Keyboard combination to activate a window

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Is there a combo that will activate a window in (Windows and Firefox)? I often have to use mouse to click in the window to activate it, and I’d prefer a combo. Have searched ‘Net, to no avail.

Thank you

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acerfmayer,

Of course you can alt+tab between your open windows. You can also use the Windows key and a number key to select the application pinned to the task bar in that ordinal position.

Here’s a complete list of FireFox shortcut keys. HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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Sorry, RetiredGeek, I didn’t better explain what I’m after: I know how to switch between windows & how to select an application.

I don’t know how – if possible – to avoid having to use the mouse to ‘click’ in the open window to have its focus, activate it. I’d like to be able to use the keyboard instead of the mouse for this purpose.

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If you mean switching tabs within Firefox try CTRL + n (where “n” is the number of the tab to which you wish to switch).

Otherwise, just switching applications should activate the application you choose.

Joe

--Joe

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Your terminology is unusual, as changing focus is the same thing as switching windows. For those purposes, [Alt-Tab], [Alt-Escape], and [Windows-Tab] are the usual recommendations. Most applications also support [Control-Tab] for switching tabs within a single application.

If you want to actually start a program with the keyboard that’s a different matter. It sounds like you want to globally bind Microsoft Word to a single key sequence, for instance. The old Macro Recorder could do that but Macro Recorder is obsolete and long gone.

For the moment the only thing I can recommend is keyboard navigation, which duplicates the click sequences of the mouse. Using [Control-Escape], [Tab] and the arrow keys, you can navigate the desktop manually. Again though, all you are doing is substituting the keyboard for the mouse by doing this.

Even the Assistive Access options for disabled persons won’t be enough here, as far as I can see. There’s probably some third-party software that can help you out though.

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Thank you for enlightening me about the terminology.

I’ll try once more to explain what I’m after:I often cannot navigate in a window (Word, Firefox) until I mouse click in the window. I’m after a keyboard shortcut to emulate that click (I don’t want to switch windows)

Thank you

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Thank you for enlightening me about the terminology.

I’ll try once more to explain what I’m after:I often cannot navigate in a window (Word, Firefox) until I mouse click in the window. I’m after a keyboard shortcut to emulate that click (I don’t want to switch windows)

Thank you

I frequently see what you are seeing happen and have to click in a page. It’s Windows losing Focus as to what is desired and on my computers it’s frequently because I do something else, click somewhere else that changes the focus. Only way I’ve found is to just click in the window I need. An example just now: I clicked on my AV in the Notification Area, it opened then I closed it. Focus on this page was gone so I had to click to start typing again. Moving the mouse into this pane and pressing Enter did nothing, back to clicking the mouse.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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Keyboard combination to activate a window
Is there a combo that will activate a window in (Windows and Firefox)? I often have to use mouse to click in the window to activate it, and I’d prefer a combo.

I’ll try once more to explain what I’m after:I often cannot navigate in a window (Word, Firefox) until I mouse click in the window. I’m after a keyboard shortcut to emulate that click (I don’t want to switch windows)

Could you explain what the difference is between activating a window and switching to it? Keyboard input can only be sent to one window at a time.

Have you considered setting Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse?

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I can understand this a bit. I have had the occasion where a window is ‘on top’ but does not respond as an active window would. For example using the scroll wheel.
:cheers:

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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And thank you, Wavy.

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Thanks for replying, Berton.

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