #, then Enter
- Firefox on PC: Shift + Alt + #
- Chrome on PC: Alt + #
- Safari on Mac: Ctrl + Opt + #
- Firefox on Mac: Ctrl + Opt + #
- Chrome on Mac: Ctrl +Opt + #
With your unique key combination held down, press the relevant number to take you to the specific section of Facebook you’d like to visit:
1 – News Feed
2 – Timeline
3 – Friends List
4 – Inbox
5 – Notifications
6 – Settings
7 – Activity Log
8 – Facebook About page
9 – Terms & Policies
News Feed shortcuts
Next up is the News Feed section. Unlike navigating between Facebook’s pages, you do not need a base shortcut that depends on your computer/browser combination. Instead you just simply enter in your desired keyboard shortcut:
- j and k – Scroll up or down between News Feed stories
- p – post a status update
- l – like or unlike a highlighted story
- c – comment on a highlighted story
- s – share the highlighted story
Additionally, you can use the arrows on your keyboard to scroll up or down between stories on the News Feed.