There are a lot of key commands when using a laptop, but did you know that there is an opposite to the Tab key?this post is for you. We will be discussing what the opposite of the Tab key is and how to use it.
Tab Key
The abbreviation “tab” comes from the Latin term “tabulate”, which means to arrange data in a table. This meaning gives us a clue about the key’s original function, as the tab key let you organize data clearly in tables and switch columns in a document. This function is still available today when using programs such as Microsoft Word or when making tables in Excel. Since then, the tab key has been given many more functions that we will describe for you in the section.
Tab key on the keyboard
You can find the tab key on the left side of the keyboard, just above the caps lock key and to the left of the Q key. You can recognize the tab key by its two arrows going in opposite directions and pointing towards a line, one above the other. Some keyboards might mark it with only one arrow or with the word “tab” directly.
Tab Key Use
The Tab key on a laptop is used to indent text. This is helpful when you are writing a document and want to make sure your paragraphs are properly formatted. The opposite of the Tab key, which is Shift+Tab, will un-indent text. This can come in handy if you have accidentally indented text or if you want to create a hanging indent for a list.
To un-indent text using the Shift+Tab combination, simply hold down the Shift key and press the Tab key at the same time. This will move the cursor one tab stop to the left, effectively un-indenting text. You can also use this combination to outdent text if you hold down the Shift key and press the Tab key with a different timing.
In programs such as Microsoft Word, pressing the tab key will move the cursor a fixed distance to the right – to what’s known as a “tab stop”. This is the same as the key’s original function on typewriters. If the cursor is before a word, you’ll also push the word one tab distance to the right.
This function is useful to get even distances with one push of a button, as well as to increase the margin on the left side of the page, to organize the text into columns, or to use gaps to divide up blocks of text or lists.
Some programs fill the area with spaces, others add a tab sign or their own character to make the text formatting visible. In each case, the tab is a precisely defined but blank space. Although it is made of several different characters, word processors group the space together and treat it as a single element. This means that you can skip over the space from left to right with just one click or one push of an arrow key.
Some programs, including Word, give you the possibility to change the size of the space yourself. Go to the “View” tab and turn on the “Ruler” feature, and then use a left mouse click to set where you want the tab key to move the cursor to. The standard tab distance in Microsoft Word is 1.25 cm, or half an inch. This means that pressing the tab key will move the cursor 1.25 cm or half an inch to the right.
Change the active window
If you press the alt and tab keys at the same time in Windows, you can display a mini overview of all currently open windows and programs. Keep the alt key held down the whole time and use the tab key as many times as you need to until the window you want is highlighted. Release both keys and continue working like you normally would in the newly active window you just chose.
