In Windows, in any windows form / web browser, you can use the tab button to switch focus through all of the form fields. It will stop on textboxes, radiobuttons, checkboxes, dropdown menus, etc. However, in Mac OSX, tab skips dropdown menus. Is there anyway to change this behavior, or access them any other way without using a mouse?
+11
A:
Go to System Preferences > Keyboard and Mouse, then choose Keyboard Shortcuts. At the bottom, ensure Full Keyboard Access is set to "All controls". It's a long time since I turned it on but I think that's all you need to do
Flubba
2008-08-05 14:13:12
Thank you! This has been bugging me for ages! :)
Martin McNulty
2009-11-02 21:04:55
+2
A:
Apple Menu > System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts:
Change the radio button at the bottom from "Text boxes and lists only" to "All controls."
Edit: Dammit. We're a fast group around here aren't we? :-)
Rufo Sanchez
2008-08-05 14:13:58
A:
Not letting me accept answers, says 'something very bad has happened', but thank you both very much.
Shawn Simon
2008-08-05 14:15:43
A:
It's in the System Preferences - this blog post shows where the setting is.
Greg Hurlman
2008-08-05 14:23:14
+1
A:
I have found that I also need to set accessibility.tabfocus to 7 in Firefox's about:config.
James A. Rosen
2008-08-21 21:13:31
A:
Hi there - I've set it to full keyboard control, yet when I attempt to tab to a dropdown box in PhotoShop CS4 it doesnt work..? I'm particularly interested in the blending options dropdown so I can quickly see what each effect looks like. Thanks!
Harv
2010-01-13 16:20:18